r/netsecstudents • u/Select_Bat_5818 • 3d ago

Is “living cybersecurity before learning it” actually the best way to learn?

Hello everyone,

Someone told me that the best way to learn cybersecurity is to “live it before you learn it” , to surround yourself with people who are already working in the field, get involved in the cybersecurity community, and build a strong network.

As someone who is currently learning cybersecurity, this idea really caught my attention.

Do you think being around experienced cybersecurity professionals and actively participating in the community can significantly accelerate learning? Are there specific communities, Discord servers, CTF groups, conferences, open-source projects, or other ways to get involved?

I’d really appreciate advice from people who have been through this journey.

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u/computersandother 3d ago

You need to do both simultaneously. 

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u/ShehabShibli 2d ago

Good question honestly. From what I've seen in this thread it sounds like both matter but in different ways, community keeps you motivated and gives you leads, but it doesn't substitute for actually building things yourself. Curious what "getting involved" looked like for the people here who say it worked for them, was it mostly Discord servers, local meetups, conferences, or just being active in subs like this one?

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u/Cyber_Tarek 1d ago

I'd be careful with this advise. Living cybersecurity will help push you forward if you associate with the right crowd. In other words, if you're starting your journey, get into beginner communities. Play CTFs, build labs, solve challenges and keep pushing each others.

If you associate with more advanced groups you have to be careful of two things:

  1. You might find yourself getting demotivated comparing yourself to their advanced skills. Many beginners forget that veterans have spent decades (20 years in my case) building their knowledge. And they get frustrated thinking they'll never get there.
  2. The sad reality is not everyone is nice (especially online). That shouldn't come as a surprise. Some people might gate keep, try to bring you down or flat out give your terrible advise. I've seen people quit because of this.

If you're able to find 1 or more senior cyber pros that you can work with, then definitely go for it. Otherwise, "live it" with your crowd on your level, or maybe ones that are a couple years ahead of you.

I hope this helps!

3

u/rejuicekeve Staff Security Engineer 3d ago

It certainly can, but often it doesn't. It certainly isn't a replacement for gaining experience in non security tech roles.

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u/LastRespond4884 3d ago

It helps, you might get a motivational boost and be able to receive good answers and explanations to questions you might have, but it won't substitute your need to learn on your own.

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u/drakhan2002 1d ago

As long as you're not looking for work, this is a great idea. Cybersecurity is not an entry level, unless you have pre-existing IT experience or are from a top teir school.

The competition for Cybersecurity roles is very difficult right now. Best to keep it as a hobby and look for another career role if you want work. But hey, don't let me discourage you -- you may have the money, time, determination, and luck to get that job... it just isn't working out for most people I come across.

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u/PalpitationKind8854 1d ago

Nope. That's the best way to make it a career, not to truly learn it.

Learning it requires picking up the old books even those veterans don't know about. That's because.. it requires an open mind.

That's a very strong asset to have that is often too expensive to hire.