OverTheWire Bandit Challenge series

Welcome aboard! This series is here to help you not just use Linux, but really understand and appreciate the way the Linux/Unix world is designed. The Bandit challenges were originally built for cybersecurity learners, but they’re just as powerful for anyone starting out in DevOps.

What is OverTheWire?

OverTheWire is a highly respected cybersecurity community that provides free, hands-on training environments known as “wargames.” Instead of simulated labs or multiple-choice tests, OverTheWire gives you live access to real servers.

While they host advanced tracks covering web application security, reverse engineering, and network exploitation, their entry-level track—Bandit—is globally recognized by IT professionals as the absolute best starting point for mastering the Linux command line. By using this platform, you are learning on the exact same proving grounds used to train top-tier systems administrators, DevOps engineers, and security analysts.

The Bandit Wargame

Welcome to your first practical trial. Before we begin building cloud infrastructure or automating deployments, you must learn how to survive in the environment where DevOps engineers spend 90% of their day: the Linux terminal.

The Bandit wargame drops you directly into a live Linux server and forces you to use actual system administration tools to solve puzzles, uncover hidden data, and break out of restricted environments.

How the Game Works

The wargame is structured as a series of sequential levels, starting at Level 0.

The Objective: Your goal in every single level is to find the password for the next level.
The Mechanics: You will use SSH (Secure Shell) to log into a remote server. Once inside, you must use Linux commands to navigate the file system, read hidden files, decode text, and bypass security traps to retrieve the next password.
The Progression: If you are currently logged in as bandit0, you must find the password for bandit1. Once you find it, you drop your connection, log back in as bandit1, and the cycle continues.

Why This Matters for DevOps

By the time you complete these challenges, you will not just know how to type commands. You will fundamentally understand how Linux handles file permissions, how automated cron jobs execute, how data streams are piped, and how to securely manage remote server access.

This is the baseline foundation you need before touching modern automation tools like Docker, Jenkins, or Kubernetes.

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How to Use This Guide

Primary learning: Start with the documentation and practice using the DigiSpidey Linux Command Tutor. That’s where the real learning happens.
Secondary support: These walkthrough posts are here as backup. Dip into them only if you’re stuck or want to see the reasoning behind a solution.
The goal: Not just to “get the answer,” but to understand why each command works and build confidence with Linux step by step.

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Bandit in the DigiSpidey Curriculum

Bandit challenges are woven right into the DigiSpidey Linux Foundation Course. During the first week of DevOps training, they act as extra practice — reinforcing the basics like navigation, permissions, search tools, and overall command‑line fluency. In other words, Bandit is where theory turns into muscle memory.

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Bandit Challenge Levels

👉 Play Bandit at OverTheWire

Here’s the full list of levels. Each headline highlights the core skill, and once walkthroughs are published, you’ll be able to click through for detailed guidance:

Level 0 → 1: SSH into the server → Read walkthrough
Level 1 → 2: Read a file in the home directory → Read walkthrough
Level 2 → 3: File with special characters in its name → Read walkthrough
Level 3 → 4: Hidden file in a directory → Read walkthrough
Level 4 → 5: File with human‑readable content → Read walkthrough
Level 5 → 6: Find a file with specific properties → Read walkthrough
Level 6 → 7: Search for a file owned by a user/group → Read walkthrough
Level 7 → 8: Search for a unique string in a file → Read walkthrough
Level 8 → 9: File with repeated characters → Read walkthrough
Level 9 → 10: File with specific size and permissions → Read walkthrough
Level 10 → 11: Base64 encoded file → Read walkthrough
Level 11 → 12: ROT13 encoded file → Read walkthrough
Level 12 → 13: Hex dump to binary → Read walkthrough
Level 13 → 14: Private SSH key login → Read walkthrough
Level 14 → 15: Netcat connection → Read walkthrough
Level 15 → 16: SSL connection → Read walkthrough
Level 16 → 17: Port scanning with Nmap → Read walkthrough
Level 17 → 18: Diff two files → Read walkthrough
Level 18 → 19: Hidden password in a file → Read walkthrough
Level 19 → 20: Setuid binary execution → Read walkthrough
Level 20 → 21: Netcat listener → Read walkthrough
Level 21 → 22: Cron job analysis → Read walkthrough
Level 22 → 23: Cron job with script → Read walkthrough
Level 23 → 24: Cron job with password file → Read walkthrough
Level 24 → 25: Brute force SSH login → Read walkthrough
Level 25 → 26: Restricted shell escape → Read walkthrough
Level 26 → 27: SSH key and shell escape → Read walkthrough
Level 27 → 28: Git repository clone → Read walkthrough
Level 28 → 29: Git commit inspection → Read walkthrough
Level 29 → 30: Git tag inspection → Read walkthrough
Level 30 → 31: Git branch inspection → Read walkthrough
Level 31 → 32: Git cherry‑pick → Read walkthrough
Level 32 → 33: Bash tricks with environment → Read walkthrough

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🌟 Closing Note

Think of Bandit as a journey through the Linux landscape. Each level builds on the last, teaching you not just commands but the Unix way of problem‑solving. Use these posts as companions, not crutches — and most importantly, enjoy the process of discovery. The more you experiment, the more natural Linux will feel.