A Changing of the Guard

True to form, I am sitting the airport in Tulsa headed to Seattle for Blue Hat, and writing another blog post.  A lot of has gone on over the past couple of months, so let me bring you up to speed and make a bit of an "announcement".

First, and most important (as it sets the stage for my "announcement") I was recently promoted from Managing Consultant of the US DFIR team to Director of the DFIR practice at Trustwave.  I had a great boss in Colin Sheppard who was preparing me for the role, and once he left Trustwave, opened the door and made the recommendation for me to take on his role.  I am truly excited about the opportunity and look forward to the new challenges it brings.

So, that brings me to my "announcement"...I will no longer be posting strictly technical content to The Digital Standard.  I have truly enjoyed blogging about my work over the past few years and have even had the pleasure of meeting some of my readers.  However, since my role has changed significantly, and I won't be working many cases going forward, I simply won't have the content to be able to write as many technical posts that I think would actually be worth reading.

Now, part two of the announcement is that I will be changing the focus of The Digital Standard from in the trenches DFIR work to DFIR Leadership and security management.  Some of you may or may not know, but before I ever became technical, I was a business manager.  I actually have my Bachelor's degree in Business Management.  Additionally, I attended the US Army Warrant Officer Academy.  As those of you who have attended military officer producing schools know, there is a heavy focus on situational leadership (AKA being skull drug) - a skill you either develop or you wash out (for the most part).  That all to say, I actually have some experience in leadership, and feel that I have something of value to share.

Like all of my previous posts, I will intentionally be leaving out certain pieces of information.  Not only do I have NDAs to adhere to, but I have to respect the anonymity of the people I am working with and that work with me.  

For those of you that continue to read my sporadic posts, I hope you find value in my writing.  Working in the DFIR community presents some of the most unique leadership challenges anywhere in the professional world.  We joke with our clients, but it's so true, "Your worst day, in my every day".  Living in someone else's nightmare certainly helps to hone your leadership and problem solving skills!

Also, if there is something that you would like me to research and/or write about, please let me know. 

Also, Also - I am hopeful that my new position will permit me the time to do something I have been wanting to do for a couple of years now, write a Sniper Forensics book!  No promises, but it's high on the "To Do" list for 2013.  I have wanted to do it for many years, and due to the amount of case work I have been doing, I simply did not have the time.  Now that I am not actively working cases, I may actually be able to write for a couple of hours every day.  If any of you have any topics you FOR SURE would like to see covered in the book, please let me know.  I am writing it for you all...I have the information in my head already.  It wouldn't do me any good to write on something I think should be in there, if there are other things that you as the read (and purchaser) of the book would prefer to see.

Here is where I normally say, "Happy Hunting"....but considering the circumstances, I will have to work on something else to end my posts with...hrmmmmmmmm