Breaking into cyber security has never been about a lack of information. Courses, videos, blogs, and tutorials are everywhere. The real problem has always been proving that you can actually do the work.

That’s exactly why we built the Cyber security 101 Certification, also known as SEC1, is designed to validate real, foundational cyber skills, not just theoretical knowledge.

What Is the SEC1 Certification?

The SEC1 Certification is a hands-on, entry-level cyber security certification that acts as a capstone to the TryHackMe Cyber Security 101 learning path .

Instead of answering questions about cyber security, candidates perform real tasks in realistic environments. The certification validates foundational skills across:

• Offensive security (Red Team)
• Defensive security (Blue Team)
• Investigative workflows

Everything happens inside TryHackMe’s browser-based labs.

Why We Built SEC1

Most beginner cyber security certifications follow the same pattern:

• Heavy theory
• Multiple-choice questions
• Minimal connection to real job tasks

That approach doesn’t reflect how cyber security actually works and it doesn’t help learners stand out.We built Cyber Security 101 to solve 3 core problems we kept seeing across our community and the industry:

1. Beginner certs don’t reflect real work: Entry-level roles still expect hands-on ability: investigating alerts, interacting with systems, understanding attack and defence fundamentals. MCQs don’t measure that.

2. Learners wanted proof, not just progress: After completing the TryHackMe Cyber Security 101 path, learners consistently asked for a way to prove their skills, not just say they’d learned them.

3. There was a gap at the foundational level: Hands-on certifications exist, but they’re often expensive, advanced, or inaccessible to true beginners. SEC1 fills that gap with an affordable, practical option.

How the Exam Works

7 practical sections across:

• OS & Network Fundamentals
• Red Team (offensive)
• Blue Team (defensive)
• Entirely hands-on using TryHackMe’s browser-based labs:
• Scenario-based tasks + accompanying technical questions for each section
• No Multiple choice questions, every task requires user interaction and analysis

The exam runs over 24 hours, allowing learners to work through scenarios thoughtfully just like they would in a real role. Results are delivered immediately after completion, so there’s no anxious waiting.

What Makes SEC1 Different

SEC1 isn’t designed to be “easy”, it’s designed to be realistic. Here’s what sets it apart from traditional beginner certifications:

• 100% hands-on: No MCQs, no theory-only testing
• Browser-based labs: Accessible from anywhere, no setup required
• Integrated learning to exam experience: Prep and test in the same environment
• Affordable and globally accessible: Designed for learners everywhere

The goal is to validate that you can think, investigate, and act in realistic cyber scenarios.

Who SEC1 Is For

The Cyber 101 Certification is ideal for:

• Students aiming for their first cyber security role
• Career switchers moving from IT or non-technical backgrounds
• Interns and junior professionals who want to validate their fundamentals
• Early-stage cybersecurity learners with 0–2 years of experience
• TryHackMe users completing or nearing completion of the Cyber Security 101 learning path

This exam assumes a foundational understanding of key cybersecurity domains. If you’re still building that base, the Cyber Security 101 learning path walks you through all of them.

A Certification Built for Real Confidence

As TryHackMe co-founder Ben Spring puts it:

“The goal of this exam is simple - to help learners validate that they have strong foundational cyber security skills and can apply them in practice”

And co-founder Ashu Savani adds:

“Cyber security is best learned by doing. This exam gives candidates a way to prove they can apply what they’ve learned in realistic scenarios, not just recall concepts”

That philosophy sits at the core of the Cyber Security 101 certification.

What Happens After You Pass?

• You receive a verifiable certification, complete with a QR code for validation
• Certification remains valid for 3 years
• One retake is included, whether you pass or fail
• Results are instant, no delays, no uncertainty.

Most importantly, you walk away knowing you didn’t just study cyber security, you practiced it. If you’re ready to stop learning about cyber security and start proving you can do it, the Cyber Security 101 (SEC1) Certification is your next step.

Validate your foundational skills with a fully hands-on exam built around real scenarios, not guesswork.