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Getting started with the CyberStart Intern Base

Getting started with the CyberStart Intern Base

Trial CyberStart for free at the Intern base

Want to try solving some free cyber security puzzles, or maybe you’d just like to know more about the first base you’ll encounter in CyberStart? Then you’ve come to the right place!

The Intern base is available for anyone to play for free! At the Intern base, you’ll encounter 12 unlocked challenges, making it the perfect place to test your ethical hacking abilities and see if CyberStart is for you without purchasing a full licence.

You’ll trial life as an agent at the Cyber Protection Agency. Investigate digital crimes, learn practical cyber security skills and use them to stop criminal schemes.

CyberStart Intern base

But how do you get started at the Intern base, and what type of cyber security challenges can you expect to play? Read on to find out, then give it a go with no upfront payments or commitments!

Check out our walkthrough of an Intern base challenge at the end of this blog.

CyberStart Dashboard

What is Intern base?

Intern base is a great place to start your CyberStart journey. Unlike the rest of CyberStart’s bases where you solve challenges to unlock new levels, Intern base gives you complete access to all 12 challenges in all three levels straight away!

Intern base contains three levels of difficulty, so whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, there’s a level to challenge you. The fun and hands-on puzzles will help you learn and practice valuable cyber security skills. As you play, you’ll experience unique storylines that let you solve real-life cyber security and ethical hacking scenarios.

How to start playing Intern base

Inside Intern base, you’ll get your official introduction to the Cyber Protection Agency (CPA). The CPA is a global organisation that will have you jetting around the world to tackle criminal gangs.

CyberStart Intern base

At the Intern base, you’ll find three levels, each with varying difficulties that mimic the difficulty range of CyberStart’s other bases. Don’t worry if you aren’t able to complete all the challenges in Intern base just yet. If you claim a full CyberStart licence, you’ll gain access to many challenges that will improve your cyber security skills so you can eventually complete all the levels!

Once you click on a level, you’ll find four rooms, each containing its own cyber security case to solve. As all levels and rooms are unlocked in Intern base, you can move between them at your leisure.

CyberStart Intern base challenges

Intern L01 C01 - Hello World

To give you an impression of what it’s like playing through Intern base and the rest of CyberStart’s challenges, let’s look inside the first room in level one of Intern base.

In the first level of Intern base, you’ll travel to Amsterdam to investigate some suspicious online activity.

For each assignment, you’ll first receive a brief. Read the brief carefully, follow the instructions, and try to find the hidden flag to complete the room.

In the brief for ‘Hello World’, we’re instructed to find the email address of a known hacker. Luckily, the team at the CPA found the hacker’s profile page online which may help us uncover his email address.

CyberStart Intern base challenge

How could we solve this challenge?

At first glance, there’s no sign of an email address on the hacker’s profile page. Quite odd, considering the button at the top of his profile prompts us to send him an email.

Try playing around with different elements of the profile page to see if you can find the email address. You don’t need any cyber security experience to complete this challenge, just creativity, curiosity and the desire to experiment. If you’re stuck, you can also use a hint to help you out.

If you have trouble finding a flag in Intern base, don’t worry! There are plenty of fantastic resources and guides, like the Field Manual, on hand to help you complete each room in the base.

Your free trial will give you access to Groups, and limited access to the CyberStart Field Manual.

Think you have what it takes to solve this case? Sign up to CyberStart and head over to the Intern base right now to give it a go.

Find out if the exciting world of uncovering cyber crimes is for you by clicking ’try for free’ on the CyberStart website. Gain complete access to Intern base and get playing with no strings attached!

All of these programmes are entirely free, and feature CyberStart!

CyberStart America

What is it?

A fun programme developed to help you discover your talent, advance your skills and win scholarships in cyber security.

Who's it for?

13-18 year old high school students in the US only.

Awesome! How can I find out more?
www.cyberstartamerica.org

Cyber FastTrack

What is it?

The fastest and most cost-effective route to a career in cyber security via free training and exclusive scholarship opportunities.

Who's it for?

College students in the US only.

Great! How can I find out more?
www.cyber-fasttrack.org

CyberStart Canada

What is it?

A free programme teaching cyber security to high school students in Canada through CyberStart's immersive learning platform.

Who's it for?

Students between the ages of 13-18 nationwide.

Nice! How can I find out more?
www.cyberstartcanada.com