OpsFieldOperator Academy
Field kit

Career paths

Cert & skill roadmaps

Week-by-week plans mapped to OpsField modules, labs, playbooks, and cheatsheets. Adjust hours to your life — consistency beats hero weeks.

Authorized testing only. Practice on systems you own, isolated labs, or targets with written permission. Unauthorized access is illegal.

None — skills first
beginner
8 weeks · 6–10 hours~64h planned

Beginner foundations (no cert)

Build a safe home lab, learn networking and Linux, practice ethical recon and scanning on systems you own, and write your first findings. No exam pressure — competence and habits first.

Outcomes

  • Isolated lab with snapshots and clear RoE for personal gear
  • Comfortable Linux CLI and TCP/IP mental model
  • Can inventory a home LAN and harden the router/IoT basics
  • Can map a simple web app with proxy + directory discovery
  • Write a short finding with risk and remediation

Weekly plan

Week 1
8h

Ethics, scope, and lab zero

  • Read Rules of Engagement mindset; write a personal lab RoE
  • Install hypervisor; create host-only network
  • Deploy attacker VM (Kali/Parrot); take snapshots
  • Practice note-taking template for every session
Module: mindset-ethicsLab: lab-zero
Week 2
8h

Networking fundamentals

  • Study OSI/TCP-IP, ports, DNS, DHCP, NAT
  • Use ip, ss, dig, curl daily on lab VMs
  • Draw your home network; mark trusted vs IoT
  • Capture a simple pcap and open it in Wireshark
Module: networking-linuxSheet: bash-ops-hygiene
Week 3
8h

Linux as daily driver

  • File permissions, processes, services, logs
  • SSH keys only; disable password auth on lab SSH
  • Install and update tools via package manager
  • Write a one-page Linux cheatsheet of your own
Module: networking-linux
Week 4
8h

Home LAN discovery

  • ARP/ping discovery on network you own
  • Gentle nmap top-ports census; save -oA
  • Identify cameras, NAS, phones, printers
  • Start asset inventory spreadsheet
Module: scanning-enumLab: home-network-auditPlaybook: wan-exposure-cleanupSheet: home-lan-auditSheet: nmap-staged
Week 5
8h

Router and IoT hardening

  • Disable WPS and WAN admin if present
  • Review UPnP forwards; remove surprises
  • Segment guest/IoT if router supports it
  • Change defaults on owned cameras; document RTSP risk
Module: scanning-enumModule: wireless-physicalLab: home-iot-hardeningPlaybook: iot-camera-compromiseSheet: router-hardening
Week 6
8h

Web basics in a safe app

  • Deploy DVWA or Juice Shop in lab only
  • Configure browser proxy to Burp/ZAP
  • Map site manually; run common.txt discovery
  • Practice one OWASP category (e.g. access control)
Module: web-hackingLab: web-starterSheet: web-mapping
Week 7
8h

Credentials and password hygiene

  • Study hashing vs encryption; try hashcat on lab hashes only
  • Understand why online brute force is dangerous
  • Enable MFA on your own critical accounts
  • Run password-policy lab playbook ethically
Module: creds-and-accessPlaybook: password-policy-lab
Week 8
8h

Reporting and purple awareness

  • Write 2–3 findings from home lab work
  • Include evidence, impact, likelihood, remediation
  • Re-scan after fixes; note detection opportunities
  • Plan next roadmap (eJPT / PNPT / defender path)
Module: reporting-proModule: purple-defenseLab: purple-loopSheet: finding-template

Exam / practice tips

  • There is no exam — measure success by lab hygiene and written findings.
  • If a topic feels shallow, extend the week rather than rushing forward.
  • Keep a mistakes log; re-run failed labs after 48 hours.
  • Share notes with a study peer for accountability, not for unauthorized testing.