Kick off your exam journey with Introduction to Exam Prep inside the my Skool community. This session lays out how the group will tackle CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and other core exams using focused sprints, weekly goals, and a clear roadmap from day one.​ You’ll see how the classroom, calendar, and gamified leaderboard all work together: structured modules for core topics, live study sessions on the calendar, and community challenges that reward consistent practice instead of last‑minute cramming. Expect exam‑style questions, lab-based scenarios pulled from real environments, and small study squads so you can stay accountable, share notes, and actually finish what you start—not just “watch another video.”

Whether you're breaking into cybersecurity or leveling up your SOC skills, building a proper home lab is non-negotiable. Here's my battle-tested setup that covers blue team defence, red team attack, DFIR, and network security—without breaking the bank. 🎯 Lab Goals · Simulate real enterprise environments · Practice detection, analysis, and response · Run penetration testing and exploit chains · Build SIEM correlation rules and playbooks · Test tools before deploying them at work 🖥️ Hardware Setup Option 1: Budget Build (Under $500 AUD) · Refurbished Dell OptiPlex 7050/9020 (i7, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD) – ~$300-400 on eBay/Gumtree · External USB 3.0 drive (2TB+) for forensic images and backups – ~$80 Option 2: Serious Build (What I Run) · Custom-built server or Dell R720/R730 (dual Xeon, 128GB+ RAM) · Synology NAS or TrueNAS for storage and backup · Managed switch (TP-Link, Ubiquiti, or Cisco) for VLAN segmentation · Dedicated firewall box running pfSense or OPNsense 💾 Core Software Stack Virtualization Layer · Proxmox VE (free, open-source) – my go-to hypervisor for running multiple VMs and containers · Alternative: VMware Workstation Pro, VirtualBox, or ESXi Network Security · pfSense/OPNsense – firewall, IDS/IPS (Suricata/Snort), VPN, traffic monitoring · Security Onion – full NSM (Network Security Monitoring) suite with Zeek, Suricata, Wazuh, and Kibana Blue Team / SOC · Splunk Free (500MB/day limit) or Elastic Stack (ELK) – SIEM for log ingestion and correlation · Wazuh – host-based intrusion detection, endpoint monitoring, compliance checks · Velociraptor or GRR – endpoint detection and DFIR collection · TheHive + Cortex – case management and automated analysis Red Team / Pentesting · Kali Linux – primary attack platform with all tools pre-installed · Parrot Security OS – alternative to Kali, lighter footprint · Metasploit Framework – exploitation and post-exploitation · Covenant or Havoc C2 – command and control for red team ops · Windows Server + Active Directory – realistic target environment for AD attacks

G'day legends, After years in the trenches—running SOCs, building home labs in my home, breaking into systems (legally 😉), and deep-diving into forensics—I've decided it's time to create a proper community for Aussies and anyone worldwide who wants practical, no-BS cybersecurity skills. What this community is about: - Hands-on labs you can run in your own environment (blue team defence, red team attack, DFIR) - Home lab builds with real configs, gear lists, and troubleshooting tips - Where to get gear at unbeatable prices - SOC operations – detection engineering, SIEM workflows, alert triage - Cert prep that actually prepares you (not just dumps) - Career guidance from someone who's been in procurement, security ops, and consulting What this community is NOT: - Theory without application - Vendor sales pitches - Gatekeeping or elitism Your mission (if you choose to accept it): 1. Drop an intro below: your name, location, current role or goal, and one thing you want to master in the next 90 days 2. Share your biggest challenge right now in cyber (job hunting, lab budget, cert study, tool overwhelm—whatever it is) 3. Post a pic of your current lab setup (even if it's just a laptop) or describe what you're running I'll be sharing weekly labs, live teardowns, playbooks, and real-world case studies. This only works if we all contribute, ask questions, and help each other level up. Let's get after it. 🔥 — Aussie Mr Cyber | TryHackMe Addict | Home lab hoarder