Learn security in the order it builds on itself.
Seven stages from how a computer and a network actually work to attacking and defending AI systems. Each step names what to read first. Essentials are the questions any security interviewer expects you to reason through from first principles, and many carry a what-if ladder: the same problem with one constraint changed at a time, the way interviews really go.
- Questions
- 614
- Essentials
- 169
- Lessons
- 147
- Free to read now
- 85
Every title, lesson summary and what-if question is public. The first answers in each topic are free, more open with a free account, and Premium unlocks every answer, ladder and lesson. See what Premium includes.
How computers and networks work
Processes, memory, the kernel and permissions; packets, TCP, DNS, NAT and firewalls; trust boundaries and threat models.
25 questions · 17 essential · 10 lessons
Start with the lessons
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
Essential questions, in order
- Finding Trust Boundaries in a New SystemFree
After: Trust Boundaries, Assets and Adversaries
- Threat Modeling with DFDs and STRIDEFree
After: Threat Modeling with Data-Flow Diagrams and STRIDE
- Least Privilege and Defence in DepthFree
After: Least Privilege, Defence in Depth and Fail-Safe Defaults
- Threat vs Vulnerability vs RiskFree with account
After: Threat Modeling with Data-Flow Diagrams and STRIDE
- Kernel Space, User Space and System CallsFree
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- Process Isolation and Virtual MemoryFree
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- Unix Permissions, setuid and the Sticky BitFree
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- MITM Techniques and What Stops ThemFree
After: Attacker Positions on the Network
- TCP Handshake, SYN Floods and SYN CookiesFree
After: Attacker Positions on the Network
- The Network Stack, Layer by LayerPremium
After: Attacker Positions on the Network
- How NAT Works, and Why It Isn't a FirewallPremium
After: Attacker Positions on the Network · The Network Stack, Layer by Layer
- How Firewalls Work UnderneathPremium
After: Attacker Positions on the Network · How NAT Works, and Why It Isn't a Firewall
- How Scanning Sees Your ExposurePremium
After: The Network Stack, Layer by Layer · How Firewalls Work Underneath
- What Happens When You Run a ProgramPremium
After: Kernel Space, User Space and System Calls · Process Isolation and Virtual Memory
- From URL to Page: Security at Each StepFree
After: DNS Security: Resolution, Poisoning, DNSSEC and Encrypted DNS
- DNS Attacks, DNSSEC and Encrypted DNSFree
After: DNS Security: Resolution, Poisoning, DNSSEC and Encrypted DNS
- Layer 2 Attacks and Switch DefencesPremium
After: Attacker Positions on the Network
Trust: cryptography, certificates, identity
Hashes, encryption and signatures; TLS, roots and intermediates; VPN cryptography; authentication, OAuth, sessions, keys and secrets.
82 questions · 31 essential · 18 lessons
Start with the lessons
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Premium
Essential questions, in order
- Encoding vs Encryption vs Hashing vs SigningFree
After: Hashes, MACs and Digital Signatures
- Symmetric vs Asymmetric CryptographyFree
After: Symmetric Encryption and AEAD
- How to Store PasswordsFree
After: Hashes, MACs and Digital Signatures
- Hash Properties and the Birthday BoundPremium
After: Hashes, MACs and Digital Signatures
- Authentication vs AuthorizationFree
After: Authentication versus Authorization
- Why Passkeys Resist PhishingFree with account
After: Authentication versus Authorization
- Premium
- HSTS and SSL StrippingFree
After: Trust on the Wire: HSTS, Certificate Transparency, Pinning and Interception
- How WireGuard WorksPremium
After: How Tunnels and VPNs Work
- How IPsec WorksPremium
After: How Tunnels and VPNs Work
- Packet and Message SigningPremium
After: Trust on the Wire: HSTS, Certificate Transparency, Pinning and Interception · How IPsec Works
- Hardening Routers and Edge AppliancesPremium
After: How Firewalls Work Underneath · Designing Secure VPN Remote Access
- Walk Through a TLS 1.3 HandshakeFree
After: How TLS 1.3 Works
- Anatomy of an X.509 CertificatePremium
After: PKI and Certificate Chains
- How Certificate Validation WorksFree
After: PKI and Certificate Chains · Anatomy of an X.509 Certificate
- Forward Secrecy ExplainedFree with account
After: Public-Key Cryptography and Key Exchange · Walk Through a TLS 1.3 Handshake
- AEAD and Nonce ReuseFree with account
After: Symmetric Encryption and AEAD
- TLS 1.2 vs TLS 1.3, Message by MessagePremium
After: PKI and Certificate Chains · Walk Through a TLS 1.3 Handshake
- How OpenSSL Works InsidePremium
After: How TLS 1.3 Works · How Certificate Validation Works
- Certificate Issuance End to EndPremium
After: Anatomy of an X.509 Certificate · PKI and Certificate Chains
- Root Programs and Trust StoresPremium
After: PKI and Certificate Chains · How Certificate Validation Works
- Root vs Intermediate CAsPremium
After: Certificate Issuance End to End · Root Programs and Trust Stores
- OAuth Authorization Code Flow with PKCEFree
After: OAuth 2.0 and PKCE
- OIDC vs OAuth, ID Token vs Access TokenFree
After: OpenID Connect and ID Tokens · OAuth Authorization Code Flow with PKCE
- Sessions vs Bearer TokensFree
After: Sessions, Cookies and Tokens
- JWT Validation PitfallsFree with account
After: Sessions, Cookies and Tokens · Sessions vs Bearer Tokens
- Free
- Envelope Encryption for Multi-Tenant DataFree with account
After: Symmetric Encryption and AEAD
- Mutual TLS Between ServicesPremium
After: Hashes, MACs and Digital Signatures · Walk Through a TLS 1.3 Handshake
- HSM vs Cloud KMSPremium
After: Hardware Roots of Trust and Key Custody
- WebAuthn and Passkeys, Step by StepPremium
After: Authentication versus Authorization · Why Passkeys Resist Phishing
Platforms
Linux, Windows and Active Directory, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers and containers: how each enforces isolation, signing and privilege.
53 questions · 22 essential · 14 lessons
Start with the lessons
- Free with account
- Free
- Free with account
- Premium
- Premium
- Free with account
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Premium
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free with account
Essential questions, in order
- Vertical and Horizontal Privilege EscalationFree
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes · Unix Permissions, setuid and the Sticky Bit
- Android vs iOS Security ModelsFree
After: The Mobile Platform Security Model
- Android Sandbox, Signing and PermissionsFree
After: The Mobile Platform Security Model
- Linux Capabilities and CAP_SYS_ADMINFree with account
After: The Linux Privilege Model: Permissions, setuid, Capabilities and MAC
- DAC vs MAC: SELinux and AppArmorFree with account
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- Windows Tokens, Privileges and UACPremium
After: Windows and Active Directory Security for Interviews
- ASLR, DEP, Canaries, PIE and RELROPremium
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- Secure Boot, Measured Boot and TPMsPremium
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- macOS Platform SecurityPremium
After: Windows and Active Directory Security for Interviews
- Secure Storage on Android and iOSFree
After: Protecting Data on Mobile Devices
- Root and Jailbreak DetectionPremium
After: Trusting a Mobile Client: Pinning, Tamper Detection and Attestation · Android vs iOS Security Models
- How Android Rooting WorksPremium
After: Android Sandbox, Signing and Permissions · Secure Boot, Measured Boot and TPMs
- Free
- Active Directory and Kerberos AttacksPremium
After: Windows and Active Directory Security for Interviews · Windows Tokens, Privileges and UAC
- How Operating Systems Enforce Code SigningPremium
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- seccomp-bpf, From Filter to PolicyPremium
After: The Linux Privilege Model: Permissions, setuid, Capabilities and MAC
- NTLM, Relay and CoercionPremium
After: Windows and Active Directory Security for Interviews · Windows Tokens, Privileges and UAC
- Browser Sandboxing and Site IsolationPremium
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- macOS TCC and XPC ExplainedPremium
After: macOS Platform Security
- Running Untrusted Code SafelyPremium
After: Containers vs gVisor vs MicroVMs · seccomp-bpf, From Filter to Policy
- Certificate Pinning Design and RotationFree with account
After: Trust on the Wire: HSTS, Certificate Transparency, Pinning and Interception · What to Pin, and Why HPKP Failed · How Certificate Validation Works
- Device and App AttestationPremium
After: Trusting a Mobile Client: Pinning, Tamper Detection and Attestation · Root and Jailbreak Detection
Applications, data and cloud
Web and API vulnerabilities, databases, cloud identity and storage, Kubernetes and the software supply chain.
67 questions · 20 essential · 34 lessons
Start with the lessons
- Free
- Free with account
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
Essential questions, in order
- Injection as a Vulnerability ClassFree
After: Injection Vulnerabilities
- XSS, Output Encoding and CSPFree
After: Cross-Site Scripting and Output Encoding
- Premium
- Database Security FundamentalsPremium
After: Least Privilege and Defence in Depth · Injection as a Vulnerability Class
- Cloud IAM Privilege Escalation PathsPremium
After: Least Privilege, Defence in Depth and Fail-Safe Defaults
- SSRF and LLM Fetch ToolsFree
After: Server-Side Request Forgery
- Free
- Finding BOLA and IDOR at ScaleFree with account
After: Broken Access Control and IDOR
- Free with account
- Why Deserialization Can Execute CodeFree with account
After: Insecure Deserialization
- Reviewing an API for SecurityPremium
After: Broken Access Control and IDOR
- Cloud Metadata Endpoints and SSRFFree
After: Cloud IAM and Privilege Escalation Paths · SSRF and LLM Fetch Tools
- Premium
- Threat Modelling a Storage BucketPremium
After: Protecting Model Weights
- Typosquatting and Dependency ConfusionFree with account
After: SLSA and Build Provenance
- SLSA Provenance and Build LevelsFree with account
After: SLSA and Build Provenance
- Premium
- Premium
- Container Escape Paths and ControlsPremium
After: What Containers Isolate, and What They Do Not · Containers vs gVisor vs MicroVMs
- Responding to a Package WormPremium
After: Typosquatting and Dependency Confusion · Hardening CI/CD Pipelines · Package Ecosystem Attacks: npm, PyPI and Beyond
How attacks and testing work
How bugs become control, reverse engineering, software protection and its limits, malware behaviour and penetration-test method.
40 questions · 20 essential · 8 lessons
Start with the lessons
- Free
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Premium
- Premium
- Free
- Free with account
Essential questions, in order
- How a Penetration Test RunsPremium
After: Threat Modeling with DFDs and STRIDE · How Scanning Sees Your Exposure
- Memory-Safety Bug ClassesPremium
After: Memory Corruption and the Mitigations Against It
- Static vs Dynamic Analysis in ReversingPremium
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- How Vulnerabilities ArisePremium
After: Memory Corruption and the Mitigations Against It · Injection as a Vulnerability Class
- Premium
- Free with account
- How Malware Works, Stage by StagePremium
After: Malware Triage and YARA Rules · Reverse Shells and Command and Control
- How Real Intrusions UnfoldPremium
After: Attack Trees and Kill Chains · How a Penetration Test Runs
- Fuzzing and Crash TriagePremium
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- Approaching a Stripped BinaryPremium
After: Reverse Engineering as a Security Method
- How Hooking and Instrumentation WorkPremium
After: Software Protection and Its Limits
- Reverse Engineering Mobile AppsPremium
After: Reverse Engineering as a Security Method · Android Sandbox, Signing and Permissions
- Testing Without RootPremium
After: Reverse Engineering Mobile Apps · How Android Rooting Works
- How Mobile Malware WorksPremium
After: Android vs iOS Security Models · The Mobile Platform Security Model
- ROP, CFI and Shadow StacksPremium
After: Memory Corruption and the Mitigations Against It · Memory-Safety Bug Classes · ASLR, DEP, Canaries, PIE and RELRO
- Obfuscation Techniques and Their LimitsPremium
After: Software Protection and Its Limits
- Side Channels and Fault InjectionPremium
After: How the Kernel Isolates Processes
- From Memory Bug to Exploit, ConceptuallyPremium
After: Memory-Safety Bug Classes · ASLR, DEP, Canaries, PIE and RELRO
- Pinning Bypass Classes and ResistancePremium
After: Trusting a Mobile Client: Pinning, Tamper Detection and Attestation · Certificate Pinning Design and Rotation
- How Android Gets ExploitedPremium
After: Android vs iOS Security Models · From Memory Bug to Exploit, Conceptually
AI systems and their attacks
How LLM apps, RAG and agents work; prompt injection, context and data theft, instruction override, poisoning, extraction; red teaming AI.
254 questions · 47 essential · 44 lessons
Start with the lessons
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Premium
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Premium
- Premium
- Premium
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Premium
- Premium
- Premium
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free
Essential questions, in order
- Why the System Prompt Isn't a BoundaryFree
After: System Prompt Leakage
- Applying the OWASP LLM Top 10Free
After: The OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications
- RAG as a Data Flow for AttackersPremium
After: Retrieval-Augmented Generation as a Data Flow
- Function Calling and Agent AuthorityPremium
After: Tool Calling and the Agent Loop
- Instructions and Data in One ChannelFree
After: How LLM Applications Work
- Prompt Injection vs SQL InjectionFree
After: What Is Prompt Injection? · Instructions and Data in One Channel
- Direct vs Indirect Prompt InjectionFree
After: Indirect Prompt Injection · Prompt Injection vs SQL Injection
- Jailbreak or Prompt Injection?Free
After: Prompt Injection versus Jailbreaking
- System Prompt ExtractionFree with account
After: System Prompt Leakage · Why the System Prompt Isn't a Boundary
- Evasion vs Poisoning AttacksFree
After: Data Poisoning
- AI Red Teaming vs Pentesting vs BenchmarksFree
After: What AI Red Teaming Is
- Free
- Threat-Model a Support ChatbotFree
After: Threat Modeling AI Systems
- Pickle Model Files and SafetensorsFree
After: Unsafe Model Files: Pickle versus Safetensors
- Evaluating Injection Immunity ClaimsFree
After: Design Patterns That Bound Prompt Injection
- Layered Defences for Indirect InjectionFree
After: Indirect Prompt Injection
- Handling LLM Output SafelyFree
After: Insecure Output Handling
- Text-Only Assistants That Still LeakFree
After: Data Exfiltration Channels in LLM Applications · Handling LLM Output Safely
- How LLM Context Gets StolenPremium
After: System Prompt Extraction · Text-Only Assistants That Still Leak
- Diagnosing Instruction-Priority FailuresPremium
After: Instructions and Data in One Channel · Spotlighting and Instruction Hierarchy
- Where LLM Apps Leak DataFree
After: Sensitive Information Disclosure
- RAG and Vector Store PoisoningFree with account
After: RAG Security
- Lethal Trifecta TriageFree
After: The Lethal Trifecta · Direct vs Indirect Prompt Injection
- Containing Excessive AgencyFree
After: Excessive Agency · Function Calling and Agent Authority
- MCP Security Risks in InterviewsFree
After: MCP Security
- Designing Agent Tool PermissionsFree
After: Excessive Agency · Delegated Authorization for AI Agents
- Defending Against MCP Tool PoisoningFree with account
After: Tool Poisoning and Rug Pulls · MCP Security Risks in Interviews
- Membership Inference and OverfittingFree
After: Membership Inference Attacks · Evasion vs Poisoning Attacks
- Model Extraction: Gains and DefencesFree
After: Model Extraction · Evasion vs Poisoning Attacks
- Detecting Data Poisoning in a PipelineFree
After: Data Poisoning
- Training Data Extraction in LLMsFree with account
After: Model Extraction
- How ML Models Get BrokenPremium
After: Evasion vs Poisoning Attacks · Model Extraction: Gains and Defences
- Red-Teaming a Customer Chatbot End to EndFree
After: Scoping an AI Red Team Engagement · AI Red Teaming vs Pentesting vs Benchmarks
- Reporting Attack Success RatesFree
After: Attack Success Rate and Probabilistic Findings · Red-Teaming a Customer Chatbot End to End
- Detecting and Investigating AI IncidentsFree
After: AI Incident Response
- How AI Vulnerability-Discovery Agents WorkPremium
After: SAST, DAST, SCA and Fuzzing Compared · LLM-Assisted Security Code Review
- Threat-Model an LLM Inference APIFree
After: The Inference Stack as Attack Surface
- Sandboxing Agent-Generated CodeFree
After: Sandboxing Untrusted Code
- Securing the Model Supply ChainFree
After: SLSA and Build Provenance
- Securing a RAG Application End to EndFree
After: RAG Security
- Document-Level Permissions in RAGFree
After: RAG Security
- Securing an Agent with ToolsFree
After: Excessive Agency
- Stopping Agent Memory PoisoningFree with account
After: Agent Memory Security: Poisoning, Provenance and Forgetting
- How AI Agents Get CorruptedPremium
After: Stopping Agent Memory Poisoning · Defending Against MCP Tool Poisoning
- Responding to a Cross-Tenant LLM LeakFree
After: AI Incident Response
- Protecting Model Weights from TheftFree with account
After: Protecting Model Weights
- Governing a Fleet of AI AgentsPremium
After: Governing Non-Human Identities · Rate Limits and Budgets for Agents · Kill Switches for AI Features
Defend, respond, lead
Detection engineering, incident response and forensics, vulnerability management, governance and regulation, and leading a programme.
93 questions · 12 essential · 19 lessons
Start with the lessons
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
- Free
- Free
- Free with account
Essential questions, in order
- Incident Response: a Leaked API KeyFree with account
After: AI Incident Response
- Event, Alert and IncidentFree
After: Incident Handling: Declare, Contain, Scope, Recover, Learn
- Triaging an Endpoint AlertFree
After: Endpoint and Network Telemetry for Detection · Event, Alert and Incident
- Free with account
- Writing a Good DetectionFree
After: Detection Engineering: From Hypothesis to Tested Alert · Event, Alert and Incident
- Forensics Basics for Incident ResponseFree with account
After: Incident Handling: Declare, Contain, Scope, Recover, Learn
- Prioritising VulnerabilitiesPremium
After: Vulnerability Management by Risk: CVSS, EPSS, KEV and Context
- How Patching Works in PracticePremium
After: Prioritising Vulnerabilities · Vulnerability Management by Risk: CVSS, EPSS, KEV and Context
- NIST AI RMF vs ISO 42001 vs EU AI ActFree
After: The NIST AI Risk Management Framework
- EU AI Act Risk Tiers and High-Risk DutiesFree
After: The EU AI Act for Engineers
- Ransomware ResponseFree with account
After: Incident Response: a Leaked API Key
- Premium