Cybersecurity and ethical hacking are evolving at lightning speed, and staying ahead means continuously learning and adapting. One of the best ways to build your knowledge and sharpen your skills is by reading high-quality hacking books. Whether you’re just starting out and need an introduction to hacking or you’re an experienced penetester looking to refine your techniques, this guide has you covered.
Last year, I published an article on Top Hacking Books for 2024, and with new advancements and tools emerging, it’s time to update the list. Here, we’ve gathered the best hacking books for 2025 — both free and paid — to help you stay ahead in the game.
Top Hacking Books for 2024 (plus Resources): FREE and Paid
In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, keeping up with the latest knowledge is crucial. Whether you’re a…
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Must-Have Free Hacking Resources for 2025
In addition to the top paid books, there are plenty of high-quality free resources available for those who want to sharpen their ethical hacking and cybersecurity skills without breaking the bank. Here are some of the best free hacking books, courses, and online platforms that can help you stay ahead in 2025.
- The Web Security Academy (PortSwigger) URL: https://portswigger.net/web-security The Web Security Academy by PortSwigger is one of the best free resources for learning about web application security. It provides interactive labs covering topics such as SQL injection, XSS, and authentication vulnerabilities.
Key Takeaways:
Hands-on web security training
Free interactive labs
Covers OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities
- Hacking for Beginners (Hackers Arise) URL: https://www.hackers-arise.com/ A great beginner-friendly book that introduces ethical hacking fundamentals, including Kali Linux setup, network scanning, and basic exploitation techniques.
Key Takeaways:
Beginner-friendly introduction to hacking
Covers key tools like Metasploit and Nmap
Step-by-step hacking tutorials
- Metasploit Unleashed (Offensive Security) URL: https://www.offensive-security.com/metasploit-unleashed/ This free course from Offensive Security is a deep dive into Metasploit, one of the most powerful penetration testing frameworks. It covers exploitation, privilege escalation, and post-exploitation techniques.
Key Takeaways:
Comprehensive guide to Metasploit
Free training by Offensive Security
Real-world exploitation scenarios
- OWASP Testing Guide URL: https://owasp.org/www-project-web-security-testing-guide/ The OWASP Testing Guide is an excellent free resource for security professionals who want to learn how to assess and secure web applications.
Key Takeaways:
Covers web security best practices
Detailed vulnerability assessment techniques
Regularly updated with modern threats
- Google Gruyere (Web Security Lab) URL: https://google-gruyere.appspot.com/ Google’s Gruyere is a web security lab designed to help learners understand and exploit common vulnerabilities in web applications.
Key Takeaways:
Hands-on hacking practice
Simulated vulnerable web application
Great for beginners learning web security
- Cybrary Free Ethical Hacking Course URL: https://www.cybrary.it/ Cybrary offers a free ethical hacking course covering penetration testing, reconnaissance, and post-exploitation techniques. It’s an excellent resource for those looking to start a career in cybersecurity.
Key Takeaways:
Free video-based ethical hacking training
Covers essential pentesting techniques
Hands-on exercises for practical learning
Best Hacking Books for 2025
The world of cybersecurity and ethical hacking is constantly evolving, and staying ahead requires continuous learning. Whether you’re a beginner looking to break into ethical hacking or an experienced professional seeking advanced techniques, the right books can provide invaluable insights. Below, we have compiled a list of the best hacking books for 2025 that will help you master penetration testing, exploit development, network security, and more.
- The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook 3 One of the most comprehensive resources for web security, this book covers SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), CSRF, and other web-based attacks. Updated with modern techniques, it is an essential resource for ethical hackers, bug bounty hunters, and security analysts.
Key Takeaways:
Detailed explanation of web application vulnerabilities
Advanced exploitation techniques
Hands-on exercises and case studies
The Hacker Playbook 3
E-Book - The Hacker Playbook 3
Back for the third season, The Hacker Playbook 3 (THP3) takes your offensive game to the pro tier. With a combination…
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✨ Amazon Link
- Practical Malware Analysis: The Hands-On Guide to Dissecting Malicious Software Malware is a major threat in the cybersecurity landscape, and this book provides a step-by-step guide to analyzing and reversing malware. It covers static and dynamic analysis, debugging, and unpacking techniques used by malware analysts.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding malware behavior
Tools for reverse engineering
Techniques for dissecting modern malware
Practical Malware Analysis
E-Book - Practical Malware Analysis: The Hands-On Guide to Dissecting Malicious Software 1st…
Malware analysis is big business, and attacks can cost a company dearly. When malware breaches your defenses, you need…
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✨ Amazon Link
- Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters Python is an essential skill for penetration testers, and this book explores how to create custom hacking tools. Topics include network sniffing, web hacking, privilege escalation, and more.
Key Takeaways:
Developing custom security tools
Automating penetration testing
Reverse engineering and exploit development
Black Hat Python
E-Book - Black Hat Python, 2nd Edition: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters
Fully-updated for Python 3, the second edition of this worldwide bestseller (over 100,000 copies sold) explores the…
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📎 Amazon Link
- Practical Cloud Security: A Guide for Secure Design and Deployment For those focused on cloud security, this book provides a comprehensive guide to securing cloud infrastructures. It covers threat models, risk management, compliance, and best practices for cloud security.
Key Takeaways:
Cloud security fundamentals
Secure design principles
Defense strategies for cloud environments
Practical Cloud Security
E - Book - Practical Cloud Security: A Guide for Secure Design and Deployment 2nd Edition
With rapidly changing architecture and API-driven automation, cloud platforms come with unique security challenges and…
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📎 Amazon Link
- Hacking Kubernetes: Threat-Driven Analysis and Defense With Kubernetes becoming a core component of modern infrastructure, this book provides insights into attacking and securing Kubernetes environments.
Key Takeaways:
Kubernetes security concepts
Common vulnerabilities and mitigations
Hardening Kubernetes clusters
Hacking Kubernetes
E - Book - Hacking Kubernetes: Threat-Driven Analysis and Defense 1st Edition
Want to run your Kubernetes workloads safely and securely? This practical book provides a threat-based guide to…
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📎 Amazon Link
- Open Source Intelligence Techniques OSINT is a crucial skill in cybersecurity. This book provides advanced techniques for gathering intelligence from publicly available sources.
Key Takeaways:
OSINT tools and methodologies
Investigative techniques
Protecting your own digital footprint
Open Source Intelligence Techniques
E - Book - Open Source Intelligence Techniques Resources for Searching and Analyzing Online…
Fifth Edition Sheds New Light on Open Source Intelligence Collection and Analysis.Author Michael Bazzell has been well…
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📎 Amazon Link
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