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Cybersecurity Mastery Roadmap(2025 Edition)

Phase 1: Foundations

Beginner Level (0-3 months)

Understanding core IT and security basics for cybersecurity foundation

Basic Computer Networking

  1. 1. TCP/IP Protocol Suite → Understanding network layers and communication
  2. 2. DNS (Domain Name System) → Name resolution and security implications
  3. 3. HTTP/HTTPS → Web protocols and encryption transport security
  4. 4. DHCP → Dynamic host configuration and network assignment

Operating Systems Fundamentals

  1. 1. Windows Administration → User management, services, registry basics
  2. 2. Linux Basics → Command line, file systems, permissions, processes
  3. 3. Computer Hardware → CPU, memory, storage, network components
  4. 4. Virtualization → VirtualBox, VMware for lab environments

Cybersecurity Core Concepts

  1. 1. CIA Triad → Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability principles
  2. 2. Threat vs Vulnerability → Risk assessment and attack vectors
  3. 3. Malware Types → Viruses, trojans, ransomware, rootkits, spyware
  4. 4. Cyber Hygiene → Password security, updates, backups, antivirus

Basic Scripting & Tools

  1. 1. Python Scripting → Automation, network tools, security scripts
  2. 2. Bash Scripting → Linux automation and system administration
  3. 3. Wireshark → Packet capture and network traffic analysis
  4. 4. Home Lab Setup → Kali Linux, Ubuntu, virtualized environments
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 2: Core Cybersecurity Knowledge

Intermediate Level (3-6 months)

Learning core security skills and understanding attack/defense techniques

Network Security

  1. 1. Firewalls → Packet filtering, stateful inspection, next-gen firewalls
  2. 2. VPNs → Site-to-site, remote access, IPSec, SSL/TLS tunneling
  3. 3. Proxies → Forward/reverse proxies, web application firewalls
  4. 4. IDS/IPS → Intrusion detection and prevention systems, signatures

System Hardening

  1. 1. Windows Hardening → Group policy, access controls, service configuration
  2. 2. Linux Hardening → File permissions, service management, kernel security
  3. 3. Configuration Management → Baseline configurations, compliance scanning
  4. 4. Patch Management → Vulnerability management and update procedures

Attack Techniques & Defense

  1. 1. Phishing Attacks → Email security, social engineering, user awareness
  2. 2. Malware Analysis → Static/dynamic analysis, sandboxing, indicators
  3. 3. DoS/DDoS Attacks → Traffic flooding, mitigation strategies, rate limiting
  4. 4. SQL Injection → Database attacks, parameterized queries, input validation

Web Security & Cryptography

  1. 1. OWASP Top 10 → Common web vulnerabilities and countermeasures
  2. 2. XSS & CSRF → Cross-site scripting and request forgery prevention
  3. 3. Encryption Basics → AES, RSA, hashing algorithms, digital signatures
  4. 4. Incident Response → Detection, containment, eradication, recovery
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 3: Intermediate Hands-on Skills

Advanced Level (6-12 months)

Practical attack & defense skills with scripting for automation

Advanced Network Security

  1. 1. Firewall Rules → Advanced filtering, NAT, port forwarding configuration
  2. 2. VPN Tunneling → IPSec implementation, SSL VPN deployment
  3. 3. Network Segmentation → VLANs, subnetting, micro-segmentation
  4. 4. Wireless Security → WPA3, enterprise authentication, rogue AP detection

System Administration & AD

  1. 1. Active Directory → Domain services, group policy, authentication
  2. 2. Linux Administration → Advanced permissions, SELinux, system monitoring
  3. 3. PowerShell Security → Execution policies, constrained language mode
  4. 4. Container Security → Docker hardening, Kubernetes security policies

Malware Analysis & Threat Intel

  1. 1. Static Analysis → File structure, strings, imports, metadata analysis
  2. 2. Dynamic Analysis → Behavioral analysis, network indicators, sandbox
  3. 3. Threat Intelligence → IOCs, threat feeds, STIX/TAXII, attribution
  4. 4. Forensics Tools → Autopsy, FTK Imager, volatility, timeline analysis

Penetration Testing Basics

  1. 1. Reconnaissance → OSINT, footprinting, enumeration techniques
  2. 2. Vulnerability Scanning → Nmap, OpenVAS, Nessus, result analysis
  3. 3. Exploitation → Metasploit framework, custom exploits, payload delivery
  4. 4. Post-exploitation → Privilege escalation, persistence, lateral movement
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 4: Advanced Specialization

Expert Level (12-18 months)

Industry-ready skills with chosen specialization focus

Red Team Operations

  1. 1. Advanced Penetration Testing → Custom exploits, zero-day research
  2. 2. Social Engineering → Phishing campaigns, physical security, OSINT
  3. 3. Post-exploitation → Advanced persistence, steganography, covert channels
  4. 4. Red Team Tools → Cobalt Strike, custom C2, living-off-the-land techniques

Blue Team Defense

  1. 1. Incident Response → NIST framework, playbooks, evidence collection
  2. 2. Digital Forensics → Memory analysis, disk imaging, network forensics
  3. 3. Threat Hunting → Hypothesis-driven hunting, behavioral analytics
  4. 4. SOC Operations → SIEM management, alert triage, case management

Cloud Security

  1. 1. AWS Security → IAM, CloudTrail, GuardDuty, security groups, compliance
  2. 2. Azure Security → Azure AD, Security Center, Key Vault, monitoring
  3. 3. GCP Security → Cloud IAM, Security Command Center, audit logging
  4. 4. Container Security → Kubernetes security, image scanning, runtime protection

Application Security

  1. 1. Secure SDLC → Security requirements, design review, code review
  2. 2. SAST/DAST → Static and dynamic application security testing
  3. 3. API Security → Authentication, authorization, rate limiting, fuzzing
  4. 4. DevSecOps → CI/CD security, infrastructure as code, policy as code
Phase 4
Phase 5
Phase 5: Industry Ready Professional

Production Level (18-24+ months)

Full-time job ready with real-world exposure and advanced skills

Security Architecture

  1. 1. Zero Trust Architecture → Identity verification, micro-segmentation, least privilege
  2. 2. Security Frameworks → NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls implementation
  3. 3. Risk Management → Risk assessment, treatment, monitoring, reporting
  4. 4. Business Continuity → Disaster recovery, incident response, crisis management

Advanced Threat Intelligence

  1. 1. Threat Modeling → STRIDE, PASTA, attack trees, risk analysis
  2. 2. Attribution Analysis → APT tracking, TTPs, infrastructure analysis
  3. 3. Threat Intelligence Platforms → MISP, OpenCTI, threat feed integration
  4. 4. Cyber Threat Hunting → Advanced persistent threats, behavioral analytics

Compliance & Governance

  1. 1. Regulatory Compliance → GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOX requirements
  2. 2. Audit Management → Internal audits, external assessments, remediation
  3. 3. Policy Development → Security policies, procedures, standards, guidelines
  4. 4. Security Metrics → KPIs, dashboards, reporting, continuous improvement

Leadership & Communication

  1. 1. Security Awareness → Training programs, phishing simulations, culture
  2. 2. Incident Communication → Stakeholder updates, breach notification, PR
  3. 3. Technical Leadership → Team management, project coordination, mentoring
  4. 4. Strategic Planning → Security roadmap, budget planning, technology evaluation

🛡️ Congratulations! You're Cybersecurity Industry Ready!

You've completed the Cybersecurity Mastery Roadmap and are now ready to protect organizations and lead security initiatives.

🎯 Final Tips to Excel in Cybersecurity

  • • Participate in bug bounty programs (HackerOne, Bugcrowd) and CTF competitions
  • • Contribute to open-source security tools and join communities (DEFCON, OWASP)
  • • Stay updated via security blogs (Krebs, Threatpost, BleepingComputer)
  • • Maintain continuous learning - cybersecurity landscape evolves rapidly
  • • Build a strong professional network and consider security certifications

📚 Key Certifications by Career Path

🔴 Red Team / Offensive

  • • OSCP (Offensive Security)
  • • CEH (EC-Council)
  • • GPEN (SANS)
  • • CRTP (Altered Security)

🔵 Blue Team / Defensive

  • • Security+ (CompTIA)
  • • CySA+ (CompTIA)
  • • GCIH (SANS)
  • • GNFA (SANS)

☁️ Cloud Security

  • • AWS Security Specialty
  • • Azure Security Engineer
  • • CCSP (ISC²)
  • • Google Cloud Security