Introduction - Freedium

Every day, we depend on computers, networks, applications, and online services. Behind all of them are systems that need to be designed, monitored, tested, and protected.

My name is Raj Kumar Gupta, and I am currently learning Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking.

I am still at the learning stage, but I want to build my knowledge from the fundamentals and gradually move toward more advanced security concepts.

This article marks the beginning of my public journey into cybersecurity and ethical hacking.

Why I Chose Cybersecurity

My interest in cybersecurity started with a simple curiosity:

How do computers, networks, and applications actually work — and how can they be protected?

As I explored technology, I became increasingly interested in security.

I wanted to understand how attackers discover weaknesses, how security professionals identify those weaknesses, and most importantly, how systems can be made more secure.

That curiosity led me toward cybersecurity.

Why Ethical Hacking Interests Me

Ethical hacking is interesting to me because it combines several areas of technology.

It requires an understanding of:

Operating systems
Networking
Web technologies
Programming
Security concepts
Problem solving
Critical thinking

Ethical hacking is not simply about running tools or finding vulnerabilities.

A responsible security learner needs to understand the technology first, test only systems they are authorized to test, and document what they discover.

That is the mindset I want to develop.

Starting With Linux

Linux is one of the first areas I focused on because it is extremely useful for understanding cybersecurity environments.

I use Kali Linux as part of my learning environment, while also focusing on understanding Linux fundamentals rather than simply using security tools.

I am learning:

Filesystem
Users and permissions
Processes
Services
Package management
Shell commands
Networking
System administration basics

Some basic commands I practice include:

pwd
ls
cd
mkdir
cp
mv
cat
grep
ps
ip
ss

pwd
ls
cd
mkdir
cp
mv
cat
grep
ps
ip
ss

These commands may look simple, but understanding them creates the foundation for working effectively in Linux-based security environments.

Lesson:_ Before learning advanced security tools, understand the operating system underneath them._

Learning Networking

Networking is one of the most important foundations of cybersecurity.

To understand security, I need to understand how devices communicate.

I am currently learning concepts such as:

IP addresses
MAC addresses
Ports
TCP
UDP
DNS
DHCP
Routing
HTTP
HTTPS
Firewalls
Network services

The more I understand networking, the easier it becomes to understand what security tools are actually showing me.

Security Tools I Am Learning

As I continue learning, I am becoming familiar with security tools used in authorized labs and controlled environments.

Nmap

Nmap is a network discovery and security auditing tool. I am learning how it can be used responsibly in environments where I have permission to test.

Wireshark

Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer. I am learning how network traffic can be captured and analyzed to better understand how protocols communicate.

Git & GitHub

I am learning Git and GitHub for version control, documentation, and managing my learning work.

Linux Security Tools

I am gradually becoming familiar with different security tools available in Linux-based environments.

The important thing for me is not simply learning commands.

I want to understand:

What does the tool do?

Why does it work?

What does the output mean?

When should it be used?

Learning Web Security

Web applications are another major area of cybersecurity.

I am learning the fundamentals behind:

HTTP requests
HTTP responses
HTTP methods
Status codes
Headers
Cookies
Sessions
Authentication
Authorization
HTTPS
Common web security concepts

My goal is to understand how vulnerabilities occur and how developers and security professionals can prevent them.

Practical Ethical Hacking

Theory alone is not enough.

As I continue learning, I want to practice through safe and authorized environments such as:

Local labs
CTFs
TryHackMe
Personal test environments
Educational security labs

My learning process is:

Learn
   ↓
Understand
   ↓
Practice
   ↓
Analyze
   ↓
Document
   ↓
Improve

Learn
   ↓
Understand
   ↓
Practice
   ↓
Analyze
   ↓
Document
   ↓
Improve

This approach helps me turn theoretical knowledge into practical skills.

Learning From Mistakes

Cybersecurity is not always easy.

Sometimes a command fails. Sometimes a configuration does not work. Sometimes an error message makes no sense at first.

Instead of treating these problems as failures, I try to investigate them and understand what went wrong.

My mindset is:

Don't just fix the error — understand why the error happened.

Every mistake is an opportunity to understand the technology a little better.

That is one of the most important lessons I am learning.

My Current Cybersecurity Learning Areas

Currently, my main focus is:

Cybersecurity Fundamentals
        ↓
Linux
        ↓
Networking
        ↓
Web Security
        ↓
Ethical Hacking
        ↓
Security Tools
        ↓
Practical Learning

Cybersecurity Fundamentals
        ↓
Linux
        ↓
Networking
        ↓
Web Security
        ↓
Ethical Hacking
        ↓
Security Tools
        ↓
Practical Learning

I want to gradually build practical labs, cybersecurity projects, and CTF experience as my skills improve.

What I Want to Learn Next

There is still a lot I want to explore.

My future learning areas include:

Network Security
Web Application Security
Vulnerability Assessment
Penetration Testing Fundamentals
Defensive Security
Security Monitoring
Digital Forensics
Security Automation
Cloud Security
Advanced Linux
Advanced Networking

I want to combine offensive-security knowledge with defensive-security understanding.

My Ethical Hacking Philosophy

For me, ethical hacking should always start with permission and responsibility.

Security knowledge should be used to learn, test, improve, and protect systems — not to harm people or access systems without authorization.

My goal is to develop skills that can eventually help me identify security weaknesses and understand how they can be fixed.

What I Have Learned So Far

My biggest lesson so far is that cybersecurity is not a single skill.

It is a combination of many technologies and concepts.

To become good at security, I need to continuously improve my understanding of:

Linux + Networking + Programming + Web Technologies + Security

The tools are important, but the fundamentals are more important.

Why I Am Documenting My Journey

I am starting this Medium blog because I want to document what I learn.

Whenever I learn something useful, I want to write about:

What I learned
How I practiced it
What problems I faced
How I solved them
What mistakes I made
What I learned from those mistakes

Writing also helps me test my own understanding.

If I cannot explain a concept clearly, I probably need to learn it better.

What Comes Next

This is only the beginning.

In my upcoming articles, I plan to explore topics such as:

Linux

Networking

Nmap

Wireshark

Web Security

Python

CTF and Lab Learning

Ethical Hacking Fundamentals

Cybersecurity Projects

Each article will focus on something I have actually studied, practiced, or learned from.

Final Thoughts

I am still a beginner in cybersecurity and ethical hacking, and there is a lot more for me to learn.

But every cybersecurity professional starts somewhere.

For me, this is that starting point.

I want to learn the fundamentals, practice consistently, build practical skills, and document the journey along the way.

Learn. Practice. Understand. Document. Improve.

This is the beginning of my journey into Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking.

Follow My Journey

If you are also interested in cybersecurity, ethical hacking, Linux, networking, or security research, follow along as I document what I learn.

Thanks for reading.

— Raj Kumar Gupta

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