HTB Academy is a cybersecurity training platform done the Hack The Box way! Academy is an effort to collate everything we've learned over the years, meet our community's needs, and create a "University for Hackers." HTB Academy offers step-by-step cybersecurity courses that cover information security theory and prepare you to participate in HTB Labs.

Academy offers both guided and exploratory learning. It teaches you not only how to hack, but how to develop a hacking mindset that will prove invaluable in both assessing and creating secure systems. HTB Academy is highly interactive and is intended to be a streamlined learning process that is simultaneously educational and fun.

Material on Academy is presented in digestible chunks, with practical examples and real command output to supplement the theory. Target systems are provided that will allow you to test out the knowledge covered in the courses and gauge your retainment of the material. These target instances can be accessed through your own machine by connecting with a provided VPN package or by using a provided Pwnbox instance.

This article is a broad introduction to HTB Academy. For specific information regarding working on Modules, see our dedicated article here:

GS: Intro to Modules & Paths

Academy vs. HTB Labs

Both Academy and the HTB Platform share a common goal of providing playgrounds for cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts to learn and train, they run on entirely independent platform architectures.

Hack The Box Labs (The Main Platform)

Primary Objective: Provides an interactive training ground focused on practical, hands-on application for penetration testing and offensive security exercises.
Lab Methodology: Emphasizes realistic "black-box" penetration testing environments. Target systems are encountered with minimal introductory context, requiring independent scanning, enumeration, and exploitation.
Target Audience: Best suited for practitioners who already understand foundational security methodologies and are looking to test, maintain, or sharp-hone their active hacking skill sets.

Hack The Box Academy

Primary Objective: Functions as a structured online school built to teach cybersecurity concepts from the ground up through direct instructional academic learning.
Course Methodology: Delivers interactive courses called Modules. Every Module is broken into discrete sections featuring comprehensive text explanations, contextual theory, guided practical examples, and sandbox target assessments.
Target Audience: Ideal for complete beginners looking to learn core security fundamentals before transitioning into the main platform labs, as well as seasoned professionals looking to broaden their skill sets by studying advanced, complex technical topics.

Registering an Account

To register, you can visit the Academy Platform page and click Start for Free. This will redirect you to the HTB Account registration page

If you already have an HTB Account, you can use the Sign In button directly, and this will create and link your new academy account to your HTB Account.

You can find more information on the HTB Account and how to set it up using this collection of articles:

HTB Account Help Center Articles

Academy Cubes

All educational modules on Hack The Box (HTB) Academy, excluding Tier 0 starter modules, are unlocked using a virtual currency called Cubes. Cubes serve as training credits that you can acquire via a one-off, standalone purchase.

Core Account Parameters

Initial Welcome Balance: Every newly registered HTB Academy account automatically starts with a complimentary base balance of 30 free Cubes.
Life-Long Ownership: Once you spend your Cubes to unlock a specific training module, that material is permanently unlocked and accessible through your account profile. Your access to that data will never expire, regardless of your ongoing subscription status.

While all of the Tier 0 Modules on Academy are completely free, all Modules on Academy make use of the Cube System.

Cubes are an isolated currency on the HTB Academy Platform only, and it is not transferable to other HTB platforms.

Also, you cannot transfer cubes from one HTB Account to another.

Module Costs and Completion Reward Mechanics

You also get Cubes back as you complete the tasks/answer questions as a reward for completing Modules. They are awarded to you progressively throughout the Module as you answer questions.

For example, a Tier 0 Module costs 10 Cubes, but you get all 10 Cubes back after completing the Module, making it completely free! If you complete a Tier II Module that costs 100 Cubes, you get 20 back, bringing the total cost down to only 80 Cubes.

Below is a table that shows the Cube cost of a Module of each Tier, as well as how many Cubes you get back for completing them.

*Module Tiers*	*Unlock With*	*Reward Back*
Tier 0	10	10 (Free!)
Tier I	50	10
Tier II	100	20
Tier III	500	100
Tier IV	1,000	200

For more information on Cubes, as well as Academy payments and subscriptions, check out our dedicated article!

Click the button below to learn about Academy Cubes & Subscriptions:

B&S: Academy Subscriptions

Academy Tiers

As stated earlier, the content on Academy is broken up via a Tiering System. There are a total of 5 Tiers, which are labeled using Roman numerals as follows:

Tier 0 - (Free Tier)
Tier I
Tier II
Tier III
Tier IV

The Tier 0 Modules technically all cost 10 Cubes, but since you start with 30 Cubes and get all 10 back upon completion, they are actually free. Using this system, you can work on 3 Tier 0 Modules at a time.

While the Tiering system is directly tied to the subscription and payment systems, it's also a general descriptor of the level of depth a given Module has. The higher the Tier, the more thorough and/or advanced the Module generally is.

Academy Structure

To help navigate your learning journey, the Hack The Box (HTB) Academy platform organizes all educational content into three distinct structural tiers: Paths, Modules, and Sections.

Sections: A Section is a single, focused webpage lesson. It represents the smallest instructional unit on the platform, containing core theory text, technical examples, and an interactive hands-on target assessment at the bottom.
Modules: A Module is a comprehensive training course dedicated to a singular, specific technical topic (such as Linux Fundamentals, Intro to Bash Scripting, or Active Directory LDAP). Each Module is composed of multiple chronological Sections, serving as the book chapters for that subject. You unlock individual Modules using Cubes.

Paths: A Path is an advanced curriculum track that binds multiple related Modules together under a unified learning objective or professional milestone.

Understanding the Two Types of Learning Paths

When exploring specialized training curriculums on the dashboard, you can choose between two distinctive types of training tracks:

1. Job Role Paths

Job Role Paths are comprehensive curriculums systematically designed to align with real-world professional security roles and prepare you for technical industry certifications.

The Penetration Tester Path: Sets you up with the explicit skills required to challenge and pass the Certified Penetration Testing Specialist (CPTS) certification exam.
Additional Job Role Examples: Web Penetration Tester, SOC Analyst, Senior Web Penetration Tester, and AI Red Teamer.

2. Skill Paths

Skill Paths focus narrowly on building deep practical expertise within a specific technical sub-topic or operating system category.

The Local Privilege Escalation Path: Collects specialized modules detailing local security restrictions and escalation methodologies across both Linux and Windows environments.
Additional Skill Path Examples: Basic Toolset, Cracking Into Hook The Box, Intro to Binary Exploitation, Operating System Fundamentals, and CREST CPSA/CRT Preparation.

For more information on Modules and Paths, you can check out our dedicated article on the subject.

Click the button below to learn about Modules and Paths:

GS: Intro to Modules & Paths

The Dashboard

The Dashboard is the initial landing page that renders immediately after logging into Academy. Here you can find information such as your progress on the various categories of Modules, such as Offensive, Defensive, or General.

Centralized Progress and Workspace Trackers

The main section of the Dashboard provides a high-level overview of your active academic progression:

Category Progress Tracking: Displays your overall completion percentages split across three core cybersecurity domains: Offensive, Defensive, and General security.
Curriculum Path Tracking: Displays your currently active Enrolled Path alongside a comprehensive historical log of all your completed Skill Paths, Job-Role Paths, and individual Modules.

The Instant-Resume Feature: Clicking on the Modules in Progress action button automatically routes you straight back to the exact webpage section you last visited inside your most recently accessed module.

In-Progress and Discovery Rows: The lower sections of the main page aggregate your remaining incomplete modules, alongside dedicated discovery rows for Popular Modules, Popular Paths, and all available Job-Role Paths (including the Penetration Tester and SOC Analyst certification curriculums).

Global Top Navigation Bar Utilities

The global header navigation bar spans the top section of the website interface and serves as your primary directional directory:

Left-Side Directory Links

Dashboard: Reloads your personalized user landing page and running statistics.

Library: Routes you to the complete catalog of unlocked and locked educational modules on the platform.

Resources Dropdown: Provides access to reference data, including the HTB x Labs Relations compatibility chart and direct invite links to the official HTB Discord community server.

Right-Side Controls

Academy Search Function: A global search bar that allows you to input keywords to find specific modules, technical sections, or Help button for FAQs instantly.

Academy Changelog Alerts: A notification log that pushes real-time updates regarding new module releases, platform feature upgrades, and content patch notes.
HTB Ecosystem Switcher: An interactive gateway widget that allows you to instantly pivot away from Academy and navigate directly to adjacent Hack The Box platforms, such as the main Labs platform.
Help Button: Opens a contextual utility panel containing standard Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), links to the official Help Center documentation, and the live support widget to contact the Support Team.

[Using the Search function]

[Finding other useful resources]

Account Settings and Profile Parameters

Clicking directly on your personal profile Avatar in the top right corner of the navbar layout expands a deep utility menu containing your administrative account parameters:

Subscription Plan: Displays your active billing tier (such as a Cube-based package or an Access-based Student plan), next renewal date, and remaining Cube balance.
Academy Badges: Displays your earned profile badges and gamified accomplishments.
Certifications: Houses your official digital certificates and exam transcripts for successfully completed credentials (such as the HTB Certified Penetration Testing Specialist (CPTS) or HTB Certified SOC Analyst (CDSA)).

The Library

This is where you will find all of HTB's offerings in terms of Modules and Paths. You will also find a dedicated "Certifications" tab where you can select and enter exams:

This is also where you will be able to find your Favourite Modules, which can be marked by clicking on the small heart on the top-right-hand side of the Module's box:

favorites.mp4 [video-to-gif output image]

Sorting and Filtering Modules

There are a number of ways you can sort and filter Modules, but it is in the Library portion of Academy where you will be able to find and filter through the content available in Hack The Box by Category, Difficulty, Tier, Type, State (In Progress or Completed), Status (New or Updated), and Publisher (Hack The Box or Let's Defend):

You are also able to order the modules by Name, Difficulty, and Date by clicking on the "View By" dropdown menu:

Downloading your Student Transcript

Hack The Box (HTB) Academy provides an official, comprehensive academic transcript document to verify your learning milestones. This downloadable record lists all of your successfully completed training Modules, specialized Skill Paths, certified Job-Role Paths, and industry credentials earned while working through the platform.

To access your settings and initiate the transcript file download, follow these instructions:

Open your account profile menu: Move your cursor to the top-right corner of the website interface and click directly on your personal profile Avatar.
Access account configurations: Click on the Academy Account Settings from the drop-down option menu to load your user management page.
Locate the transcript utility block: Scroll down your account settings page to find the dedicated container panel labeled Student Transcript.
Select your profile name formatting: Use the interactive buttons inside the transcript window to select your preferred display format:
- Select Username to emphasize your platform handle and maintain higher digital anonymity.
- Select Legal Name to render a formal, official document suitable for academic credit verification or employer review.
Generate the document download: Click on the green Email me my transcript action button. This system call compiles your real-time training data and automatically sends you your Student Transcript to the primary email registered on your HTB Account.

Adding an Avatar

Academy Avatars are updated according to your HTB Account. This means that any changes made to your HTB Account's Avatar will reflect on your Academy profile.

To update your account image from within the Academy workspace, follow these explicit sequential navigation steps:

Open the account drop-down directory: Move your cursor to the top-right corner of the website navbar and click on your current profile Avatar.
Access the account supervisor link: Click on the option labeled Manage HTB Account to safely cross-navigate to the centralized user account profile manager (or SSO).
Open account configurations: Click on the Settings tab located within the account manager options layout.
Upload your new image asset: Locate the profile picture section, click on "Upload avatar", and choose a clear digital image from your local system drive to serve as your new avatar. The image file should be of PNG, JPEG, or JPG file format, and have a dimension of at least 300*300 pixels.
Synchronize your active profiles: Return to your online HTB Academy Dashboard tab and perform a manual browser refresh. The backend identity engine will automatically synchronize the new image and display your new avatar instantly.

Streaks & XP

With HTB's newly integrated Ecosystem, you earn XP either by:

Completing Machines on the Labs Platform
Finishing Academy Sections
Answering Academy Questions

The amount of XP that can be gained for each of these tasks will vary according to difficulty.

More details related to XP and the new HTB Ecosystem points can be found in this article:

Hack The Box XP System

Now that you are aware that you can achieve XP in HTB, you should know that by acquiring 200XP weekly, you can build up Streaks:

Your Streak tracks how many weeks in a row you've hit at least 200XP by finishing one or multiple of the tasks described above!

Build your Streak to unlock exclusive Academy Badges, share your progress on social media, and stay motivated!

For more in-depth details on Streaks, please refer to the following article:

Weekly Streaks & XP on Academy

Introduction to HTB Academy