Bandit Level 0-1: Your First Steps into the Terminal Abyss (Don't Trip!)

Introduction: The Terminal - Your New Happy Place (Maybe?)

Ah, the command line. For some, it’s a terrifying black box of cryptic commands. For others, it’s a magical portal to total system control (and bragging rights). If you’re reading this, you’re probably somewhere on the “terrified but curious” spectrum. Good news! The OverTheWire Bandit wargame is here to hold your hand (gently, with occasional electric shocks) as you dip your toes into the magnificent ocean of Linux.

Bandit isn’t just a game; it’s a bootcamp for your brain, teaching you essential Linux commands and cybersecurity concepts without the fear of accidentally wiping your own hard drive (mostly). Each level is a puzzle, and the solution to that puzzle is the password to the next level. It’s like a digital scavenger hunt, but instead of finding plastic eggs, you’re finding strings of characters that unlock more command-line fun.

In this post, we’ll conquer the very first hurdles: connecting to the Bandit server and breezing through Levels 0 and 1. Get ready to feel like a hacker (or at least someone who can proficiently type commands without looking them up every five seconds).

Level 0: The Grand Entrance (SSH is Your Friend, Mostly)

The goal of Level 0 is deceptively simple: just log in. But for the uninitiated, even that can feel like trying to open a jar of pickles that’s been sealed since the dawn of time.

Bandit uses SSH (Secure Shell) for connections. Think of SSH as a super-secure, encrypted tunnel that lets you control a remote computer as if you were sitting right in front of it. It’s basically teleportation for your keyboard strokes.

The Magic Command:

To connect to Bandit Level 0, you’ll need a terminal (or command prompt for Windows users – though a proper terminal like Git Bash or WSL is highly recommended for less pain).

Open your terminal and type this incantation:

ssh [email protected] -p 2220

Let’s break down this mystical phrase:

• ssh: “Hey, secure shell, let’s connect!”
• [email protected]: This is like saying “I want to log in as bandit0 (the username) on the server located at bandit.labs.overthewire.org.” It’s their digital address.
• -p 2220: “And by the way, use port 2220.” Why not the default SSH port 22, you ask? Because life isn’t always simple, and this is a wargame. It’s like a secret knock.

The Password Prompt:

When you hit Enter, the server might ask you about a “host key fingerprint” (it’s basically verifying that you’re connecting to the right server and not some imposter). Type yes and hit Enter.

Then, you’ll be prompted for a password. The password for bandit0 is, quite fittingly, bandit0.

Pro-tip: When you type a password into a Linux terminal, it typically doesn’t show any characters (not even asterisks). This isn’t a bug; it’s a feature for security. Just type the password and press Enter. If you’ve entered it correctly, you’ll be greeted by a glorious welcome message from OverTheWire!

Welcome to the OverTheWire Bandit Wargame!
...
bandit0@bandit:~$

Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed Level 0. Now, don’t just sit there staring at the prompt like a deer in headlights. Let’s move on!

Level 1: The README to Success (And a Tiny Linux Lesson)

You’re in! Now what? The goal of Level 1 is to find the password to the next level. The level description on the OverTheWire website (which you should always read for each level!) tells us:

The password for the next level is stored in a file called readme located in the home directory.

Okay, so we’re looking for a file named readme. But where are we? What files are even here? This is where your first essential Linux commands come into play.

Command 1: ls (List Stuff, Literally)

The ls command is your best friend for seeing what’s around. It “lists” the contents of the current directory. It’s like opening your eyes in a new room.

Type:

ls

And behold! You should see something like:

readme

Aha! There it is. Just chilling, waiting for you.

Command 2: cat (Concatenate and Display Files, Mostly Display)

Now that you’ve found the readme file, you need to read its contents to get the password. This is where the cat command comes in. cat stands for “concatenate,” but its most common use is simply to display the content of a file to your terminal. It’s like asking the file to whisper its secrets to you.

Type:

cat readme

And there it is! A string of seemingly random characters. That, my friend, is your password for bandit1. Copy it carefully! It will look something like boJ9jbbUNNfktd78OOpsqOltutMc3MY1 (though it changes periodically, so don’t just copy mine!).

Moving Onward:

Once you have that glorious password, you’re ready to exit this level and hop onto bandit1.

Type:

exit

This will log you out of the current SSH session. Now, using the password you just found, you’ll connect to the next level:

ssh [email protected] -p 2220

Enter the password you found, and voilà! You’re logged into bandit1. You’ve officially ascended a level in the hacker game. Take a moment. Breathe it in. You just navigated a remote Linux system!

Conclusion: You’re Not Just Playing, You’re Learning!

Congratulations, fledgling terminal warrior! You’ve successfully navigated the daunting landscape of SSH and tackled your first two Bandit levels. You’ve learned:

• How to connect to a remote server using ssh and a non-standard port.
• The magical power of ls to peek into directories.
• The invaluable cat command to reveal file contents.

Feeling good? You should be! This is just the beginning of your journey. Each level will introduce a new command or concept, building your cybersecurity toolkit piece by piece. Don’t be afraid to experiment, to make mistakes (that’s how we learn!), and to Google things you don’t understand.

Keep that password handy, because next time, we’ll be diving into Bandit Level 2, where things get… interesting. Until then, happy hacking (ethically, of course)!

Continue to Bandit Level 2!