Every year I try to make some learning and training goals and review my prior goals. This has gotten a lot looser in recent years, maybe due to time stretching outward in these crazy times.

I did lots of maintenance in 2022.

Formal Training/Certifications

Completed the Offensive Development course with Antisyphon virtually through Wild West Hackin’ Fest in the latter half of 2022 (yes, the link is to this year’s syllabus). This course was a 2-day exploration of writing and editing malware to get past EDR for successful execution on protected endpoints using Cobalt Strike and other red team structures. I really enjoyed this course as it really pushed my boundaries a bit. I just wished I had the time to go over it a second time for maximum uptake. The course says it is intermediate, but I would think this is really an advanced course if you want to follow along by doing the labs successfully.

Renewed my AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification (which also renewed the AWS Cloud Practitioner). See my post for these details.

Renewed my GIAC GCFA (FOR508) certification. This is really just paying a fee to get renewed plus updated materials and course recordings and lab files. I still need to actually go through the new stuff.

Renewed my CISSP. Again. Just fees and CPEs that needed recorded.

Informal Training

I spent a ton of time in the early third of 2022 on the BlueTeamLabs.online (BTLO) site doing their lab investigations. I did this enough to eventually land in the #1 spot on the leaderboard. I’ve posted a bit about their labs already, and I’ve even done some write-ups on retired content. Even at the time of this writing, I’ve been trading off with a few others for the #1 thru #3 spots as BTLO releases new content.

I also continued to spend time on PentesterLab earning most of their badges and finishing something like 450 of 480 challenges (not all of which were actually available). I have since let this subscription lapse, but fully intend to get back on again when I have some time and money to spend. (And also finally figure out the code review 11 challenge that has been my bane!) This was nothing done over just one year, but rather multiple years.

I’ve finally gotten on board TryHackMe for the first time last year. While I like the platform, it’s definitely a different environment than HTB or BTLO. I’ve like to do more here, but I also have to make sure I do things that are worth while as there is lots of content that is geared more towards entry knowledge levels. I spent most of my time on the Red Team tracks as I found these to be nice ways to review old skills, brush some dust off, and even learn some new tricks and tools.

Practical Malware Analysis book. I include this because it’s not just a book to casually peruse or even fully read, but is also a collection of exercises and labs to progress knowledge and practice techniques. I was turned further onto this than normal due to the “Counter” investigation on the BTLO platform. I didn’t get as far as I wanted on this last year, but I made progress and pushed my boundaries when it comes to using a debugger. I hope to do more.