Why NetWars are so great

Over the course of a month I had the chance to take part in four different NetWars (DFIR, ICS, Cyber Defense, and Core). Each one focuses primarily on something different, but they all have one thing in common — they develop knowledge and practical skills. Under pressure (you have a limited time window and NetWars take place in the evening or at night).

I learned the most new material in ICS — a lot of it was new to me. It was fascinating and if the opportunity comes up again I'd love to revisit the data. Attacks on these types of devices are becoming common practice. The DFIR and Core NetWars are the classics. Forensics has expanded to include a mobile and macOS component, which reflects new and current challenges that forensic analysts need to be able to handle. Cyber Defense was also new ground for me — as someone on a "blue" team I had an idea what to expect.

I felt better about some than others; occasionally I got unnecessarily stuck on something I later solved almost immediately. It was definitely worth taking part in all of them, and I won't turn down future opportunities — they genuinely push your knowledge and skills forward.