Crestal

About · TrevoCastles

whoami

Hey! I'm TrevoCastles. I'm a beginner passionate about penetration testing and cybersecurity. I spend my time practicing in labs, playing CTFs, and sharing everything I learn so others can follow along.

TrevoCastles Penetration Testing Learner TryHackMe & HackTheBox Active Learner

Why I built this platform#

I made this website to help people gain knowledge, get hints when they are stuck, and learn cybersecurity with clear, honest guidance. When I was starting out, finding straightforward notes made a huge difference, and I wanted to create a space that does the same for anyone taking their first steps.

I am still learning every day and definitely not a seasoned expert who can hack everything. But I love tackling challenges, understanding how things work beneath the surface, and sharing the journey step by step—including the mistakes and what they taught me.

Whether you are working through your first lab or practicing for your next CTF, I hope this platform gives you a helpful hand and practical insights to keep moving forward.

The journey: TryHackMe to HackTheBox & CTFs#

My offensive security path started with structured lab environments on TryHackMe, learning Linux fundamentals, networking basics, and common web vulnerabilities. From there, I expanded into HackTheBox and HackSmarter, spending hours practicing on lab machines, playing CTFs, and learning exploitation concepts hands-on.

Penetration testing is all about curiosity and continuous practice. Working through boxes forces you to understand every protocol down to the wire, explore service misconfigurations, and think critically. I am learning constantly to improve my skills, and sharing my notes helps reinforce every lesson.

Focus areas#

Linux & Web Foundations Command line essentials, HTTP workflows, OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, and basic web exploitation.
Network & Active Directory Service enumeration, SMB and Kerberos basics, credential harvesting, and domain fundamentals.
CTF Practice & Lab Machines Hands-on problem solving across TryHackMe and HackTheBox, dissecting boxes, and analyzing foothold paths.
Cloud Cloud fundamentals, AWS and Azure essentials, IAM role permissions, and common cloud misconfigurations.

How I document & publish#

  1. Reproduce from a clean snapshot. A fresh rerun ensures every command, flag, and dependency is reproducible.
  2. Keep the dead ends. Explaining why a specific exploit failed teaches more than jumping straight to the solution.
  3. Provide hints, not spoilers. Structuring notes so learners can take a hint to overcome a blocker without spoiling the entire challenge.
  4. Include remediation. Offensive knowledge is only as good as the defense it produces; every technique concludes with how to patch it.

Primary toolchain#

Linux as the daily driver, dedicated virtual labs for testing, and an offensive toolkit tailored for penetration testing and CTFs.

nmap / rustscan netexec impacket BloodHound Certipy Burp Suite Pro Ghidra Hashcat Responder Metasploit

Community & collaboration#

Cybersecurity is best learned together. Feel free to join our Discord community, connect on Telegram, or follow along on GitHub. Let's learn, share hints, and level up together!