Advent of Cyber 2023 is TryHackMe’s annual free cybersecurity challenge running throughout December. Each day from December 1st through Christmas, a new beginner-friendly task is released covering a different security domain. The event is one of the most accessible entry points into practical cybersecurity training available online, combining a story-driven format with hands-on labs.
What Is Advent of Cyber?
“Advent of Cyber” is structured like an advent calendar, but for cybersecurity skills. Running on the TryHackMe platform, it releases daily tasks each December starting at 16:00 GMT. Each task is self-contained, guided, and designed so that even beginners with no prior hacking experience can complete it. The 2023 edition follows an interactive story format, making each technical lesson part of a narrative arc.
Who Should Join?
Advent of Cyber is built for a wide range of participants:
- Beginners who want a structured, low-barrier entry into cybersecurity
- Students looking to supplement coursework with practical labs
- IT professionals exploring a career pivot into security
- Corporate teams using it for group training and team building
- Educators incorporating it into cybersecurity curricula
Key Participation Details
To join, register a free account at TryHackMe and navigate to the Advent of Cyber 2023 room. Tasks go live daily at 16:00 GMT from December 1st. All tasks remain accessible after their release date, so you can catch up at your own pace. Prize raffles are available for participants who complete all daily challenges — see the official event page for raffle terms.
Platform Rules and Ethics
Before starting, review the platform’s core conduct rules:
- Do not probe, scan, or attempt to exploit tryhackme.com or the OpenVPN servers
- Only interact with machines inside rooms you have been granted access to
- Do not attack or target other users
- Participate with a single account only — multiple registrations are prohibited
- Do not publicly share task answers, except within video or stream content
How to Use the AttackBox and VMs
Each task typically involves a deployed virtual machine. You can interact with it using two methods:
- AttackBox: A cloud-hosted Ubuntu VM launched directly in your browser. Free users get one hour per day; subscribers get unlimited access. Click “Start AttackBox” at the top of any task page to deploy it.
- OpenVPN: Connect your own machine to TryHackMe’s network using OpenVPN. Setup instructions are provided in your account settings.
Some tasks support split-screen view (VM and task instructions side by side) and direct connections via RDP, SSH, or VNC with credentials provided in the task. Deploy the VM before attempting any direct connection.
What You Will Learn
The 2023 edition covers a broad range of cybersecurity disciplines across 24 days:
- Web application attacks and OWASP vulnerabilities
- Digital forensics and log analysis
- Incident response and threat detection
- Penetration testing fundamentals
- Machine learning in security contexts
- Security operations center (SOC) workflows
Each task includes written guidance and an instructional video, giving you multiple learning modalities. The platform tracks your progress and highlights completed tasks.
Certification and Career Value
Participants who complete all 24 tasks receive a personalized completion certificate from TryHackMe. This certificate documents demonstrated skills across multiple security domains and can be added to a LinkedIn profile or professional portfolio. Combined with TryHackMe’s broader learning paths, Advent of Cyber serves as a practical foundation for certifications such as CompTIA Security+, CEH, or eJPT.
Getting the Most Out of the Challenge
To maximize your learning from Advent of Cyber 2023:
- Attempt each task independently before watching the walkthrough video
- Take notes on new tools and commands — they recur in later tasks
- Join the TryHackMe Discord or community forums to discuss tasks with other participants
- Use the official TryHackMe learning paths to extend your skills after the event ends
