A Time of Reflection

Certain events in life cause you to reflect on humility and put back into perspective the meaningful things in life. You remember that in time almost everything is replaceable. Another forensicator will fill your shoes at work and your organization will continue to go on. Another researcher will continue your research and the little that you did accomplish will eventually just be a footnote. Another person will step up to provide assistance to others in forensic forums and listservs. Your possessions and equipment will become someone else’s to enjoy and use. When looking at the big picture, the work we do and value will eventually fade away and life will go on as if we were never there. One of the only things remaining will be the impact we make on others in the little time we have available to us. One doesn’t need a lot of time or resources to make an impact; all that’s needed is having a certain perspective.

Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

Having an outlook that looks beyond one’s own self interests can positively impact others and I think the statement holds true regardless of religious beliefs. A perspective that takes into consideration others’ interests is displayed everyday in the Digital Forensic and Incident Response (DFIR) community. DFIR forums have thousands of members but there are only a few who regularly take the time to research and provide answers to others’ questions. DFIR listservs are very similar that despite their membership the minority are the ones who regularly try to help others. Look at the quality information (books, articles, blogs, white papers, etc) available throughout the community and their authorship is only a small fraction of the people in the community. These are just a few examples out of many how individuals within the DFIR community use their time and resources in an effort to not only better themselves but to educate others as well.

When I look at the overall DFIR community I think there’s only a minority who are looking beyond their own interests in an effort to help others. A few people have helped me over my career which contributed to where I am today. They never asked for anything in return and were genuinely interested in trying to help others (myself included). If the DFIR community is what it is because of a few people giving up their time and resources to make a positive impact on others, then I can only wonder what our community would look like if the majority of people looked beyond their own interests to look after the interests of others. In the meantime all I can do is to continue to try to remember to look beyond myself in every aspect of my life. To try to consider those around me so I can help whoever crosses my path needing assistance. When the day is over one of the only things remaining will be the impact I have on others.