OverTheWire Bandit Walkthrough - Level 0 - 6

Introduction

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to completing the first six levels of the OverTheWire Bandit challenge. It focuses on essential skills such as file management, displaying file contents, and utilizing the find command in a Linux environment. These skills are fundamental for anyone looking to enhance their Linux proficiency and cybersecurity knowledge.

Step 1: Accessing the OverTheWire Bandit Game

• Visit the OverTheWire website: OverTheWire
• Navigate to the Bandit game section to create an account and access the first level.
• Use your terminal to connect to the game server via SSH. The command format is:

  ssh bandit0@bandit.labs.overthewire.org -p 2220
  

• Enter the password provided on the website to log in.

Step 2: Navigating the File System

• Use the ls command to list files and directories.
• Familiarize yourself with basic commands:
  • pwd to print the current working directory.
  • cd [directory_name] to change directories.
  • mkdir [directory_name] to create a new directory.

Step 3: Viewing File Contents

• Learn to display file contents using:
  • cat [file_name] to view the entire file.
  • less [file_name] for easier navigation through larger files.
  • head [file_name] to see the first 10 lines.
  • tail [file_name] to view the last 10 lines.

Step 4: Finding Files

• Use the find command to search for files:
  • Basic syntax:

    find [path] -name [file_pattern]
    

  • Example command to find files named 'bandit1':

    find / -name bandit1 2>/dev/null
    

  • The 2>/dev/null part suppresses error messages for directories you cannot access.

Step 5: Using Wildcards with the Find Command

• Utilize wildcards in your search patterns for flexibility.
  • Example command to find any file starting with 'bandit':

    find / -name 'bandit*' 2>/dev/null
    

• This can help locate files when you are unsure of the exact name.

Step 6: Completing Levels

• Each level will provide a password for the next level upon successful completion.
• Use the cat command to read files that contain the passwords for subsequent levels.
• Keep track of passwords as you progress through each level.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the first six levels of the OverTheWire Bandit challenge! You have learned vital skills in file management, content display, and file searching in a Linux environment. These foundational skills are essential for further exploration in cybersecurity and Linux systems. For your next steps, consider tackling the following levels or exploring more advanced challenges on the OverTheWire platform. Happy hacking!