Guides
Guides & extras
Practical guides from Cyber Pirata.
Guide
CTF Starter Kit
Essential resources for Cyber Pirata readers — your guide to Capture The Flag challenges.
Guide
Operational Security for Meetups
Essential operational security tips for participants in Cyber Pirata meetups.
Guide
Merchandise Size Guide
Essential sizing information for Cyber Pirata merchandise.
Guide
Patch Tuesday Insights
Essential updates for Cyber Pirata community members — Patch Tuesday insights.
Guide
Responsible Disclosure Guidelines
Essential guidelines for responsible disclosure at Cyber Pirata.
Guide
VPN Comparison Guide
Essential insights for Cyber Pirata readers on comparing VPN services.
Guide
Setting Up Your Password Manager
Essential guide for Cyber Pirata readers on configuring a password manager.
Guide
Home Lab Essentials
Essential notes for Cyber Pirata readers on setting up a home lab.
Guide
Effective Phishing Simulation Tips
Essential tips for conducting phishing simulations from Cyber Pirata.
Guide
Austin Cyber Meetup Calendar
Stay updated with the latest Austin cyber community meetups and events.
Guide
Volunteer Moderator Guide
Essential guidelines for volunteer moderators at Cyber Pirata.
Guide
Digital Goods Return Policy
Important information for Cyber Pirata customers regarding returns on digital products.
Guide
Discord Server Guidelines
Essential guidelines for the Cyber Pirata community on Discord.
How to get the most out of these guides
The guides above cover very different needs, so there is no single right order for reading them. A useful approach is to pick a path based on where you are right now, then come back to the rest as your interests grow.
If you are new to security
Start with the basics that protect you before you start poking at anything else. Setting up a password manager and turning on multi-factor authentication for your email and main accounts will do more for your personal security than almost any advanced technique. After that, the VPN primer helps you understand what a VPN actually protects against. It encrypts traffic between you and the provider, but it does not make you anonymous and does not stop phishing. Once those foundations are in place, the CTF starter kit is a low-pressure way to learn by doing.
If you want hands-on practice
A small home lab is the safest place to experiment. A spare laptop or a few virtual machines on an isolated network let you break things without touching systems you do not own. Pair the home lab notes with the Patch Tuesday insights. Reading monthly vendor updates and trying to understand why each fix matters is a steady way to build real-world knowledge. If you find a genuine flaw in someone else's software, read the responsible disclosure guidelines before you do anything else. Testing systems without permission can carry legal risk, so get explicit authorisation first and, if in doubt, ask a qualified professional.
If you are coming to a meetup
Check the events page and the meetup calendar for current details, then skim the operational security tips. Simple habits go a long way:
- Keep Bluetooth and Wi-Fi auto-join off.
- Avoid unknown charging cables.
- Think before you photograph screens or badges.
New members can also read the Discord guidelines to see how the community keeps conversations useful and respectful.
Before you buy
If you are browsing the shop, the size guide and the digital goods policy answer most questions before they come up. Guides are revised over time, so it is worth checking back when tools or practices change.