Where to start?

[Oceans80]

http://www.hackthissite.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=91&p=42414#p42414

I am new here, so, I added the link above. It is a link to my introduction post.

Now, if you don't want to read the intro post, basically, I am starting to get back into hacking again. I know more than most when it comes to computers but not so much as far as hacking. I've been to a number of different wargames sites but I really like this one and am going to stick around and learn as much as possible.

My question is, where should I start?

I have some extra money and wanted to pick up a hacking book, I was curious what a good book to start off with would be. I read that Gray-Hat hacking (or something gray something) is a good book and another one is called Something: A guide to hacking.

I have been dwonloading torrents with different files in it to read and what not but a lot of that is black-hat hacking.

So, where do I start?


THanks!


Oceans80

[Skiddie Killer]

http://www.hackthissite.org/articles/read/1059

[tremor77]

Start by watching out for what you get on torrents lol

Seriously, just start working through the missions on this site to get a basic understanding.. and the associated mission forums. Hacking isn't something you learn from a book... it's a state of constant curiosity into the way things work.. and learn how to build things before you break them... a better challenge than breaking into someone's password protected website? Building your own password protected website.

Another 2.5 cents.. but this has been covered in these forums a bazillion times.. I suggest reading through them more thoroughly.

[ApEk]

First, get your feet wet by completing the missions.
Then get a somewhat cheap beater box and install Damn Vulnerable Linux on it.
http://www.damnvulnerablelinux.org/

Then polish the skills you're currently learning by hacking the test box.
Also here's the book you're talking about: http://www.amazon.com/Gray-Hat-Hacking- ... 0072257091

[Oceans80]

yeah, thats the book..i think the one i saw was the second edition though



i already have a "beater box"...it's my old PC, i unhooked it since I have this laptop (it was slowwwwwwwwwwwwW)

i'm goin to hit the missions and read some articles and I might through DVL onto that box in the next couple days, my luck, DVL would be nowhere to be found when it came time for me to need it

[XORMeBaby]

Do you know any programming languages? Or website related languages? I personally would highly suggest learning Perl. If you have some money, you can find "Learning Perl" on amazon for cheap I'm sure. It is an absolutely fantastic book.

Reading a book about "Gray/black-hat Hacking" won't get you very far. If not Perl, I know of some people who have suggested Gray-hat Python. I myself have not read it but you might want to check it out also. Again, Learning Perl is an awesome book for getting started with Perl as a first, or second or third etc, language.

[tgoe]

Save your money. The great majority of books written on this topic are obsolete by the time they hit the shelves/torrents anyway. If you must buy a book... "CODE" by Microsoft's own Charles Petzold. He teaches you how to build a (very basic) computer out of junk found in RadioShack's miscellaneous bin

[Oceans80]

Right on, I'll only use e-books then and not focus ALL my time on it...

I don't know any programming languages...I know some HTML?? lolol

I hear that PERL is popular and a lot of people start out with that so maybe I'll check that out...or should I check out Python (i hear its a good one to start with because its a little easier than others) or C? oh mannn..so many options hahah

oh yeah, for the record, I am running SECmic3 linux (its a version of kubuntu with a bunch of security tools in it, kind of like backtrack with kubuntu skin) i did use ubuntu but i wanted the security tools...

i know ubuntu is looked at as "for noobs" so what should i lean towards then...i was looking at debian and fedora but what really is the difference between ubuntu and debian?



I know this question is going to make me look really bad but...what server is the IRC chat on? I tried to find it in my IRC client and I couldn't, and when I clicked the link up top and mibbit or whatever opened, it said the chat was terminated??

[Draymire]

Just pick a language that you are interested in to start and learn the others after.
I recommend python personally, its easy and powerful.

Ubuntu is only looked at as "for noobs" because it is easy to get started with but you can still do everything with Ubuntu that you could with other distros it just takes some time to learn it. As for learning towards a different distro of linux, setup a virtual box and play around with as many as you can. The right distro for me is not necessarily going to be the right one for you.

The difference between Debian and Ubuntu can be summed up with this:
"Debian is the rock upon which Ubuntu is built"

[msbachman]

i know ubuntu is looked at as "for noobs" so what should i lean towards then...i was looking at debian and fedora but what really is the difference between ubuntu and debian?

Ubuntu is Debian based.

And that myth about Ubuntu being 'for noobs' is...well, show me one thing that can be done on another linux distribution and can't be done with Ubuntu.

But if you have a fragile self-esteem and want to keep up appearances with the most 1337 h4xx0r1sh distro get Fedora. It's the least worst imo compared to Ubuntu.

-- Sat Jul 24, 2010 11:56 am --

Protip: It's really, REALLY shallow to look down on someone on the basis of whatever OS they run.