A cyber lab gives a learner a self-contained network — a Kali Linux attacker, one or more vulnerable targets (Metasploitable, DVWA, Juice Shop), and optionally a SIEM and firewall — accessible from a browser via VNC or web-terminal. Sessions are time-boxed (typically 1–4 hours), reset between users, and isolated from the public internet to prevent escape.
What you can practise in a cyber lab
- Network scanning and enumeration (Nmap, Masscan).
- Web application penetration testing (Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP).
- SQL injection, XSS, file-upload bypass, IDOR exploitation.
- Reverse engineering and binary exploitation.
- Wireshark and packet-capture analysis.
- Blue-team work — SIEM hunting, incident response, log analysis.