Red Team

If you’re trying to break into offensive security — or level up your existing skills — you’ve probably been told to “just practice on HTB or THM.” Good advice. But which one? And for what? I’ve used both platforms extensively. Here’s the honest breakdown, based on what actually matters for building real-world penetration testing skills. The Short Answer TryHackMe is better for beginners and structured learners Hack The Box is better for intermediate-to-advanced practitioners and job prep Most serious practitioners use both Now let’s get into why. ...

People talk about “getting into cybersecurity” like it’s a single destination. It isn’t. The red team career path is a long road with distinct phases, each requiring different skills, different mindsets, and different investments. I’ve spent over a decade in offensive security — from junior analyst writing first-ever pentest reports to leading red team programs and advising on enterprise security strategy. Here’s an honest map of the terrain. The Career Levels (And What They Actually Mean) Level 1: Junior Penetration Tester / Security Analyst (0-2 years) This is where everyone starts, and most people underestimate how much work it takes to get here legitimately. ...

If you’ve spent any time in offensive security, you’ve heard the debate: is OSCP still worth it in 2026? With new certifications flooding the market and OffSec updating their coursework, I want to give you an honest answer — not a sales pitch. The short version: yes, OSCP is still worth it — but not for the reasons most people think. What OSCP Actually Is The Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) is a hands-on penetration testing certification from OffSec (formerly Offensive Security). Unlike multiple-choice exams, OSCP requires you to compromise a series of machines in a 24-hour exam environment and document your findings in a professional report. ...