Hands-on Cybersecurity Labs
Hands-on labs: practise safely on your own computer.
Reading about security is a start. Doing it is how it sticks. Every MAG212 lab runs locally, uses fictional data or your own device, and comes with step-by-step instructions. Nothing touches real systems, so there are no permission problems.
Three lab rules
- Your device or written permission only. Run labs on computers you own, or ones you are explicitly authorised to assess.
- Read before you run. Open every script in a text editor first. That habit alone stops a lot of real attacks.
- Fictional data only. Never paste real passwords, customer records or company files into a lab.
Lab 1 · AI ethical hacking: your first safe prompt injection Available
Level: Beginner · Time: about 30 minutes · Needs: Python 3.9+ on Windows, macOS or Linux
Trick a deliberately vulnerable document summarizer with a hidden line of text, watch a fake email tool fire, then add real defenses and retest honestly. It uses a fictional company and a repeatable toy model, with no AI account or internet needed.
Lab 2 · Audit your own Mac in two minutes Available
Level: Beginner · Time: about 10 minutes · Needs: macOS and the Terminal app, no administrator password
A read-only script checks 18 security basics: macOS updates, FileVault encryption, the firewall, Gatekeeper, System Integrity Protection, sharing services and the ports your Mac opens to the network. It then saves an HTML report with a plain-language fix for every warning. It never changes a setting and sends nothing online.
cd ~/Downloads/mag212-mac-audit and bash mag212-mac-audit.sh.Lab 3 · Audit your own Windows PC with PowerShell Coming soon
Level: Beginner to intermediate · Needs: Windows 10/11, PowerShell (administrator optional)
The same idea for Windows: Microsoft Defender, Windows Update, the firewall, BitLocker, Secure Boot, UAC, local accounts, Remote Desktop, SMBv1, startup programs and listening ports, all read-only. It is currently being tested on real Windows machines before release, together with its video walkthrough.
Lab 4 · Catch a brute-force attack in the logs Coming soon
Level: Beginner SOC · Needs: any computer
Use sample log files to spot a password-guessing attack, work out which account was targeted and from where, and write a simple detection rule. It is good preparation for our SOC & incident response path.
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MAG212 CYBER offers network and cybersecurity consultation, penetration testing with MAG212 Atlas, and security seminars for organisations around the world.