🎯 Introducing Our OverTheWire Walkthrough Series: Learning Cybersecurity Through Practice

If you're reading this, you're probably trying to learn cybersecurity. Maybe you're a beginner who's heard about "hacking" and wants to understand what it really means. Maybe you're switching careers. Or maybe you're already in IT and want to level up your security skills.

Here's the thing: you can't learn cybersecurity by reading alone. You need to get your hands dirty. You need to break things (safely), solve puzzles, and think like an attacker.

That's why I'm launching a new series of walkthroughs covering OverTheWire wargames—starting with Bandit, then moving to Natas, and beyond.

🔍 What Is OverTheWire?

OverTheWire is a collection of wargames designed to teach cybersecurity through hands-on practice. Each game focuses on different skills:

Bandit — Linux command line basics and file system navigation
Natas — Web application security and common vulnerabilities
Leviathan — Binary exploitation and reverse engineering
Krypton — Cryptography fundamentals
And more...

These aren't simulations or tutorials. They're real challenges hosted on real servers. You SSH into machines, find flags, and learn by doing.

🎓 Why I'm Writing These Walkthroughs

Let me be honest: when I started learning cybersecurity, I struggled. I'd read about concepts like "privilege escalation" or "SQL injection" but had no idea how to actually do them. I needed examples. I needed someone to show me the thinking process, not just the commands.

That's what these walkthroughs will do.

Each post will:

Walk you through the challenge step-by-step — Not just the answer, but the reasoning
Explain the commands and techniques — Why we use cat instead of less, when to use find, how to read file permissions
Teach the underlying concepts — What you're actually learning and why it matters
Provide context — How these skills apply to real penetration testing

Important: These walkthroughs are educational. I won't give you flags or passwords—you'll still need to solve the challenges yourself. But I'll guide you through the process so you understand how to think about each problem.

📚 What to Expect

Starting with Bandit

We're kicking off with OverTheWire Bandit, which teaches Linux fundamentals through 34 levels. Each level introduces new concepts:

Level 0: SSH connection basics and terminal fundamentals
Levels 1-5: Basic file operations (ls, cat, cd, find)
Levels 6-10: File permissions, ownership, and text processing
Levels 11-20: Advanced file operations, compression, and network basics
Levels 21-34: Scripting, cron jobs, and privilege escalation basics

Bandit is perfect for beginners because it assumes zero prior knowledge. If you've never touched Linux before, Level 0 will teach you everything you need to get started, then Level 1 will be your first real challenge.

Then Moving to Natas

After Bandit, we'll cover Natas, which focuses on web application security. You'll learn:

SQL injection
Command injection
File inclusion vulnerabilities
Authentication bypasses
And more OWASP Top 10 concepts

Natas builds on Bandit by applying Linux skills to web security challenges.

Beyond That

Depending on interest, we'll continue with:

Leviathan — Binary exploitation
Krypton — Cryptography
Narnia — Buffer overflows
And other OverTheWire games

🛠 How to Use These Walkthroughs

For Beginners

Read the walkthrough to understand the concepts
Try the challenge yourself before looking at solutions
Use the walkthrough as a guide when you're stuck
Experiment — try different commands, break things, learn

For Intermediate Learners

Skip ahead if a level seems too basic
Focus on the methodology — how I approach each problem
Challenge yourself — can you solve it differently?
Apply the techniques to other CTFs or labs

For Everyone

Don't just copy commands — understand what they do
Google is your friend — look up man pages, documentation, examples
Take notes — write down what works and what doesn't
Join the community — OverTheWire has forums and IRC channels

⚠️ A Few Ground Rules

Educational Purpose Only

These walkthroughs are for learning. Don't use these techniques against systems you don't own or don't have permission to test.

No Flags Provided

I won't give you flags or passwords. You'll still need to solve the challenges yourself. The walkthroughs guide you through the process, not the answer.

Respect the Platform

OverTheWire provides these games for free. Follow their rules:

Don't use automated exploitation tools
Don't share flags publicly
Don't abuse the servers
Clean up after yourself (use /tmp directories)

Practice Ethical Hacking

Everything you learn here should be applied ethically:

Only test systems you own or have written permission to test
Follow responsible disclosure practices
Respect privacy and data
Use your skills to help, not harm

🚀 What Makes These Walkthroughs Different

You can find OverTheWire walkthroughs all over the internet. Here's what makes mine different:

Real-World Context

I don't just show you how to solve a challenge—I explain why these skills matter in real penetration testing. How does finding a password in a file relate to actual security assessments? What does privilege escalation teach you about securing Linux systems?

Beginner-Friendly

I assume you're starting from zero. I'll explain every command, every concept, and every step. No jargon without explanation.

Practical Methodology

I'll show you how I think about each problem. What do I check first? How do I narrow down possibilities? What do I do when I'm stuck?

Honest Learning

I'll call out when something is tricky. I'll explain mistakes I made. I'll show you that learning cybersecurity is a process, not a destination.

📅 What's Coming Next

Here's the plan:

This introduction (you're reading it)
Bandit Level 0 — A comprehensive guide to SSH connection basics, including how to connect to OverTheWire servers, managing passwords efficiently, and essential terminal tips for beginners
Bandit Level 1 — Your first real challenge: finding a password in a file
Bandit Levels 2-5 — Basic file operations and navigation
Bandit Levels 6-10 — File permissions, ownership, and text processing
And so on...

I'll publish walkthroughs regularly. Subscribe to the blog or follow along as we work through each level.

💡 Why This Matters

Cybersecurity is a practical field. You can't learn it from books alone. You need to:

Break things safely
Solve puzzles
Think creatively
Learn from mistakes

OverTheWire wargames provide a safe, legal environment to do exactly that. And these walkthroughs will help you get the most out of them.

Whether you're a complete beginner or someone looking to sharpen their skills, I hope these walkthroughs help you on your cybersecurity journey.

🎯 Ready to Start?

The first walkthrough—OverTheWire Bandit Level 0—will be published next. This will be a comprehensive educational post covering:

SSH connection fundamentals — How to connect to remote servers securely
OverTheWire setup — Step-by-step instructions for connecting to Bandit servers
Password management — Efficient ways to store and use passwords for each level
Terminal basics — Essential commands and tips for Linux beginners
Best practices — Security considerations and workflow tips

Level 0 is perfect for complete beginners—if you've never used SSH or Linux before, this post will get you started. After that, Level 1 will be your first real challenge where you'll find a password hidden in a file.

Questions about OverTheWire or this series? Reach out directly:

Email: m1k3@msquarellc.net
Phone: (559) 670-3159
Schedule: Book a free consultation

M Square LLC
Cybersecurity | Penetration Testing | No-Nonsense Advice

Introducing Our OverTheWire Walkthrough Series: Learning Cybersecurity Through Practice