2 Years of P5s, Sleepless Nights, and Finally Making it to a Hall of Fame

That is how I have lived my life. That is how I learned things. And for a long time, I thought it was working.

If you ask me what I knew when I started in cybersecurity, I'll tell you the truth without bluffing: I knew almost all the "basics." I consumed everything I could find from YouTube, Instagram reels, and Medium posts. I watched the tutorials, I followed along, and I genuinely believed I was learning.

But recently, when I actually stepped into the real field, I got a harsh reality check. I realized I was falling far, far behind.

And it broke me.

The 2 AM Panic Loop

Upset doesn't even begin to cover how I felt. There were days when I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, a wave of guilt would hit me: "I should be learning something right now instead of resting."

So, I'd open my computer at 2 AM and start learning. The ironic part? I didn't even know what I was supposed to be learning. I was just randomly consuming information hoping something would stick. Then, I'd apply for jobs.

That was my routine for two straight years. Looking back, I know a lot of it was a waste of time. But I was trapped in a loop.

The Danger of Being Too Shy to Ask for Help

Why didn't I just ask for help? Why didn't I find a mentor?

I am a very shy person. In cybersecurity, it feels like everyone is connected, confident, and loud. I was terrified of reaching out. Whenever I gathered the courage to ask a question and got ignored, it validated my worst fear: I shouldn't have asked. I need to figure this out on my own.

I built a wall around myself. I adopted the mindset that no one was going to come to save me when I needed help, so I had to forge my own path in the dark.

The Valley of P5s

During those two years, I got into bug bounty. I was hunting, but my results were deeply frustrating. I found bugs, but almost all of them were P5s (Informational).

If you do bug bounty, you know the feeling. A P5 is a pat on the back, but it doesn't pay the bills, and it doesn't prove you are an elite hacker. Every time I got that "Informative" label, it reminded me that I was still at the bottom. It upset me, but I clung to one last shred of hope: If I just keep studying, things will change.

The Breakthrough

That hope finally materialized recently.

I was hunting on a private program and found a real, solid bug. It wasn't a P5. It was an actual, impactful vulnerability.

The company was Bose.

They verified the report, fixed the issue, said "Thanks," and added my name to their Hall of Fame.

What Moving to "Intermediate" Actually Feels Like

…and that's how I was able to take my first real step and realize what moving past "beginner" actually feels like.

It doesn't feel like a sudden superpower. It doesn't feel like you suddenly know everything. Moving from beginner to intermediate feels like relief. It's the moment you realize that your random, obsessive, 2 AM learning sessions actually built a foundation.

I can see this shift clearly in how I approach labs now. Sometime ago, I started doing TryHackMe to build my confidence. I still use guides when I get stuck, but something is fundamentally different. I can now do many steps on my own where the guide used to confuse me. More importantly, I finally understand the thinking behind the guide.

I don't follow the walkthrough steps exactly as they are written anymore; I try to think for myself first. When I started out, I used to follow guides 100%. Now, I've decreased that reliance to about 80% or 90%. And I truly believe that in the upcoming months, I can bring that down to 50%. That is what leveling up looks like — not knowing everything, but relying less on copy-pasting and more on your own brain.

You don't need to be loud on Twitter or have a massive network to make it. You just need to be too stubborn to quit.

I am not saying I've made it. I still have a long way to go. But the difference between me two years ago and me today is that I no longer close my eyes with guilt.

To anyone stuck in the P5 phase, feeling shy, and afraid to ask for help: keep your head down. Study blindly if you have to. The transition from beginner to intermediate is quiet, but when it happens, you'll know. You'll get your Hall of Fame.

If you feel the same way, leave a comment below. I would love to talk.