This repository contains my full, level-by-level writeup for the OverTheWire: Bandit wargame, which is a beginner-friendly but powerful challenge to build Linux command-line, scripting, file system, and networking skills.
🎯 I completed all 33 levels, from Bandit0 → Bandit33, learning something new on almost every level.
Each .md file contains:
- 🧭 Level Goal
- 📂 Commands Used
- 🧠 Takeaways
- 🔐 Password (for your own progress tracking)
Throughout the challenge, I used and practiced with:
ssh,scp,cat,ls,file,strings,grepfind,tar,gzip,bzip2,cut,base64,xxdnetcat (nc),nmap,telnet,tmux.git, more- Shell redirection (
>,<,|), piping, process control - Basic scripting & chaining commands with logic
Some of the trickier or more insightful levels for me:
- Level 16: Logging into another level via
cronjobpassword drops - Level 20-21: Setting up your own listener with
ncand grabbing a connection from the remote side - Level 23-24: Using
tcpdumpto capture and extract passwords from raw traffic - Level 25-26+: Automating binary exploits & manipulating permission bits
- Level 33: Escaping a closed shell, trying to break it somehow
Bandit isn’t just about solving challenges, it's about learning:
- Real Linux file structures
- Tool chaining and manual exploitation
- Thinking like a security analyst or pentester
- Building muscle memory with tools that show up in actual CTFs, internships, and even jobs
Feel free to use my notes to:
- Guide your own Bandit journey
- Reference commands you might forget
- Learn shell logic and common tools
If you use this, I recommend you:
- Try levels yourself first
- Only use this repo as a fallback when stuck
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or check out my other projects on GitHub.
If you're just getting started in cybersecurity, I 100% recommend Bandit.
It’ll build your basics faster than any course or tutorial, and it’s free.