Recently, as the information field is on the rise, a new term, ‘Ethical Hacking’, has emerged and opened many different avenues for IT and cyber security professionals. Now, more and more people are becoming familiar with the information security field and are interested in learning hacking skills. This article relates to websites for hacking skills where one can practice and practice. Learning never stops; an ethical hacking career demands constant understanding and skill-set upgrade.
For budding hackers, these are often the best ways to hit the ground running in terms of career choices, such as penetration testing or vulnerability assessment and pen testing (VAPT).
What are hackable (or vulnerable) websites?
Hackable websites are intentionally designed with security flaws to provide a safe and legal environment for ethical hackers to learn and practice their ethical hacking skills.
Imagine a website as a house. Hackable websites are like houses with unlocked doors, broken windows, and maybe even a ladder conveniently placed against the wall. If you will, they have flaws – security holes that allow hackers to sneak in and cause mischief. These websites are intentionally designed with vulnerabilities for ethical hackers like us to learn from and improve our skills.
This is precisely how you learn to find and exploit bugs to demonstrate how threat actors can cause problems with real-life businesses.
How to Use These Vulnerable Websites to Practice Ethical Hacking?
These websites provide a controlled environment in which to experiment with various hacking techniques. You can attempt to exploit the vulnerabilities, analyse the website’s defences, and learn how to identify and mitigate potential security risks. It’s like a cybersecurity dojo, allowing you to hone your skills without legal repercussions.
Is It Legal to Hack into These Vulnerable Sites?
Yes, absolutely. These websites exist precisely for this purpose. They offer a legal and ethical framework for aspiring cybersecurity professionals to develop their expertise.
30+ Best Hackable Websites to Practice Your Skills in 2025
There are many online platforms available that give users Access to vulnerable websites to practise their hacking skills. Some of these websites for hacking skill-set practice are listed below:
Hack The Box
Hack The Box (HTB) has stormed the cyber security community. It is among the most widely used platforms by students, new hackers, and security professionals. HTB provides vulnerable machines called “boxes” with multiple severity levels.
The hacker must exploit the machines and gain root or admin access to retrieve flags and complete the machine. HTB hosts the machines, and users access them by connecting to the HTB network via VPN.
These machines and individual challenges provide a real-world scenario for performing penetration tests. HTB also has an active community where members help and exchange ideas without giving any spoilers.
VulnHub
The concept of VulnHub is somewhat similar to that of HTB. Vulnhub provides new hackers with 100s of vulnerable virtual machines with practical and hands-on experience for learning to hack. Unlike HTB, where users are required to connect to the HTB network via VPN, Vulnhub provides machines that can be downloaded as virtual machine files, and the users can deploy them in their local systems to carry out the hacking activities.
Echoctf.red
EchoCTF provides a Capture with the Flag environment for users to practice their hacking skills in a controlled environment. The attack simulations are based on real-life scenarios, systems and services. By solving the CTFs, users gain points and can showcase their progress.
BugBountyHunter
A platform for learning web application vulnerabilities by bounty hunter Zseano and helps you start a bug bounty hunting career.
Commix
A collection of web pages with command injection flaws for practice covering:
- Regular injection scenarios.
- Cookie injection scenarios.
- User-Agent injection scenarios.
- Referer injection scenarios.
- Weak filters scenarios
CryptOMG
A CTF-style test bed by Andrew Jordan for identifying and understanding cryptographic implementation weaknesses.
Firing Range
Google created a test bed to test and evaluate automated web application security scanners.
GameOver
An educational platform started to help newbies learn about web application security basics, attacks and their mechanisms.
LAMPSecurity
A series of vulnerable virtual machines for learning Linux, Apache, PHP, and MySQL security.
PuzzleMall
A vulnerable web application in the form of a virtual image that can be used to practice session management challenges.
WackoPicko
A vulnerable web application for testing and fine-tuning web application vulnerability scanners covering a variety of challenges around Reflected and Stored XSS, Session ID, SQL Injection, directory traversal, command injections and other vulnerabilities.
Unguard
An insecure cloud-native microservices demo application for Kubernetes with vulnerable services and databases.
TryHackMe
TryHackMe is another excellent resource for up-and-coming hackers. It provides a learning platform called “Rooms,” each with specific vulnerabilities for users to exploit. Another unique feature of TryHackMe is that it allows for learning scenarios for both the offensive and defensive sides of security, so users can learn to attack and defend systems simultaneously.
In addition, TryHackMe provides beginner to advanced learning paths, in which they club the relevant rooms into a short training course. TryHackMe also has a competition where you can compete with other players to see who can hack the machine the fastest and then try to stop other hackers from penetrating. This is called the King of the Hill.
OverTheWire
OverTheWire offers wargames and war zones for users of different skill levels. In addition to directly teaching hacking skills, OverTheWire offers beginner-level training, such as in its Bandit wargame, on how basic Linux commands work.
In the wargames, users learn the basic concepts and skills first, then practice different scenarios and stories to improve their hacking skills. OverTheWire also has competitions called warzones, where players compete with other hackers to compromise a machine.
OWASP Juice Shop
OWASP designs this gamified e-commerce website to simulate real-world hacking scenarios. It lets you explore various vulnerabilities in a safe and controlled environment, mimicking the experience of a penetration tester.
Security Shepherd
Security Shepherd is an OWASP vulnerability project that targets web and mobile app vulnerabilities. It can be downloaded from GitHub and installed locally on your machine.
The hackers can then solve multiple challenges and improve their skills. If they get stuck, users can get help. The challenges focus on learning the OWASP top 10 and other common vulnerabilities.
PortSwigger Labs
Port Swigger is the developer of the most widely used application security tool, i.e. Burp Suite. Recently, they launched their Web Security Acade,m,y, which contains detailed descriptions of many web application vulnerabilities and online labs that help you practice the learnt flaws. They also provide solutions for the labs so users can get help if they are stuck in the lab.
PentesterLab
Another excellent resource for practising application hacking is PentesterLab. You can find online labs focusing on various vulnerabilities and getting started content here. There is a free and pro version, so users can decide which subscription to choose. In addition to the labs, they provide reading materials and video tutorials to help beginners.
PentesterLab offers training in bundled labs called badges. For example, the Unix badge covers in-depth instructions on how to use Unix commands while hacking, the Android badge covers various Android vulnerabilities, and so on.
Game of Hacks
Unlike other traditional vulnerable websites that offer individual labs or challenges, the Game of Hacks provides users with fun interactive games to hack the website. It shows users bits of code to analyse and then find vulnerabilities so that a person can test their application hacking knowledge.
There are three difficulty levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Players can choose the level that best suits their current skill set. They can also solve the games solo or challenge another player, having fun while learning.
CTFlearn
CTFlearn is offered as “the most beginner-friendly way to get into hacking”. As the name suggests, CTFlearn hosts challenges and competitions like Capture the Flag, where a user has to hack the system in a certain way and retrieve a flag value to show they have completed the task.
CTFlearn provides multiple labs on various cyber security topics, including web applications, reverse engineering, forensics, programming, binary exploitation, and cryptographic flaws.
Damn Vulnerable iOS App (DVIA)
DVIA is part of the Damn Vulnerable series that focuses on iOS mobile application penetration testing. The project is freely available on GitHub and can be used by new hackers, professionals or mobile developers to practice mobile hacking.
DVIA compromises common iOS vulnerabilities and uses the OWASP top 10 as a baseline. The application is written in Swift, and all the vulnerabilities can be tested up to iOS 11. Additionally, XCode needs to be installed.
Some of the vulnerabilities that you can practice are:
- Jailbreak detection
- Debugging
- Phishing
- Face/Touch ID bypass
- Broken cryptography
- Side-channel data leakage
Damn Vulnerable Web Application (DVWA)
From the Damn Vulnerable Websites series, we have another vulnerable environment designed for web application testing called DVWA. This MySQL and PHP-based application focuses on web application security flaws.
Users can switch the difficulty from low, medium, high, and impossible to all challenges. When a user changes the level, the underlying code also changes, and the users can see why the vulnerability existed and how their payloads exploited the flaws.
This tool must be downloaded and locally set up on a virtual machine before you can use it.
Damn Insecure and Vulnerable App for Android (DIVA)
To avoid confusion with DVIA, the DIVA application was created to practice Android hacking skills. As with the other Damn Vulnerable websites, DIVA focuses on helping developers, penetration testers and novice hackers about Android security flaws and their exploitation.
Users can download web applications from GitHub and set them up by compiling the application in their local network and start hacking from there.
Root Me
Root Me is a Multilanguage training platform with over 300 regularly updated challenges and 50 virtual environments for hackers to practice on. With a community of over 200,000 members, Root Me covers different areas of cyber security, such as digital investigation, automation, breaking encryption, cracking, network challenges, and SQL injection.
WebGoat
WebGoat is another OWASP project widely used and endorsed by many security professionals. It contains lessons on common server-side application flaws and hints to help beginners. The application covers vulnerabilities such as cache poisoning, SQL injection, Trojan horse attacks, spyware, and Unicode encoding.
WebGoat must be downloaded and installed locally by deploying it on a virtual machine.
BodgeIt Store
Simon Bennetts creates these vulnerable websites full of OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities. The store consistshas challenges and can be used to practice penetration testing, hacking, and code rewriting. It can also help develop the methodology for looking for flaws. The BodgeIt store needs to be set up locally on a virtual machine.
Vicnum
Vicnum, developed by OWASP, is a vulnerable application based on a gaming format. It allows users to have fun while solving challenges and learning about web applications and API flaws. The application can be downloaded from GitHub and set up locally.
Other vulnerable websites and web apps from OWASP include OWASP Bricks, OWASP Mutillidae, OWASP Hackademic Challenges (PHP), OWASP Vulnerable Web App Project (Java), OWASP .NET Goat (C#), OWASP ZAP WAVE—Web Application Vulnerability Examples (Java), and OWASP BWA.
Hellbound Hackers
Hellbound Hackers is a comprehensive cyber security platform with hands-on challenges, forums, articles, and tutorials. It has one of the most engaging communities.
The unique thing about Hellbound hackers is that users can try a timed challenge to find a vulnerability and then figure out how to patch it. This helps developers understand how a malicious hacker would break in. The challenges consist of application hacking, JavaScript hacking, rooting challenges, etc.
bWAPP
bWAPP or “Buggy Web Application” is a free and open-source vulnerable app that hackers can set up in their local environments. It is one of the most practised web applications for beginners.
The application offers over 100 web application vulnerabilities to practice and improve yours. Mostd most of the bugs are based on the OWASP top 10 Cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site tracing (XST) and cross forgery (CSRF), Man-in-the-middle attacks (MITM), Server-side request forgery (SSRF), Injection attacks including SQL, HTML, iFrame, SSI, OS Command, PHP, XML, XPath, LDAP, Host Header and SMTP injections are few of the areas covered.
Defend the Web
Defend the Web is one of the most vulnerable online websites, offering over 60 hacking challenges and articles to help beginners start their hacking careers. There are various categories users can choose from, including challenges that simulate real-world cyber attacks.
Try2Hack
Try2Hack is one of the oldest vulnerable websites on the Internet. It offers numerous hacking challenges for beginners, using a game-based approach with multiple difficulty levels. Walkthroughs for the challenges can also be found on GitHub.
HackThisSite
HTS is an excellent resource for practising hacking vulnerable websites. It was founded by Jeremy Hammond and is maintained by the community. The website offers many challenges replicating real-world scenarios; each challenge has its forum to discuss and engage with the community if any help is needed. Some of the challenges include realistic missions, application missions, forensics missions, and programming missions. Apart from this, HTS also has its own CTF.
Hackxor
Albinowax created this web hacking game and is one of the great security researchers of our time. There is an online version (with two levels) and a downloadable versioe with more advanced levels. The application focuses on realistic, somewhat difficult vulnerabilities like XSS, CSRF, SQ, L, I, etc.
Bad store
Badstore is a dedicated virtual machine that can be downloaded and deployed on your local environment. It is a beginner-friendly application that teaches beginners how to exploit security flaws. Badstore replicated an online store website, focusing on easy and standard hacking techniques.
Google Gruyere
This vulnerable web app was designed by Google and is themed around cheese. As cheese has many holes, this web app has many security holes that beginners can exploit. Gruyere focuses on beginner-friendly and basic bugs such as XSS, SRF, RCE, DoS, sensitive information disclosure, etc.
XSS game area
If someone wants to focus primarily on finding XSS, this website is for you. Here, users will find many variants and scenarios to practice and exploit cross-site scripting XSS vulnerabilities and learn preventive controls.
McAfee HacMe Sites
One of the earliest challenges is learning to hack. McAfee HacMe is a group of sites launched by McAfee. Each site has its vulnerabilities that users can exploit to increase their skills. These sites are based on real-world vulnerabilities and simulate web apps such as baking, e-commerce, etc.
The McAfee Sites include:
- HacMe Casino
- HacMe Bank
- HacMe Shipping
- HacMe Books
- HacMe Travel
- HacMe Bank – Android
Other Recommendations to Practice Your Ethical Hacking Skills
While the 30+ websites listed above provide excellent hands-on experience, here are some additional recommendations to further enhance your ethical hacking skills:
Capture The Flag (CTF) Platforms
- Try participating in as many CTF challenges as possible on platforms like Hack The Box, OverTheWire, and TryHackMe. These platforms offer various challenges, from beginner to advanced, covering multiple aspects of cybersecurity.
- Team up with your friends/colleagues or other ethical hackers to join CTF competitions to test your skills against different participants and learn from experienced hackers.
Vulnerability Scanning Tools
- Start using open-source and commercial vulnerability scanning tools like Nmap, OpenVAS, and Nessus to learn and familiarise yourself with these tools. Learn how to use these tools effectively to identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks.
Read Security Blogs, Forums, Twitter or Online portals.
- Stay updated on the latest security threats, vulnerabilities, and exploits by following known authors at X (Twitter), security blogs, forums (like Hacker News and Reddit’s r/cybersecurity), and industry publications.
Contribute to Open-Source Projects
- You don’t need to have super-ninja skills to contribute to security projects. You can start with simple tasks to more experienced development work. Try Contributing to open-source security projects to gain practical experience and learn from professional developers. This can involve bug bounty hunting, vulnerability research, and code auditing.
Obtain Relevant CertificationsTo demonstrate your expertise, consider pursuing recognized certifications like CREST CPSA, CREST CRT, OSCP, OSCE, Burp BCSP, TCM Security, and Sec Opscertificationse.
Practice, Practice, Practice
- Consistent practice is crucial for improving your ethical hacking skills. Dedicate regular time to practice your techniques, experiment with new tools, and solve challenging problems.
Disclaimer
- Based on the law of the land, authorisation must always be obtained before conducting any security assessments or penetration testing activities.
- Unauthorised access to computer systems or networks is illegal and can have serious consequences.
- This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be used for unlawful activities.
Ethical Hacking Techniques to Understand Before Website Hacking Drill
Many hacking skills, techniques, and methodologies are followed. Generally, when hacking any system, it comes down to following 5 phases of hacking and then expanding upon the access phases of hacking:
1. Reconnaissance
In this phase, the ethical hacker tries to gather all possible information about the target assets. This includes discovering what technologies are being used, what kind of network architecture is implemented, IP addresses, DNS records, MX records, subdomains, etc. The information-gathering phase notes everythinge.
2. Scanning
Next, the ethical hacker should scan the information gathered to locate vulnerabilities. This phase includes scanning ports for available services, websites, and servers, among other things. It yields any potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
3. Gaining Access
Now that the ethical hacker has a list of possible vulnerabilities, exploitation or hacking happens in this phase. The ethical hacker launches a full-fledged attack on the assets using the information gained in the previous two phases.
4. Maintaining Access
In the case of ethical hacking, this step is optional. If the ethical hacker has enough information to display the impact of the vulnerability, then he does not need to create persistent access in the targeAccessany.
However, suppose the ethical hacker needs to return and continue his tasks on the compromised system whenever required. In that case, he can deploy software programs to create backdoors and continue the security assessment.
5. Clearing tracks
Clearing tracAccessns means that in this step, the hacker removes all traces of this attack from the organisation’s systems, such as eliminating any logs, deleting any files he created, and uninstalling any application access.
To view a concise version of this article, we invite you to watch our video on the same topic.
Summary
Ethical hacking is a way to learn about computer security vulnerabilities by legally trying to exploit them in a safe environment. This article offers a list of websites that can be used to practice ethical hacking skills. In addition to using these websites, there are other ways to improve your ethical hacking skills, such as participating in Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions, using vulnerability scanning tools, reading security blogs and forums, and contributing to open-source security projects.
