Enter hacking simulations: games that provide foundation and culture

The best hacking games to improve your cybersecurity skills and hacking knowledge. But remember, hack responsibly.

Over a decade ago, I was obsessed with hacker games for the PC. Don’t laugh. It’s hard to explain, especially since I was an actual computer hacker and didn’t depend on simulations to feel like I was one step away from having my door kicked in by the Feds.

Hacker games and simulators offer the player a way to escape while still enjoying the feeling of being submerged in the dark recesses of the cyberworld without risk. One of the reasons why I love these games is because many offer foundational concepts found in actual hacking. Even better, many games that feature terminal commands teach actual system commands as well as command line syntax or a variation similar to the real thing.

It all started years ago when I was introduced to an online hacking game by a member of my hacking group. I was at the height of my cybercrime spree and thought the idea of pretending to hack was stupid. Still, he persisted, urging me to play it because it was fun. That was the point.

Reluctantly, I created an account and started to play, mainly so I could understand why my friend wanted to mess around with fake hacking games. After a few minutes, I had a change of perspective and began enjoying the fun of fake-hacking my friend in the game while relishing a little escapism in an environment without real-life consequences.

Conversely, the scope of this article is to introduce free hacking games and cybersecurity training platforms that rely on simulation as well as emulation, offering users a foundation for developing real-life cybersecurity skills across a broad range of hacking techniques.

Steering away from gaming concepts like Watch Dogs and Uplink, which I love but aren’t pertinent to the overall theme, let’s dive into some games and simulations where you can gain a foundation.

Telehack

Telehack is among my top favorites. It’s an online simulation and emulation that recreates the 1980s-era computer network environment through the emulation of Telnet. Think of it as a perfect snapshot of the precursor to the World Wide Web, when the internet existed only in the form of two main components: ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) and MILNET (Military Network).

Telehack relies on actual Telnet system commands to navigate labyrinths of systems, directories, games, thousands of files, programs, and Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). It includes an impressive hacking element, allowing users to employ hacking techniques to explore approximately 26,600 virtual hosts on the Telehack network.

These virtual hosts represent systems from the early Usenet and ARPANET, which existed as social hubs popularized during that era. While remaining true to the times, the platform features user-created BBS systems as well as historical simulations. For example, the screenshot above contains a text file, "bbslist.txt," which lists BBS systems created by users. Users can connect to these virtual hosts, which even simulate the process of dialing into them instead of using IP addresses. This includes the occasional dropped call—an experience every dial-up user should remember all too well.

My call dropped, but I reconnected and was able to dial in, explore a BBS system, and input the ‘dir’ command to list the contents of the parent directory.

There was an issue with Phrack in the parent directory. By typing cat phrack7.3.txt I discovered a copy of the famous 1986 essay ‘The Conscience of a Hacker,’ authored by ‘The Mentor’ (Loyd Blankenship). It’s commonly referred to as The Hacker Manifesto. He was a member of the second-generation hacker group Legion of Doom, along with the famous phone hacker and phreaker Phiber Optik (Mark Abene).

Thus, I highly recommend that anyone explore the seemingly endless systems of Telehack. Doing so will acquaint you with the culture of a past hacker generation, equip you with a safe space to throw commands around, learn what they do, and interact with other users on the network.

OverTheWire

For those just starting out with the Linux operating system, OverTheWire (wargames) is an excellent way to learn practical cybersecurity skills as well as Linux basics. Some of the most common activities include file system navigation, command line tools, learning how to exploit vulnerabilities, networking concepts, web security, and more. The overarching aim is to allow players to refine advanced technical skills.

The very first activity in the game teaches users how to SSH into the game server. After that, the first game teaches users basic Linux commands and file manipulation. From there, users can navigate the file system, search for hidden files, learn how to decode strings and extract information from archives, which are techniques players can implement in real-world hacking techniques and red teaming. The games simulate hacking scenarios where players have to exploit actual vulnerabilities or interact with systems using the command line.

With the myriads of servers out there across the internet using some form of terminal interface for remote management, the skills users can gain from OverTheWire will provide a strong foundation for practical, ethical penetration testing.

PicoCTF

For those who love a little competition, PicoCTF is an excellent way to learn cybersecurity in a structured ecosystem with hands-on experience in a game-like environment that encompasses a wide scope of security topics. If red teaming or purple teaming is your aim, this is for you.

Developed by Carnegie Mellon University's (CMU) Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute, PicoCTF is a platform designed to help users build foundational skills for cybersecurity careers. Whether your goal is to gain expertise in penetration testing, forensics, or ethical hacking, you can begin developing and refining your skill set. As a competitive Capture The Flag (CTF) event, PicoCTF adds an engaging challenge element while maintaining the flexibility of a self-paced environment. Eligible teams can also win prizes, so that’s a plus.

The challenges cover a wide range of cybersecurity topics, including web exploitation, digital forensics, binary exploitation, cryptography (such as hash cracking), reverse engineering, networking, OSINT, and both offensive and defensive aspects of cybersecurity.

Virtualization domination: attack boxes

I almost always favor virtual machines over simulators. Because of this, I often refer people who are looking to learn to TryHackMe or HackTheBox, which are arguably considered the leading training platforms when it comes to ethical hacking.

When I want to have fun poking around virtual networks, I use a variety of virtual machines to simulate a vulnerable network to hack into. Using VirtualBox when I’m using Windows or Parallels when I’m on my Macbook, I can simulate vulnerable computer systems like Windows XP and Metasploitable. This is a virtualized Linux operating system rife with a variety of vulnerabilities you can find and exploit using Metasploit or any tool kit you prefer.

My attack boxes simulate a wireless network. Therefore, successfully penetrating the wireless network is key to moving onto the local network and discovering ways to pivot across the network and onto other virtual devices.

I don’t know how fun this is in the traditional sense, but it's my go-to when I’m bored because there’s no single way to attack a box. Virtualization gives me the flexibility to explore different attack options to achieve the same goal.

Always remember to hack responsibly.