Level Up Your Linux Game: My Journey Through OverTheWire’s Bandit & Natas

If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a hacker in a 90s movie—minus the glowing green rain and the frantic "I'm in"—wargames are the place to start. Specifically, OverTheWire.

I recently dove into their challenges to sharpen my technical skills, and it’s been a wild ride of "Aha!" moments and "Wait, what?" frustrations. This post is just the beginning; I’ll be updating this blog with every other OverTheWire wargame level as I complete them, but for now, let’s look at my experience with the first two: Bandit and Natas.

1. Bandit: The Gold Standard for Linux Newbies

Bandit is the entry-level wargame, and honestly, it is a masterclass in learning by doing.

The Vibe

It starts simple—find a password in a file called readme. But soon, you’re hunting for hidden files, filtering strings with grep, and learning how to navigate a terminal like a pro.

The "Fun" Factor

It is incredibly satisfying. Because the game forces you to figure things out yourself, every level you beat feels like a genuine win. It’s tricky, but it feels fair.

The Flow

For the most part, Bandit is perfectly paced. I almost always knew exactly what to do after reading through the documentation for the suggested commands. It strikes that rare balance of being challenging without being confusing.

The GitHub Twist

The shift toward using Git and GitHub toward the end is a very cool touch. However, this was the one area that felt a bit random. Unlike the previous levels, the guidance here felt a bit thin, making the tasks feel slightly disconnected from the steady climb of the earlier stages.

Verdict: Essential for anyone who wants to stop being afraid of the command line.

2. Natas: Entering the Web Wilderness

Once you’ve conquered the terminal, Natas introduces you to Serverside Web Security. This is where the training wheels come off—and the bike might feel like it's missing a wheel.

The Learning Curve

Unlike Bandit, which guides you through documentation, Natas can feel a bit "random" if you don’t have prior web knowledge. Without that background:

1. You're Directionless: You have no idea what the goal is or where to start looking for the vulnerability.
2. Search Paralysis: You don't even know what terms to Google. It’s hard to find an answer when you don't even know what the problem is called.

Verdict: A great challenge for aspiring security buffs, but you definitely need a baseline of web development knowledge before diving in.

What’s Next?

Wargames are easily one of the most addictive ways to learn tech. They strip away the boring lectures and replace them with a puzzle-solving rush. While the jump to Natas is steep, the solid foundation built in Bandit makes it all worth it.

Stay tuned, because as I fight my way through Krypton, Leviathan, and the rest, I'll be adding my thoughts and progress right here.

Pro Tip: In Bandit, actually read the man pages (manuals) for the suggested commands. They usually hold the "key" to the password!