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Build Your Own Lab

You don't need an expensive computer.

A spare PC, decent laptop or even a reasonably powerful desktop can become a cyber lab.

Option What it gives you
Proxmox Free virtualisation platform
Windows Sandbox Disposable Windows environment
VirtualBox Free desktop virtualisation

For hosted, ready-to-go labs rather than building your own, see the platforms in Get Hands-On — TryHackMe and OverTheWire are the easiest starting points.

A lab lets you break things without breaking someone else's things.

Try:

  • A Windows VM
  • A Linux VM
  • A small virtual network
  • A web server
  • A deliberately vulnerable application
  • A logging system
  • A packet capture tool

Then start experimenting.