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After working through hands-on web application security labs (OWASP Top 10), I realized something important: effective security work depends heavily on strong fundamentals.

It's easy to jump straight into tools or advanced attack techniques, but without understanding how systems, networks, and operating systems work underneath, security concepts can feel fragmented. That's why I decided to step back and deliberately strengthen my core knowledge through TryHackMe's Cybersecurity Foundations path.

This post explains why I focused on fundamentals, what I learned, and how this foundation supports my goal of landing an entry-level cybersecurity role.

Why Cybersecurity Foundations Matter

Cybersecurity roles — whether in SOC, application security, or cloud security — are built on the same base:

  • How data moves across networks
  • How operating systems manage users and processes
  • How systems fail when misconfigured or misunderstood

While learning security concepts earlier, I noticed that many questions naturally came up:

  • Why does this port matter?
  • How does this log entry get generated?
  • Why is this behavior considered suspicious?

I realized that fundamentals provide context, and without context, security alerts or vulnerabilities don't tell a complete story.

Why I Chose TryHackMe for Foundations

I chose TryHackMe because:

  • It emphasizes learning by doing
  • Concepts are reinforced through small, practical labs
  • The platform connects theory directly to real security scenarios

Instead of passively consuming content, I was required to interact with systems, commands, and scenarios — exactly the kind of exposure needed at the entry level.

Key Areas I Strengthened

Rather than focusing on individual rooms, I'll highlight the core skill areas this path helped reinforce.

Networking Fundamentals

I strengthened my understanding of:

  • How devices communicate using TCP/IP
  • The role of ports, protocols, and services
  • Why DNS, HTTP, and SSH matter from a security perspective

This helped me better understand how attackers identify entry points and how defenders monitor traffic.

Linux Fundamentals

Since many security tools and servers run on Linux, this was especially valuable:

  • Navigating the filesystem
  • Understanding permissions and users
  • Executing and interpreting basic commands

These skills are essential for log analysis, investigations, and security tooling.

Core Security Concepts

The path reinforced foundational ideas such as:

  • The CIA triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)
  • Threats vs vulnerabilities vs risk
  • Why security controls exist and what they aim to protect

What stood out to me was how these concepts connect directly to real incidents — not just theory.

Biggest Takeaways from This Learning Phase

This foundations-focused learning changed how I approach security problems:

  • Security is contextual Alerts, logs, and vulnerabilities only make sense when you understand the environment they come from.
  • Misconfigurations are as dangerous as exploits Many issues don't require advanced attacks — just weak defaults or overlooked settings.
  • Defenders need system knowledge, not just tools Tools surface data, but understanding determines decisions.

These realizations helped me connect technical behavior with security outcomes.

How This Supports Entry-Level Security Roles

From an entry-level hiring perspective, this foundation directly supports roles like:

  • SOC Analyst (Tier 1)
  • Junior Security Analyst
  • Security Operations Intern

The skills I practiced — basic networking, Linux usage, and understanding system behavior — are essential for:

  • Alert triage
  • Log analysis
  • Incident investigation
  • Escalation decisions

Rather than feeling overwhelmed by alerts or dashboards, I now feel more confident interpreting why something looks abnormal.