deevnullx
tldr, yes, it can be used to track individual users, but doing it at scale (like just about everything else) would be significantly more difficult. MACs randomize every 15 minutes, so that is not effective for long term tracking. Continuity Protocol allows a fairly effective way of tracking a device in a limited ecosystem, but with the expectation of large numbers of people spread over large areas, it would likely wind up being significantly less effective.
Show HN: Hopper's Roppers- Free Computing and Security Courses for Beginners
Start with installing a distro of your choice in a virtualization tool, I always recommend Ubuntu on VMWarePlayer because it was what I started with. Distro/Virtualization Software doesn't matter, what matters is that you use it.
Then I have students work through Linux Journey [1] one module at a time, while being available to answer questions as they go.
Once a student has finished the LJ modules I have them play the Bandit Over the Wire [2] game up to challenge 15.
After that I usually teach Hardware and Operating Systems, but if you are just looking for general ability to do things, skip to the CyberAces Linux modules. [3]
Once you have finished those, do the CyberAces Bash Scripting module and the CodeAcademy Python [4] course and you'll have enough scripting ability to be dangerous.
From there, just keep using Linux as your daily driver and you will continue to improve, especially if you take on programming projects.
All of this can be done by yourself, but I teach a free online course on Computing Fundamentals and Security if you are interested in it being more of a guided experience. [5]
[1] https://linuxjourney.com/ [2] http://overthewire.org/wargames/bandit/ [3] https://tutorials.cyberaces.org/tutorials.html [4] https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-python [5] https://www.hoppersroppers.org/course.html