Advent of Cyber 2025
24 Days of Free Hands-On Security
Every year, Advent of Cyber turns December into a daily, bite-sized security challenge. The 2025 edition kicked off yesterday on TryHackMe, and we’re already into topics like the Linux command line and phishing – exactly the kind of fundamentals that power a serious homelab and a real-world cyber career.
Here at ReadTheManual, we’re big believers in learning by doing: short, practical labs you can run in the evening, on your laptop or in your lab, that move you closer to the job you actually want – not just another certificate.
Why you should jump into Advent of Cyber
- It’s free & beginner-friendly – 24 guided challenges, no prior experience needed.
- Hands-on, not just theory – you’ll actually touch Linux, logs, phishing emails and tools you’ll see in real jobs.
- Perfect for homelabbers – use each day as a springboard to build or tweak something in your own lab.
- CV & portfolio friendly – finishing the event gives you real stories to talk about in interviews.
- Low time commitment – each room is designed to fit around work, study, and family life.
What we’re doing at ReadTheManual
We’re working through the rooms ourselves and putting together lightweight walkthroughs and “why this matters in the real world” breakdowns. As they’re ready, we’ll publish them here so you can:
- See how each challenge maps to real infrastructure and real attacks.
- Get ideas for expanding the room into a homelab mini-project.
- Connect dots between Linux, networking, cloud and security workflows.
Start here (no affiliate links)
If you want to follow along with us:
- Main event: Advent of Cyber 2025 on TryHackMe
- Optional warm-up: Advent of Cyber Prep Track
Not sponsored. No affiliate links. Just a genuinely solid way to spend December if you care about security, want to level up your skills, and like the idea of turning your homelab into a career accelerator.