Advent of Cyber 2025 — My Complete Journey 🎄🛡️

Cybersecurity is best learned by doing, and TryHackMe’s Advent of Cyber 2025 proved exactly that. Over the course of this festive event, I successfully completed all 24 rooms, each designed to introduce or strengthen real-world cybersecurity skills through hands-on challenges.

Advent of Cyber is a beginner-friendly yet powerful learning experience that runs in the lead-up to Christmas, offering one challenge per day and covering a wide range of cybersecurity domains. From SOC fundamentals to malware analysis and cloud security, this event provided a structured and engaging way to learn.

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What I Learned

Throughout the event, I gained practical exposure to:

• Linux command-line fundamentals

• Phishing detection and analysis

• SOC alert triaging and SIEM basics

• Web vulnerabilities (XSS, IDOR, race conditions)

• Malware analysis and obfuscation techniques

• Network discovery and C2 detection

• Cloud and AWS security concepts

• Digital forensics and registry analysis

Each room focused on real-world scenarios, helping me understand not just what an attack is, but how it works and how to detect or mitigate it.

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📅 Advent of Cyber 2025 — Day-by-Day Challenge List

1. Linux CLI – Shells Bells

2. Phishing – Merry Clickmas

3. Splunk Basics – Did you SIEM?

4. AI in Security – old sAInt nick

5. IDOR – Santa’s Little IDOR

6. Malware Analysis – Egg-xecutable

7. Network Discovery – Scan-ta Clause

8. Prompt Injection – Sched-yule conflict

9. Password Attacks – A Cracking Christmas

10. SOC Alert Triaging – Tinsel Triage

11. XSS – Merry XSSMas

12. Phishing – Phishmas Greetings

13. YARA Rules – YARA mean one!

14. Containers – DoorDasher’s Demise

15. Web Attack Forensics – Drone Alone

16. Forensics – Registry Furensics

17. CyberChef – Hoperation Save McSkidy

18. Obfuscation – The Egg Shell File

19. ICS / Modbus – Claus for Concern

20. Race Conditions – Toy to The World

21. Malware Analysis – Malhare.exe

22. C2 Detection – Command & Carol

23. AWS Security – S3cret Santa

24. Final Day – Event Completion Challenge

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Why This Event Matters

What makes Advent of Cyber special is its hands-on approach. Instead of just reading theory, every concept is reinforced through interactive labs. Completing all 24 rooms required consistency, curiosity, and problem-solving — the same skills needed in real cybersecurity roles.

Completing the entire event also earns a certificate of completion, which reflects dedication and practical learning rather than just attendance.

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Final Thoughts

Advent of Cyber 2025 was more than just a seasonal event — it was a structured learning journey that strengthened my cybersecurity foundation and motivated me to continue exploring SOC and security analysis roles.

A big thank you to TryHackMe and the creators who made this event engaging, educational, and accessible to everyone.

On to the next challenge 🚀