The Best Free Tools & Platforms to Practise Cyber Security Skills 2025/26
Cyber security is one of the most in-demand career fields in the UK. From preventing data breaches to monitoring networks and defending against ransomware, the role of cyber professionals is critical across every industry. With organisations of all sizes facing increasing threats, demand for skilled professionals continues to rise.
But employers don’t just want theory—they want proof that you can analyse systems, detect vulnerabilities, and respond to incidents. The good news is that you don’t need to pay thousands of pounds for training to build practical experience. A wide range of free tools and platforms allow you to practise cyber security skills safely, ethically, and at no cost.
This article explores the best free resources available in 2025 to help you gain hands-on skills in ethical hacking, penetration testing, digital forensics, network monitoring, and incident response.
Why Practising Cyber Security Skills is Critical
Cyber security is practical by nature. Recruiters want evidence that you can:
Work with real tools used by security professionals.
Detect and patch vulnerabilities on systems.
Respond to live threats in simulated environments.
Demonstrate projects on GitHub or in portfolios.
Hands-on practice also builds confidence for technical interviews, where candidates may be asked to solve challenges or talk through penetration testing methodologies.
1. Kali Linux – Free Penetration Testing Distro
Kali Linux is the go-to operating system for penetration testers.
Key Features
Pre-loaded with 600+ tools for penetration testing, digital forensics, and reverse engineering.
Includes Nmap, Metasploit, Wireshark, Burp Suite (community), and John the Ripper.
Runs as a bootable OS or virtual machine.
Why It’s Useful
Kali is industry-standard and free to download. Practising with Kali helps you build familiarity with tools used in professional red team and penetration testing jobs.
2. Parrot Security OS
Parrot OS is another popular Linux distribution for ethical hacking.
Key Features
Lightweight, runs on low-end hardware.
Includes penetration testing, cryptography, and programming tools.
Designed for privacy and secure development.
Why It’s Useful
Parrot OS is an alternative to Kali and useful for learners who prefer a smaller footprint or more privacy-focused tools.
3. Metasploitable & DVWA – Vulnerable Targets
Practising cyber security means you need safe systems to attack.
Metasploitable: A deliberately vulnerable virtual machine for testing Metasploit and other tools.
DVWA (Damn Vulnerable Web App): A web application intentionally full of vulnerabilities to practise SQL injection, XSS, and authentication bypass.
Why They’re Useful
They provide safe, legal targets for penetration testing practice.
4. Hack The Box (Free Tier)
Hack The Box is a hugely popular platform for ethical hacking practice.
Key Features
Free access to retired machines and challenges.
Simulated real-world environments.
Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges.
Why It’s Useful
Hack The Box helps build the practical skills employers value most—penetration testing on realistic environments.
5. TryHackMe (Free Tier)
TryHackMe is another leading cyber security learning platform.
Key Features
Free rooms and guided labs.
Covers networking, web hacking, OSINT, and malware analysis.
Beginner-friendly learning paths.
Why It’s Useful
TryHackMe combines gamified learning with real hands-on practice, ideal for beginners and intermediates alike.
6. OverTheWire Wargames
OverTheWire offers free security war games.
Key Features
Popular games like Bandit, Narnia, and Krypton.
Focused on Linux, command line, and security basics.
Great for absolute beginners.
Why It’s Useful
It’s a free way to practise foundational skills essential for all cyber security jobs.
7. Wireshark – Free Network Analysis
Wireshark is the world’s most widely used network protocol analyser.
Key Features
Capture and inspect network packets.
Diagnose security issues.
Learn how protocols really work.
Why It’s Useful
Wireshark skills are essential for network security and incident response roles.
8. Burp Suite Community Edition
Burp Suite is one of the top tools for web application penetration testing.
Key Features
Free community version for practising manual testing.
Intercepts HTTP/S traffic between browser and server.
Useful for testing injection flaws, XSS, and authentication issues.
Why It’s Useful
Burp is widely mentioned in job descriptions. Practising with the free edition builds employable skills.
9. Nmap – Free Network Scanning
Nmap is a classic open-source tool for network discovery and vulnerability scanning.
Key Features
Port scanning and service enumeration.
Scriptable engine for vulnerability checks.
Lightweight and flexible.
Why It’s Useful
Nmap is a must-know tool for any cyber professional, from junior analysts to senior pentesters.
10. Snort & Suricata – Free Intrusion Detection
Both Snort and Suricata are open-source IDS/IPS tools.
Key Features
Monitor live network traffic for suspicious patterns.
Free rule sets available.
Supports real-time intrusion prevention.
Why They’re Useful
Learning IDS/IPS tools prepares you for security operations centre (SOC) analyst roles.
11. Autopsy – Free Digital Forensics
Autopsy is a free digital forensics platform.
Key Features
Analyse hard drives, images, and file systems.
Recover deleted files and investigate evidence.
Used by law enforcement agencies.
Why It’s Useful
Autopsy is essential for learners pursuing digital forensics and incident response.
12. Security Onion – Free SOC in a Box
Security Onion is a free Linux distribution for monitoring and threat hunting.
Key Features
Includes IDS, SIEM, and log analysis tools.
Elastic stack integration.
Deployable in home labs or cloud environments.
Why It’s Useful
Security Onion gives you hands-on SOC experience in a single package.
13. OWASP Juice Shop
The OWASP Juice Shop is a deliberately vulnerable web application.
Key Features
Full of OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities.
Gamified with scoring and hints.
Perfect for web penetration testing practice.
Why It’s Useful
Juice Shop is widely used in training environments, making it ideal for job-focused practice.
14. Blue Team Labs Online (Free Challenges)
While most platforms focus on offensive skills, Blue Team Labs Online helps defenders.
Key Features
Free labs and defensive challenges.
Incident response scenarios.
Windows and Linux log analysis.
Why It’s Useful
Not all cyber jobs are red team—blue team skills are in equally high demand.
15. SANS Cyber Aces
The SANS Institute offers free Cyber Aces training.
Key Features
Covers operating systems, networking, and system administration.
Beginner-friendly.
No cost, high-quality content.
Why It’s Useful
It’s an excellent starting point before diving into paid certifications.
16. Google Gruyere
Google Gruyere is a deliberately vulnerable web app.
Key Features
Focuses on web vulnerabilities.
Great for practising secure coding and testing.
Hosted by Google.
Why It’s Useful
Free, safe, and widely recognised by employers as a good training exercise.
17. OpenVAS / Greenbone
OpenVAS is a free vulnerability scanner by Greenbone.
Key Features
Scans networks for misconfigurations and weaknesses.
Regularly updated community feed.
Free version available.
Why It’s Useful
Learning vulnerability scanning tools is key for compliance and governance roles.
18. Cyber Security Challenges & CTFs
Free capture-the-flag platforms include:
CTFtime: Directory of free competitions.
PicoCTF: Beginner-friendly challenges created by Carnegie Mellon.
Cyber Security Challenge UK: Free challenges aimed at UK learners.
Why They’re Useful
CTFs are fun, practical, and often noticed by recruiters.
19. Free Cloud Sandboxes
Many cloud providers offer free tiers to practise cloud security:
AWS Free Tier: IAM and security policies.
Azure Sandbox: Role-based access control (RBAC).
Google Cloud Skills Boost: Security labs.
Why They’re Useful
Cloud security is one of the hottest specialisms in 2025.
20. UK-Specific Resources
NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre): Free resources, training, and challenges.
CyberFirst (GCHQ programme): Free training for students and school leavers.
Immersive Labs (free challenges): Some free cyber exercises available.
Police-led initiatives: Local police forces often run free cyber awareness labs.
How to Use These Tools Effectively
Pick a path: Red team (offensive), blue team (defensive), or forensics.
Set up a lab: Use VirtualBox or VMware with Kali and vulnerable targets.
Work through platforms: Start with OverTheWire, then TryHackMe or Hack The Box.
Practise defensive skills: Install Security Onion or try Blue Team Labs.
Document your work: Share notes on GitHub or LinkedIn.
Join communities: Learn via Discord, Reddit, and UK cyber groups.
Build a portfolio: Show recruiters the challenges you’ve solved.
Final Thoughts
Cyber security careers demand hands-on skills. Fortunately, you don’t need a huge budget to get started. With free tools like Kali Linux, Wireshark, Burp Suite, Hack The Box, TryHackMe, and Security Onion, you can build the same practical experience that employers look for in paid professionals.
By practising regularly, documenting your progress, and engaging with the UK cyber community, you’ll gain the confidence and visibility to stand out in this fast-moving industry.
So fire up that virtual machine, join a CTF, and start building the practical skills that could launch your cyber security career today.
