Preface

In the early 2000s, a coworker introduced me to Ethereal, the precursor to Wireshark. I remember looking at the screen as my laptop gobbled up traffic and thinking, "I don't know what this is, but I want to know!" Over the next few years, I immersed myself in learning as much as possible about packet analysis using Wireshark. I attended training, watched videos, and read books that helped me compile and curate my knowledge and respect for what the packets tell us.

I have taught network and security courses and presented at conferences about the many benefits of using Wireshark. In this second edition of Learn Wireshark, I want to share my knowledge with you. Each chapter has multiple opportunities for a hands-on approach. Using the examples, you will make sense of the data and understand what the packets are telling you. I'll outline how to conduct a detailed search, follow the data stream, and identify endpoints so that you can troubleshoot latency issues and actively recognize network attacks. Join me on this journey, and you'll soon realize that the ability to understand what's happening on the network is a superpower!