TryHackMe, PortSwigger's Web Security Academy and similar platforms are excellent - but people often want something that is free, needs no install, and no VPN or VM setup. VulnTech is built exactly that way: every lab runs in a real machine inside your browser, and you can start without an account.
What makes it different
- Nothing to install. No Kali VM, no OpenVPN, no Burp setup. The target and the attacker tools run in your browser tab.
- Real machines, not simulations. The Linux labs boot a real Debian machine; the web-pentest labs run a real, deliberately vulnerable web app you attack with curl and scripts.
- Free, and open to guests. You can practise without signing up; an account just saves your progress and issues certificates.
Web application penetration testing
If you came for the PortSwigger Academy style of practice, the free Web Pentesting course covers SQL injection, XSS, SSRF, IDOR, path traversal, SSTI, XXE, CSRF, file upload, insecure deserialization, JWT, CORS, request smuggling, cache poisoning and more - 26 modules, each with a lab against a real target.
Blue team and SOC analysis
For defensive practice like TryHackMe's SOC path, the free SOC Analyst course has you work real logs, packet captures and Windows events, then triage alerts and write incident reports. The Blue Team and Network Traffic Analysis courses go further into hunting an intruder and reading PCAPs.
Linux and privilege escalation
Strong Linux skills underpin all of it. Start with Learn Linux (or just open the online Linux terminal), then try Linux Privilege Escalation to root a box through SUID binaries, sudo misconfigurations, cron jobs and PATH hijacking.
Who it suits
Beginners who do not want to fight with VM setup, students on a Chromebook or locked-down machine, and anyone who wants to practise on a phone or a borrowed computer. If you later want the depth of a paid platform, you will move onto it with the fundamentals already in muscle memory. Browse all the free courses and labs to start.