ogmini - Exploration of DFIR
Having fun while learning about and pivoting into the world of DFIR.
About Blog Posts by Tags Research Talks/Presentations GitHub Search RSS
BSides South Jersey 2026
by ogmini
I was a speaker at BSides South Jersey 2026 and it was a great event hosted at Rowan University. I’m already looking forward to next years event. I want to thank the Founders, Organizers, Sponsors, and Volunteers for all the time they put in and being so welcoming. I apologize for not getting everyone’s names as you were all so busy and I talked to so many people. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophereng/.
Learning out Loud
What follows is the “written” version of my talk at BSides South Jersey 2026.
Zeltser Challenge
I’m going to be lazy here and point you to a previous post where I talked about the challenge. https://ogmini.github.io/2026/02/07/2025-Zeltser-Challenge-Recap.html
Logistics
Pick a platform or platforms of your liking and preference. You could make your posts on LinkedIn, Wordpress, Google Pages, Medium, BlueSky, etc. It is also important to have some fun with this whole process. Think of a fun name and logo/image. This is where you can add some personality and flair to it.
The Plan
Have a plan but be ready to throw it all away. I had a very structured, weekly plan for posts and it helped in the initial start of the challenge as I got my footing. It worked for about a month before I ditched it for something else.
Reality
I realized that this challenge was for me and I could do whatever I wanted. I can go in whatever direction I wanted. My initial plan only last about a month before I decided to just follow where my interests led. It was more important to just post regularly/daily as opposed to keeping to some plan.
Wandering
I ended up wandering in my journey of learning out loud. Onlookers might have thought I was lost; but “Not all those who wander are lost”. I was out there to learn and explore. I wanted to push my boundaries and at the same time experience failure and hit dead ends. These should be expected and are just a part of life. One thing to remember, that this whole challenge is not about the likes and reposts. You are doing this for yourself.
My Journey
Again, I’m going to be lazy and just point you at all my previous posts and the multitude of different topics. Your journey will be unique to you. It may be more focused or even more wide and that is OK.
Short Detours
Sometimes, you’ll take a short detour on a subject and realize that maybe it is a little too complex or not that interesting. That is fine! You learned something and can always revisit it in the future with more knowledge or undertanding. A good example for me was looking at LevelDB. This topic ended up being far more complex and requiring more time than I wanted to devote at the moment.
Day Trips
Take day trips by reading what others post! Add your spin and apply it to something. Don’t just repost about it. Do something with that knowledge. Maybe you learned about a new tool. Go try that tool out and use it for something. Write about your experience good or bad. Maybe while testing it, you’ll discover something new.
Long Journeys
This is the big part of this whole challenge. During your wandering, you may come across a topic that really grabs your interest. The destination may not be known yet. Dig in though. See what you can figure out and learn and just enjoy the experience. For me, this long journey was the research I put into Windows Notepad and the eventual publication on DFIR Review. I do not consider this the end of that journey though. I never thought that researching Windows Notepad would lead to that as it just happened naturally.
Get Lost
Don’t be afraid to get lost with topics that you know nothing about. Push your boundaries and learn new things. Take something you know you might be weak with and jump in.
Regular Pit Stops
You will need to take regular pit stops to keep your momentum going. These types of posts are really useful for when you go on vacation or need some time. They generally don’t require and “work” as you’ve already done it and are just writing about it. Examples would include:
- Recap posts
- Training/Coursework
- CTFs/Challenges
It is a good idea to write regular recap posts. Maybe every month or week. Looking back really helps you see how far you’ve come and what you were able to accomplish. You will be amazed at the progress that occurs.
We’ve all taken classes, courses, training, and studied. Write up your notes about a class or course. Talk about what tools you used or the main take away. Take notes as you study for certification exams. These can serve you well in the future as you try to remember something from the past.
CTF/Challenge writeups are a very popular thing to do. I would challenge you to go beyond the simple posting of the mechanical steps to the solution. Talk about your process of how you went about solving the problem. Don’t be afraid to talk about your FAILS or missteps you took. I really think this is one thing that is missing. No investigator goes in there and just knows where to look. They have a process that they undertake. It is easy enough to teach how to use tools. It is another to teach how and when to apply those tools.
Your Turn
I guess this would be me re-issuing the Zeltser Challenge to anyone reading this. Honestly, I found this to be a very reinvigorating experience that has led to so much learning, research, and talks. If you decide to take on this challenge, let me know. I’d love to follow your journey.
- Make a plan that you don’t have to follow
- Let your curiosity guide you and take detours
- Pick something and take that long journey
- Don’t be afraid to get lost
- Just Post