Try Hack Me Advent of Cyber

 

It's that time of the year again. Tryhackme Advent of Cyber!

TryHackMe is a cybersecurity training platform that offers everything from entry-level lessons to advanced challenges for seasoned professionals. It’s a fantastic resource for anyone looking to expand their knowledge in cybersecurity.

For the past several years, I’ve stumbled upon TryHackMe’s "Advent of Cyber" during the holiday season. This usually happens because I have time off from work between late November and the new year. With the extra time, I often find myself drawn to learning something new—and since I’ve been interested in cybersecurity for quite some time, it naturally becomes my focus.

I absolutely love TryHackMe’s gamified approach to teaching cybersecurity. The platform is incredibly well-designed, and the “rooms,” as they’re called, are thoughtfully crafted puzzles that teach and reinforce cybersecurity concepts as you work through them. Everything on the site is gamified in some way, keeping the experience fresh, engaging, and motivating. There’s even a streak system that rewards you for logging in and completing challenges on consecutive days.

Each December, TryHackMe hosts an event called "The Advent of Cyber." It’s a festive and educational way to learn cybersecurity skills, complete with holiday-themed puzzles, engaging lore, and background stories that add to the fun. This year, they’re even giving away $100,000 in prizes!

Critics sometimes claim that TryHackMe loses its value because solutions to many puzzles can be found online. YouTube videos and other resources often show how to solve or find the key to a “capture the flag” style room. However, I completely disagree with this sentiment. Yes, the answers are out there, but using them would only be cheating yourself. It’s like going to the gym and skipping reps—sure, you can pretend you’re making progress, but you’re not truly benefiting from the effort. Similarly, I could use AI like ChatGPT to write my entire dissertation for a Ph.D., but what kind of professional would that make me?

For me, if learning can be made fun and memorable, why not embrace it? Today marks the start of this year’s Advent of Cyber, and the event runs through Christmas. I highly recommend giving it a try—it’s free to join, it’s packed with valuable training, and who knows? You might even win something!