Virtualbox Made Easy : Build It & Cybersecurity Labs At Home

Practical VirtualBox training: set up VMs, networks, and labs for IT, security, and development.

What you'll learn

Set up and configure VirtualBox to create and manage multiple virtual machines effectively.

Understand and apply different networking modes in VirtualBox (NAT, Bridged, Host-Only, Internal) to build real-world lab environments.

How to take and restore snapshots — including live snapshots — so you can capture the exact running state of a VM and roll back whenever needed.

Able to build labs for pen testing, system administration, or development by combining host and guest integrations like shared folders and port forward

How to export and import Virtual Machines so you can share, back up, or redeploy a fully configured VM without rebuilding it from scratch.

How to set up port forwarding so your host machine can securely access services running inside your virtual machines.

How to add and attach new virtual disks so you can expand storage and simulate real-world scenarios.

Requirements

No prior virtualization experience is required.

Everything will be explained step by step. Learners should be comfortable with basic computer operations such as installing software, navigating folders, and adjusting system settings.

A Windows, macOS, or Linux computer with at least 100 GB RAM and 20 GB free disk space to run virtual machines smoothly. VirtualBox is available on all these OS, but we will use Windows in this course.

A stable internet connection to download VirtualBox and any additional resources.

Description

Have you ever wanted to run multiple operating systems on your computer without the hassle of buying extra hardware? Or perhaps you’ve been curious about building your own IT or cybersecurity lab at home? With Oracle VirtualBox, you can do exactly that — and this course will show you how to master it step by step.VirtualBox is one of the most powerful, free, and open-source virtualization platforms available today. It allows you to install and run different operating systems — like Windows, Linux, or even specialized OS builds — side by side on your existing computer. Whether you are a beginner exploring virtualization for the first time, a student preparing for IT certifications, or a professional who wants to create isolated test environments, this course is designed to make VirtualBox both simple and practical.We’ll start with the basics: downloading and installing VirtualBox, setting up your very first virtual machine, and understanding how virtual hardware like CPUs, memory, and disks are configured. From there, you’ll quickly move into hands-on work with snapshots, cloning, disk management, and guest additions — tools that will make your virtual machines more powerful and user-friendly.But VirtualBox is more than just creating a VM. This course also dives deep into networking modes. You’ll learn how NAT gives your VMs internet access, how Bridged mode makes your VM act like a “real” computer on your network, how Host-Only provides a private network for experiments, and how Internal networking can isolate VMs completely for safe practice. These lessons are taught through real-world examples so you can see exactly how to apply them in practical scenarios.A unique aspect of this course is its focus on building labs that reflect real-world needs. If you’re into cybersecurity, you’ll learn how to safely isolate malware labs or penetration testing environments without risking your host computer. If you’re a developer or tester, you’ll see how to quickly spin up environments for testing your applications across multiple operating systems. If you’re simply a tech enthusiast, you’ll gain the skills to experiment, learn, and even break things — all in a safe, virtual sandbox.Along the way, we’ll also cover key productivity features like shared folders, clipboard integration, and port forwarding, which let you bridge the gap between host and guest systems. You’ll learn how to transfer files seamlessly, connect services running inside your VM to the outside world, and keep your workflow efficient.By the end of the course, you won’t just “know about” VirtualBox — you’ll have practical, hands-on experience using it to create environments tailored to your own goals. You’ll be able to:Confidently install and configure VirtualBox on your system.Create, clone, and manage multiple virtual machines.Use snapshots to save states and roll back changes instantly.Set up virtual networks for connectivity, isolation, or simulation of real-world scenarios.Share files and resources between host and guest operating systems.Build complete labs for cybersecurity, networking, testing, or learning new operating systems.This course is beginner-friendly — no prior knowledge of virtualization is required. All you need is a computer with at least 8 GB of RAM and some free disk space to comfortably run virtual machines. We’ll walk through everything else step by step.So who is this course for? If you are:A student preparing for IT or cybersecurity certifications.A developer or tester who needs to run multiple OS environments.An IT professional looking to sharpen your skills and practice in safe environments.Or simply a tech enthusiast who enjoys learning new tools and experimenting with systems……then this course is for you.By the time you finish, you’ll have a solid foundation in virtualization with VirtualBox and the confidence to apply it in your studies, work, or personal projects. More importantly, you’ll understand not just “how” to click through menus but also why each feature matters and how to use it effectively.Virtualization is one of the most valuable skills in today’s IT world. Whether you’re working with servers, cloud environments, or security labs, virtualization underpins much of modern computing. Learning VirtualBox gives you a safe, cost-effective way to get started — and the knowledge you gain here will translate directly into other platforms and technologies you may use in the future.If you’re ready to take control of your learning environment, explore the power of virtualization, and build labs that prepare you for real-world challenges — then let’s get started.

Overview

Section 1: Getting Started

Lecture 1 Understanding the Lab environment and some best practices

Lecture 2 Download VirtualBox Installer

Lecture 3 Installing VirtualBox

Lecture 4 Post-Install Configuration

Section 2: Creating Windows 11 Virtual Machine

Lecture 5 Downloading ISO

Lecture 6 Creating a Virtual Build

Lecture 7 Installing Windows 11 on the VM

Lecture 8 Installing Guest Additions

Section 3: Assignment

Lecture 9 Creating Windows Server 2025 Virtual Machine

Lecture 10 Walkthrough

Section 4: Creating an Ubuntu Desktop Virtual Machine

Lecture 11 Introduction

Lecture 12 Downloading ISO

Lecture 13 Build a machine

Lecture 14 Install Ubuntu Desktop

Section 5: Assignment

Lecture 15 Creating Kali Linux Virtual Machine

Lecture 16 Walkthrough

Section 6: Using Pre-Built Image

Lecture 17 Create Kali VM using Pre-Built Image

Section 7: Grouping VMs

Lecture 18 Grouping Virtual Machines

Lecture 19 Different ways to start a VM

Lecture 20 Different ways to stop a VM

Section 8: Snapshots

Lecture 21 Taking Snapshot and Restoring

Lecture 22 Deleting a snapshot

Lecture 23 Taking Live Snapshots

Section 9: Some Useful VirtualBox Features

Lecture 24 Shared Folders

Lecture 25 Adding a disk

Lecture 26 Exporting VM to create pre-built image

Lecture 27 VirtualBox Command Line Interface (CLI)

Section 10: VirtualBox Networking

Lecture 28 Introduction

Lecture 29 Network Adapters in VirtualBox

Lecture 30 A quick word on the scope

Section 11: NAT

Lecture 31 Introduction

Lecture 32 Topology

Lecture 33 Demo : Using NAT

Lecture 34 Concept of Port Forwarding in VirtualBox

Lecture 35 Demo: Port Forwarding on Windows Server

Section 12: Assignment

Lecture 36 SSH Port Forwarding (Ubuntu Server)

Lecture 37 Walkthrough

Section 13: Building Host-Only Networks

Lecture 38 Introduction

Lecture 39 Undertanding Host-Only Networking

Lecture 40 Demo : Using Host-Only Network

Section 14: Building Internal Networks

Lecture 41 Introduction

Lecture 42 Demo : Using Internal Network

Section 15: Building Bridged Networks

Lecture 43 Concept and Topology

Lecture 44 Demo: Using Bridged Mode Adapter

Section 16: Well done! You finished the course!!

Lecture 45 Thank you!

Beginners in IT or cybersecurity who want to build hands-on labs without expensive hardware.,Students and professionals preparing for certifications (like CEH, CompTIA, etc.) who need practice environments.,Developers and testers who want to run multiple operating systems on a single machine.,Tech enthusiasts curious about virtualization and creating isolated environments for learning and experimentation.