A curated list of free, legal, and safe hacking environments for cybersecurity training and skill development.
Awesome Cyber Skills is a curated GitHub repository listing free, legal, and safe platforms for practicing cybersecurity skills. It serves as a directory for vulnerable applications, virtual machines, wargames, and training sites where individuals can learn about hacking techniques, penetration testing, and defense strategies without legal repercussions. The project aims to centralize educational resources for both beginners and experienced security professionals.
Cybersecurity students, ethical hackers, penetration testers, developers learning secure coding, and IT professionals seeking hands-on security training. It's particularly valuable for those preparing for certifications or Capture The Flag competitions.
It saves significant research time by aggregating dozens of high-quality training resources into one verified list. Unlike commercial platforms, all listed resources are free and focused on legal skill development, making it an essential starting point for anyone building practical cybersecurity expertise.
A curated list of hacking environments where you can train your cyber skills legally and safely
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.
Curates over 80 diverse platforms, from vulnerable web apps like DVWA to full VMs like Metasploitable, saving users hours of research time.
Exclusively lists environments where hacking practice is permitted, as highlighted in the README's emphasis on 'free, legally and safely' training.
Each listed site includes a brief description, such as 'buggy web application' for bWAPP, helping users quickly identify suitable resources for specific skills.
Regularly updated with new sites and welcomes contributions, evidenced by the CONTRIBUTORS section and notes about keeping the list current.
Aggregates links without vetting for uptime or educational value, so users may encounter broken or poorly maintained platforms that waste time.
It's merely a directory with no guidance on progression or integration, forcing users to self-direct without a clear path for skill development.
With dozens of entries, beginners can feel overwhelmed choosing where to start, as there's no prioritization or difficulty ranking provided.