20+ Books Every Hacker, Pentester & Red Teamer Must Own!

🎯 Bug Bounty | OSCP Prep | Python for Hackers | Advanced Red Team Ops

Welcome to your gateway into the world of cybersecurity exploration. Whether you’re just starting out in bug bounty hunting or preparing for battle in the OSCP exam, this curated collection of 20 essential books is your launchpad toward becoming a capable, lethal operator in the digital battlefield.

Each title in this bundle was handpicked to provide real-world skills, exam readiness, and operational insight across four critical paths:

🕷️ 1. Bug Bounty Hunting: Start Hacking the Web

Perfect for newcomers diving into bug bounty programs and real-world web app vulnerabilities. These books teach you the mindset, tools, and tactics used by professional hunters to find and report security flaws.

• Web Hacking 101 – Peter Yaworski
• A Bug Hunter's Diary – Tobias Klein
• Real-World Bug Hunting – Peter Yaworski

🎓 2. OSCP Preparation: Crack the PWK & Level Up

Whether you’re new to penetration testing or heading into the OSCP exam, this track is built around hands-on methodology, red team tactics, and field manual precision.

• Penetration Testing – Georgia Weidman
• The Hacker Playbook 3 – Peter Kim
• Red Team Field Manual (RTFM) v3 – Ben Clark

👨‍💻 3. Learn to Code: Python for Ethical Hackers

No elite hacker thrives without automation. These books will teach you Python fundamentals and guide you in writing your own offensive tools—from keyloggers to payload generators.

• Python Crash Course (2nd Ed.) – Eric Matthes
• Black Hat Python – Justin Seitz
• Begin Ethical Hacking with Python – Ajay Singh Chauhan

🧠 4. Advanced Red Team & Pentesting Ops

Already rooted in the basics? Take your skillset to the next level with advanced network attacks, Active Directory exploitation, and custom tool development used by real red teams.

• Advanced Penetration Testing – Wil Allsopp
• Mastering Active Directory – Dishan Francis
• Coding for Penetration Testers – Jason Andress & Ryan Linn