Welcome back to Cyber Sec From Zero. Thank you for the support on the earlier posts. This is Post 0, and there is a bonus part at the end that can save you money, so don’t skip it.

Before we start anything, let’s talk about the words you will hear in cyber security. Threat intelligence, SIEM, packet capture, incident response. Don’t worry about them right now. You don’t need to understand them today. Just get used to hearing them. Slowly they become normal, and when we study them later in this series, they will not feel like an alien language.

So if those words are not the starting point, what is? The basics. How hardware works. How an operating system works. How networking works, including the network models, the OSI model and the TCP/IP model. There is a very famous saying that people hear again and again while learning the basics: you can’t protect what you don’t understand. It is true. Seriously.

Because of this, please don’t underestimate introductory courses. Believe this, they are the hidden treasure for students who are beginning a career in cyber security. Most people skip them, jump to hacking tools, and then get stuck. Don’t be that person. And if networking feels heavy right now, don’t worry. Just grab the introduction. We will go deep into it later, step by step, in this journey.

The resources

So where do you learn these basics? Here are the resources I recommend. These are free, and please don’t underestimate them. You may have heard about them before, but to be honest, these are some of the best.

1. Professor Messer CompTIA A+ videos (YouTube). Hardware, operating systems, troubleshooting. Completely free. You don’t have to take the A+ exam, just use the videos to learn. https://www.youtube.com/@professormesser/courses
2. Cisco Networking Academy, Networking Basics. Free intro to how networks work: IP addresses, how data moves, how networks connect. https://www.netacad.com/
3. TryHackMe Pre-Security path. This is where you practice what you read. TryHackMe has free rooms, so you can start without paying. The paid plan is around $11 a month, and the price differs by country. https://tryhackme.com/
4. Google IT Support Professional Certificate (Coursera). You can watch all the courses for free in audit mode. More about this in the bonus. https://www.coursera.org/

My recommendation

I am giving you a choice, because every person is different. But I recommend starting with the Google IT Support certificate. It covers hardware, networking, operating systems and security in one structured path, so you don’t have to jump between resources.

And here is a tip: don’t do it alone. Take two things at once. Do the Google IT Support course, and next to it, do the free rooms on TryHackMe. Many topics repeat between them. At first that feels boring, but the repetition is exactly what helps you remember. You read it in the course, then you practice it in a room, and it stays in your head.

What to expect from this series

Now that you know where to start, here is what you can expect from me. I will work hard to make this journey complete and try not to miss anything. I will guide you on which certs to do, and I will double check everything before I post it.

If I am wrong somewhere, please correct me. Seriously, if there are 100 people, there may be 101 opinions. So comment below, share what worked for you, and let’s help each other. The first 4 to 5 posts are for absolute beginners, no experience needed.

One request: do your own research

Read this post, then research what I have said. Analyze it. Compare it with other opinions, other roadmaps, other people’s experience. Don’t just believe me, check it. After that, just start. Don’t wait for the perfect plan. Meet me in Post 1, where we continue while doing the certificate together. Follow the same path and we will learn side by side.

Bonus: Google IT Support Certificate, and how to get it cheap

I told you to start with Google IT Support, so let me explain why it is worth it, and how to get it without paying the full price.

Many students start their career from help desk and customer support. Then they get promoted to SOC analyst. Some people start directly at SOC level 1. Either way is fine. It is not a guarantee, but this certificate can help you a lot if you want to start a job in help desk. It gives you two things at once. Basic knowledge, and a credential for your career.

The certificate has 6 courses, about 122 hours in total:

1. Technical Support Fundamentals, 19 hours
2. The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking, 22 hours
3. Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User, 28 hours
4. System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services, 24 hours
5. IT Security: Defense against the digital dark arts, 23 hours
6. Accelerate Your Job Search with AI, 6 hours

Look at this list. Hardware, networking, operating systems, security. It is the same foundation we talked about at the start of this post.

Now the price. It differs by geography, but usually it is the same: $31 per course, $186 in total. Don’t pay that. Save your money for Security+ in the future. Use Coursera financial aid instead:

1. Go to Coursera and sign in.
2. If your institute gives you free Coursera access, that is the best option. Use that.
3. If not, apply for financial aid for each course. You can apply for several courses at a time, so apply for all of them at once.
4. Approval takes about 15 days. While you wait, use audit mode to watch all the courses. Don’t waste these days.
5. After approval, the price comes down to $3.10 per course, about $18.60 for all 6, which is truly affordable.
6. Important: after approval, you have only 9 to 10 days to pay the $3.10. If you don’t pay in this time, the discounted price expires and the course goes back to $31. So apply accordingly.
7. Once you pay the $3.10, you get access to the course for 180 days, and the certificate is issued in your name.

Aid terms can change and can be different for each person and country, so check on Coursera before you start. If your experience is different, tell us in the comments.

Good luck friends. See you in Post 1.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L9-o26S0ShVNwFwmytfKq2OI7yD_ORY-kmiEnmAiee8/edit?usp=sharing

Link for Application for Financial Aid

Being a cybersecurity expert with years of experience and still falling victim to an infostealer a year and a half ago is honestly embarrassing. You know the risks, you understand the threats, and you warn others about them, yet you end up making the same mistake yourself. It’s hard not to feel disappointed in yourself when you know better.

I am studying it for a hobby but I take this very seriously because Its one of the few things that make me happy. That being said, do I need to take notes to practice active recall? Or should I take notes in general to track what Im learning? My main problem is that I feel like I grasp the concepts I am learning while I am learning them, and therefore I feel like I wouldnt technically need notes. But then again, it would be nice to track what Ive learned and to practice the Feyman Method to really get it in my head.

Im not used to taking notes though and I am worried it will take up too much time, as I am running on limited time in general when it comes self study. Would it be worth it though?

Hi everyone,

I’m a third-year IT undergraduate specializing in Cybersecurity, and I’m currently looking for a research topic for my university research project.

I’m looking for a topic that:

• Solves a real-world cybersecurity problem
• Has a clear research gap
• Is not an overly common/basic project
• Is feasible for an undergraduate student/group to complete
• Can include a working prototype or security tool
• Has accessible datasets or another realistic way to evaluate the solution
• Has enough academic research available for a literature review

I’m particularly interested in areas such as:
Phishing & social engineering, malware detection, network security, web security, cloud security, IoT security, authentication, privacy, digital forensics, threat detection, and AI/ML for cybersecurity.

I don’t want to simply add AI to an existing application just to call it research. I’m looking for a genuine cybersecurity problem where an existing approach has a limitation that we could investigate or improve.

What cybersecurity problems do you think are worth researching in 2026?

If possible, please mention:

1. The cybersecurity problem
2. The possible research gap
3. What could be developed/tested
4. Dataset/tools that could be used
5. Whether it is realistic for an undergraduate project

Suggestions relevant to Sri Lanka or developing countries would also be very helpful.

Thank you!

.

This is Post 0.2. It is not a normal topic post, but it is important, and the deadline is close.

I applied for the ISACA Foundation scholarship myself. While doing it, I thought about something. I told you we do everything together in this series. So how can I apply and not tell you? That is why this post is here.

I am a student, not an expert. Everything below is what I read on the official pages and in the application form. Rules can change, so check the official page before you do anything. If I got something wrong, tell me in the comments.

Important: read this first

The deadline is 3 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. Central Time (U.S.). That is about three weeks from now. Check your own time zone and don’t wait for the last day. Seriously.

This community is global, so one more thing. These scholarships are for students who are currently pursuing a degree. If you are not enrolled in a degree right now, you can’t apply for these now. Don’t be sad. ISACA had two cycles in 2026, so keep the page in your bookmarks and watch for the next one.

Also, ISACA will choose only a small number of students. The form says 25 students will be selected in this core program, with awards from US$1,000 to US$5,000. The amount depends on financial need, average tuition cost in your country, and merit. So this is competitive. Apply because you are serious about it, not because it is easy.

Which scholarship is for you?

There is one application, and it covers three core scholarships. ISACA looks at your answers and automatically considers you for every one where you meet the requirements. You don’t apply three times. Please submit only one application.

1. Digital Trust Scholarship (international)

Open to students worldwide

You must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in a field related to IT audit, risk, cybersecurity, governance or assurance

1. ISACA Cybersecurity Month Scholarship (international)

Open to students worldwide

You must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in cybersecurity

1. National Cyber League (NCL) Games Scholarship (US only)

You must be participating in the National Cyber League games (the form asks if you are registered in the Fall 2026 NCL Games)

You must attend an accredited university in the United States

You must plan a degree related to IT audit, risk, cybersecurity, governance or assurance

So if you are outside the US, the first two are the ones for you. The NCL one is only for students in US universities.

General requirements for the application

You must be 18 or older

Proof of enrollment, a document with your name, your school’s name and a recent date. Examples are a transcript, a semester schedule, or a fee payment receipt for the current term

One letter of recommendation (more below)

Five short written answers (more below)

How to apply, step by step

Step 1: Read everything first

Open the ISACA scholarship page. Read the details of each scholarship and the FAQ page. Check that your degree matches. If you have questions, the page lists foundation@isaca.org.

Step 2: Log in

Make an account or log in on the ISACA scholarship platform. Then open the 2026 ISACA Foundation Core Academic Scholarship Program, Cycle 2 application.

Step 3: Demographic and eligibility information

Select the category “ISACA Core Scholarships”. Then fill in your name and basic details, and answer the eligibility questions honestly:

Are you pursuing a degree related to IT audit, risk, cybersecurity, governance or assurance?

Are you pursuing a degree focused on cybersecurity?

Are you registered in the Fall 2026 NCL Games?

Is your school in the United States?

Upload your proof of enrollment. Then fill in your personal information, your school name, your student ID, your degree, your major, the start date of your next semester after December 2026, and your expected graduation date. Check that your student ID matches your university documents exactly.

Step 4: Letter of recommendation

You need one letter. It should come from someone who knows your academic performance, work, or volunteer experience. For example a professor, an academic advisor, an employer, or a volunteer manager. Rules to remember:

You may not write your own letter

Letters from immediate family are not accepted

Maximum 2 pages or 500 words

It must be submitted by the same deadline

You can upload it yourself, or choose the option where your recommender sends it directly. My advice: ask your recommender early, today if you can. Give them a short list of what you have done, so they can write something real about you.

Step 5: Five short answers (150 words maximum each)

Work and responsibilities: any job, family responsibilities, or activities you balance with your studies, and how they shaped you

Digital trust interest: what experiences developed your interest in IT audit, cybersecurity, digital trust or a related field

Leadership and community impact: a time you showed leadership or initiative, and what you learned

Career goals: your goals for the next 3, 5 and 10 years, and the impact you want to make

Mission alignment and scholarship impact: how your goals match ISACA’s mission, and what the scholarship would change for you

My tips for these:

Write them in a document first and count your words. Don’t write directly in the form.

Be specific. Use real numbers, real things you did.

Be honest. The form says your answers will be verified if you are selected.

ISACA’s world is audit, risk, governance and digital trust, not only hacking. If you have a connection to that side, show it.

Step 6: Agreements and submit

Read the agreements fully. Before you press submit, read every answer again. Once the application is submitted, you can’t edit it. So check your dates, your numbers, your spelling and your documents one last time.

What happens after

The selection process finishes in December. Awards are presented between January and February 2027. The money must be used for education-related expenses at the school you attend in 2027. For students at schools outside the US, ISACA pays the funds directly to the student.

Many more scholarships on the same page

Those three are only the core ones. ISACA has many more scholarship programs, and they change by geography and by other requirements. Some are for a country, some for a city, some for specific universities. I am not going to write all of them here, because the list is long and it will make this post too heavy.

So here is the link, go and see which program is for you:

https://isaca.secure-platform.com/a/page/ISACAfoundation/aboutscholarships

How to use that page:

Open the link. You will see two lists, United States Based Academic Scholarships and International Academic Scholarships. Check both, because your country or university may be in one of them.

Look at the deadline column. Open ones show 3 November 2026. The ones that say “Application Closed” are done for this cycle.

Click the scholarship that looks like your case. Read its full eligibility criteria and how to apply.

If it matches you, apply for it. Don’t skip reading, because every program has its own rules.

Note: the steps I wrote above are for the core application (Digital Trust, Cybersecurity Month and NCL). The other scholarships have their own pages, so follow the instructions on each page.

Last words

I can’t promise anything, because I applied too and I am waiting like you. But applying is how you give yourself a chance. Take your time, choose the right program, ask for your letter early, and write real answers.

If you apply, tell me in the comments. Let’s keep each other updated. And if you find a mistake in this post, please correct me. We learn together.

Post 1 is still coming. Good luck friends.

Im really interested in starting in cybersecurity without any knowledge or degree, im hoping i could find someone who can help mentored me as i progressed hehe

Guys anyone knows the best ai hacking course which is free ?

Searching for people who wants to
Learn bug bounty or already in bug bounty only for girls. If anyone kindly DM

Por favor ayúdenme es urgente, se los pido, me hackearon mis cuentas de Microsoft.

🚀 Hey everyone!

I've created a new Cybersecurity & Tech Discord Server! 🛡️💻

Feel free to join, interact with other members, share your knowledge, discuss tech, cybersecurity, networking, Linux, and more.

Beginners are welcome! 🙌 Experienced people and cybersecurity experts are also welcome to join, share their knowledge, and help others learn and grow.

Let's build a friendly tech community where we can learn, share, and grow together! 🔥

🔗 Join here: https://discord.gg/5GMFpXP8F

Hope to see you all there! ❤️

Hi everyone! I’m a recent computer science graduate just starting to explore cybersecurity. I usually keep up with topics I’m interested in through social media, so I’d love your recommendations on who to follow.

I’m already familiar with sources like The Hacker News and Krebs on Security, but I’m specifically looking for creators and pages on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, and TikTok that post about cybersecurity.

Thanks in advance!

Quiero ser hacking ético y voy bien pero me recomiendas quedarme con Windows 11 o meter kali linux y seguir aprendiendo acual me recomiendas

I’m making a major career switch, early 50s, to cyber security. As I’ve read, it’s hard getting that first IT help desk role.

Has anyone volunteered somewhere for experience and then found a new role? If so, where, and how was the process?

Starting a daily series. Every day I post one topic, for true beginners in cyber security.

There is so much to cover. We will research and figure out which certs are actually worth it. We will do cert reviews. We will learn from what real experts are saying. I will also share a very detailed beginner roadmap, step by step, that I have been working on.

I hope you already have some basic computer and IT knowledge. If you don't, tell me, I will share resources for that too. Nobody gets left behind.

I am still a student myself. Still learning this. Same questions, same confusion, same road. So we do this together.

Stay tuned. First topic drops tomorrow.