Introduction

I’ll be honest. I didn’t need to do this one.

The TryHackMe SEC0 (Pre Security) certification is entry-level by design. It covers the basics: how the web works, networking fundamentals, Linux essentials, and a gentle intro to how attackers think. Nothing that was going to surprise someone who’s already spent years in platform engineering and is actively studying for Security+. And yet, here I am, certificate in hand, grinning about it.

So what happened?

TryHackMe is really fun

That’s it. TryHackMe has this way of making even familiar content feel engaging. The gamification works; you earn points, unlock badges, follow a structured learning path, and before you know it you’ve gone from “I’ll just check out one room” to “okay, I might as well finish the path and grab the cert.” The hands-on format helps too. You’re not just reading slides; you’re working through interactive questions and exercises that keep you moving forward.

For a beginner this platform is excellent. For someone with experience it’s still a pleasant way to spend time, and getting comfortable with how TryHackMe works now means you’ll be better set up for the harder content later.

What the Pre Security path covers

The certification evaluates six foundational skill areas. No hacking, no exploitation; just the bedrock knowledge that everything else in cybersecurity is built on.

If you’ve been working in tech for a while, most of this is background knowledge you picked up along the way without ever sitting down to study it deliberately. For someone completely new to the field though, this is a solid starting point. It gives you the vocabulary and mental models to make sense of everything that comes after.

The exam

I’ll be upfront: the exam format had me expecting more, so it was a little anticlimactic.

You get 24 hours to complete six sections of ten questions each, and it’s fully performance-based; no multiple choice, no theory questions. On paper that sounds serious. The 24-hour window puts it in the same company as notorious hands-on exams like the Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), where you’re given 24 hours to compromise a set of machines and write a full report. That kind of time allowance carries a certain weight.

SEC0 does not carry that weight. The questions are practical, which is good, but the difficulty is firmly entry-level. You’re not spending 24 hours deep in a lab fighting through rabbit holes. Most people will finish well within an hour or two. The generous time window feels more like borrowed prestige than a genuine reflection of the challenge involved.

That’s not necessarily a criticism of TryHackMe. SEC0 is what it says it is: a pre-security certification for people just starting out. But if you go in expecting the format to match the intensity implied by that 24-hour clock, you’ll come out the other side a little underwhelmed.

Was it worth it?

Yes, and not because of the material (because it was really all too familiar).

Sometimes you need a low-stakes win to keep momentum going. Certification journeys can be a slog, especially when the big ones like CompTIA Security+ demand serious study time alongside a full-time job. Knocking out an easier cert isn’t a detour; it’s a pace reset. It reminded me why I enjoy this stuff, and it gave me a clean entry point into the TryHackMe ecosystem.

Getting comfortable with the TryHackMe platform now also means I’ll use it more effectively when the content gets harder. And it will get harder.

Next

Back on schedule: Security+ is the primary goal. After that, I’ll pick up the TryHackMe SEC1 (Junior Security Analyst) certification as well, then stop to re-evaluate where the gaps are and what makes sense to tackle next.

The plan is deliberate, not rushed. But a quick detour into a fun platform for a confidence-boosting cert? No regrets.