Go ahead - renovate your house, they said.
It will be worth it, they said.

They lied.

So, my day job is a mix of developing, investigations, osint, exploitation, automation, data engineering, data analysis visualization, etc

A bunch of fun stuff that I've been lucky to learn over the years and become sort of specialized in.

I'm now on a team that has quite a few junior analysts - brilliant at what they do. However, missing some technical skills and background that could really help elevate them and their effectiveness on the team.

I've formerly helped teach @jms_dot_py #automatingosint course.

I developed a course called "python for cyber investigators" for cyber investigators.

But, I'm really wondering about these analysts. They need something specific. I'm considering calling it "technical osint". Giving these employees exposure to some (at least) basic technical concepts and how osint intersects with it.

I spend a significant amount of time building tooling to enable me to do this type of analysis myself. To me that means its useful

What do you think? Is it worth helping others learn it?

The free GeoNet API lets you ping and do DNS lookups from multiple locations around the world to identify differences based on where a client is located: https://geonet.shodan.io

Random truths I learned in 2022:

• Mentorship is in insane demand right now, and a lot of young people I talk to have the same fears, misconceptions, and problems right now (I’ll do a blog)…

• Wherever you travel by air domestically anymore you’re going to be delayed an average of three hours. Just alter all planning accordingly.

• The cupcake vending machine at the airport is a fat shaming trap and just don’t ever do it.

• Like everyone senior knows who the worst and most toxic employers in cybersecurity are and nobody at those companies is willing or able to come forward and say it first hand because of fear of reprisal, more so now than in the past. So they keep on being awful.

• That thing about training your hair to get washed less actually works, and it gets way healthier and you spend a lot less on hair dye and conditioner - like a lot less! It doesn’t typically make your hair gross.

• if you hate cooking as an individual or couple, or you just never have time, subscribing to a meal service will change your life physically and mentally. And probably save you money on ubereats and fast food. Just do it. There’s no shame in just understanding you can do something but choose not to.

• Peloton (or equivalent) is a life changing purchase if your cheap exercise equipment or boring gym membership don’t engage you and keep you committed. The cult is real for a reason. They 0% finance, too.

• You can get by with a lot of bargain drug store cosmetics just fine and the expensive brands can be a rip off, but never waste your money or health on cheap crappy eyeshadow or cheap setting powder. Life is too short already.

• I get the privacy and security implications but I’m sorry, air tags are miraculous.

• Especially on luggage…

• Get an agent if you speak for money - it’s worth their 20% cut or whatever to get effing paid properly for your work on time and have your travel arranged.

• A lot of people in the cybersecurity professional community will take advantage of you if you don’t stand up for yourself being compensated appropriately. And if you don’t just because you’re rich or nice, you set a horrible precedent for other people they bring on. That’s frankly rude.

Happy holidays and all that jazz if that's your thing.
If its not, I hope you have extra time with those you love and all the health and happiness in the new year ❤️

@osintunleashed bluebis freakin adorable 🤩🤩🤩🤩

@osintunleashed thank you so much.
Still waiting :)
Happy holidays!!

@Sempf that's a cute snek *boop*

The large people eating ones? No boops from me!!!

@gorn I feel the same way, cat. I just want to sleep!

@ajk soooo cute!!! ❤️

@Sempf impossible. Must be booped.

@Joe @hal_pomeranz
Haha! That cat wasn't messing around!! Thanks for the share!

I'm waiting for back surgery. Its been a long time. Our healthcare system was overwhelmed and covid did it no favors.

I've been trying to help my daughter move into her first home. Bed ridden today in extreme pain.

Send cute animal pics!!

Oh, but changes they did make.

When the client says the code "just stopped working" and "no, of course we haven't made any changes, anywhere to anything" ...

👍​

@mrbitterness

This is a great explanation. Thanks for sharing!!

@jerry I hear you! Not a big fan myself. But it was attached to a great project with a flexible boss. So, I thought I would see how it works out.

Going forward I think my in office days will be Tuesday and Thursday. I need to pace myself 🤣

@rakkhi its only two days a week, thankfully. I just did two days "in a row" (yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds 🤣)...and I'm wiped out. No idea how I ever worked the hours I did in-office pre-covid.

Luckily it's a fantastic job with amazing people. I'm just a bit shell shocked from being around them so much in such a short time span

As I start a new day job, I have to slowly reintegrate into working in an office environment a couple of days a week.

Its very "people'y" inside. #exhausted