2026-03-59 sf26us 2026-07-18 2026-07-23 6 00:05 https://conference.wireshark.org https://conference.wireshark.org/media/sharkfest-25-us/img/sf_logo_big_Xf7UCdI.png America/Chicago Hermitage ABC | General Session Pre Conference Class 2026-07-18T09:00:00-05:00 09:00 08:00 **Hands on Wireshark Lab and Wireshark Certified Analyst Prep** Practical Wireshark Troubleshooting is a two-day, hands-on course designed to strengthen your packet analysis and troubleshooting skills. On Day 1, Ross Bagurdes guides you through Wireshark’s key features, capture methods, filtering techniques, and foundational protocols at the Data Link and Network layers. On Day 2, Chris Greer takes you deeper into Transport and Application layer analysis, focusing on TCP, UDP, and the tools that uncover real-world performance problems. By the end, you’ll know how to approach network issues with confidence — and be better prepared for the Wireshark Certified Analyst exam. sf26us-189-0-pre-conference-class-i-practical-wireshark-skills-for-it-professionals Pre-conference class Chris GreerRoss Bagurdes en Level up your Wireshark skills and get ready for Sharkfest! This hands-on course will provide core Wireshark skills for IT pros of all experience levels. Participants will gain a solid understanding of how to use Wireshark to capture, analyze, and troubleshoot network traffic. The course is designed with beginners in mind, but even seasoned packet people will pick up new tips and tricks. true https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/BSA8P7/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/BSA8P7/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Organization 2026-07-18T17:00:00-05:00 17:00 01:00 Innovation doesn’t always start with a perfectly reasonable idea—sometimes it starts with something gloriously absurd. This session invites both developers and users to surface their most unconventional, impractical, or outright bizarre ideas for Wireshark and packet analysis. Nothing is too silly, too quirky, or too infeasible to share. By creating a space free of judgment and full of curiosity, we open the door to unexpected breakthroughs. 99 wild suggestions may go nowhere… but the 100th can trigger a spark that becomes a feature, a tool, or even a whole new product direction. Join us for an hour where creativity takes the wheel, seriousness stays at the shore, and every idea—no matter how ridiculous—gets its moment in the water. This is open-house / open-door. Just come in and have some fun throwing ideas around sf26us-197-0-feeding-frenzy-of-wild-ideas-when-sharks-brainstorm Beginner /media/sf26us/submissions/FYWGV9/shark_waci_j4GEXty.png en *Goal:* Generate offbeat, humorous, impossible or “why would anyone even…” suggestions that just might reveal a surprisingly valuable insight for Wireshark’s future capabilities. *Format:* * Why absurd ideas matter. * Warm Up * Open SharkTank * The ‘Maybe…’ scan *Ground Rules:* * All ideas are welcome. * No shooting down concepts—only building on them. * Humor encouraged; feasibility optional. * The wilder, the better. *Who Should Attend:* Anyone who uses Wireshark, contributes to it, builds tooling around it, or likes thinking sideways. No technical depth required—just curiosity and a willingness to have fun. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/FYWGV9/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/FYWGV9/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Pre Conference Class 2026-07-19T09:00:00-05:00 09:00 08:00 **Hands on Wireshark Lab and Wireshark Certified Analyst Prep** Practical Wireshark Troubleshooting is a two-day, hands-on course designed to strengthen your packet analysis and troubleshooting skills. On Day 1, Ross Bagurdes guides you through Wireshark’s key features, capture methods, filtering techniques, and foundational protocols at the Data Link and Network layers. On Day 2, Chris Greer takes you deeper into Transport and Application layer analysis, focusing on TCP, UDP, and the tools that uncover real-world performance problems. By the end, you’ll know how to approach network issues with confidence — and be better prepared for the Wireshark Certified Analyst exam. sf26us-189-1-pre-conference-class-i-practical-wireshark-skills-for-it-professionals Pre-conference class Chris GreerRoss Bagurdes en Level up your Wireshark skills and get ready for Sharkfest! This hands-on course will provide core Wireshark skills for IT pros of all experience levels. Participants will gain a solid understanding of how to use Wireshark to capture, analyze, and troubleshoot network traffic. The course is designed with beginners in mind, but even seasoned packet people will pick up new tips and tricks. true https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/BSA8P7/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/BSA8P7/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Pre Conference Class 2026-07-20T09:00:00-05:00 09:00 08:00 Stratoshark brings Wireshark-style visibility to the Linux system, letting you see what's happening inside the OS alongside the network traffic it generates. In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn to use sysdig and Stratoshark to trace system calls, correlate them with packet data, and answer questions that packets alone can't — like which process handled a connection or how a service behaved under load. Designed for network engineers ready to go one level deeper, the session blends short lectures with guided exercises using cloud-based lab systems. You'll leave with a working understanding of Stratoshark and the confidence to begin using it in your own analysis. sf26us-190-pre-conference-class-ii-introduction-to-stratoshark-for-network-engineers Pre-conference class Josh Clark en true https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/A3PJVZ/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/A3PJVZ/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-20T17:00:00-05:00 17:00 00:30 Are you at Sharkfest for the first time? Then this session is for you. We'll explain how the conference works and what's probably different from other conference you may have been at. You'll learn about Packet Doctors, the evening events, the onsite WCA exam, and what the developer den is. The goal is to make sure you don't feel you missed out on something at the end of the conference because you didn't know how it worked. sf26us-241-sharkfest-how-to-tutorial Beginner Jasper Bongertz en This should be a **30 minute slot** right before the welcome dinner, if possible, or maybe parallel to the start of the welcome dinner. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/PGTGW3/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/PGTGW3/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Dinner 2026-07-20T17:30:00-05:00 17:30 03:00 Let's kick-off the conference in style! sf26us-186-sharkfest-26-us-welcome-dinner-sponsor-showcase Organization en SharkFest'26 US Welcome Dinner & Sponsor Showcase false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/X73HTY/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/X73HTY/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Organization 2026-07-21T09:00:00-05:00 09:00 01:00 Gerald Combs & Friends talk about the new developments over the past year sf26us-191-keynote-wireshark-progress-problems-and-plans Organization Gerald Combs en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/H89ETP/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/H89ETP/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-21T10:15:00-05:00 10:15 01:00 We give an overview over interesting tidbits with the Wireshark Development team as well as an outlook on version 5.0 sf26us-237-what-is-new-in-wireshark Beginner Roland Knall en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/GKG8F3/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/GKG8F3/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-21T11:30:00-05:00 11:30 01:00 DNS security doesn’t have to be confusing! In this session, we’ll break down DNSSEC, DoT, DoH, and DoQ in simple terms—what they do, how they’re different, and why you need to know when and where to use each one. We’ll take a hands-on look with Wireshark to see how these protocols actually behave at the packet level. By the end, you'll have a solid grasp of how to secure your DNS traffic, what Protective DNS really does, and how to pick the right tool for the job. Beginners welcome. DNS newbies too. sf26us-207-demystifying-dns-security-dnssec-dot-doh-doq-when-and-where-to-use-them Intermediate Chris Greer en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/DBPZAJ/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/DBPZAJ/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-21T13:30:00-05:00 13:30 01:00 Finding and counting packet losts in each layer sf26us-166-lost-in-transmission Intermediate Megumi Takeshita en Packets lost occur in many situations, showing the shape in various layers. Differences in the number of packets between the passive start tap. (layer1,2) The same IPID and a different offset as disappearance in the packet buffer in the router processing Retransmission of TCP segments as a result of a traffic jam. UDP application works with packet loss. In this session, you can learn the major case of packet loss and you can find the way to find and count packet loss and retransmissions. Megumi shares the best way to understand invisible packet losses with Wireshark! false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/SAY8D9/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/SAY8D9/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-21T14:45:00-05:00 14:45 01:00 "Something is wrong with the network. I used to get 4Gbps transfers but now I'm only getting 120Mbps. Did you change something recently?" Sound familiar? If you've spent any time supporting production systems, you've probably heard some variation of this complaint. Before jumping to conclusions about where the problem lies, we need to understand what's actually happening at the TCP layer on both endpoints. sf26us-196-wireshark-the-prequel-what-to-do-before-you-look-at-a-capture Intermediate Rob MacDonald en This presentation is inspired by a series of articles I wrote on LinkedIn focused on practical, real world troubleshooting of application network performance issues. Instead of deep diving in to packet captures, this presentation will highlight the various tools and metrics available on Linux systems that help engineers and administrators pinpoint the true source(s) of application performance problems when "the network" is blamed. We will focus on how packets are processed in a Linux system from the NIC, through the OS, up to the application. We will then take a closer look at TCP itself, utilizing native Linux tooling to introspect on individual TCP socket performance. This TCP socket introspection will dive in to each socket's calculated network latency (RTT), packet sizing (MTU and MSS), and packet loss (retransmissions, SACK, duplicate ACKs false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/XPYXAB/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/XPYXAB/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-21T16:00:00-05:00 16:00 01:00 There is a veritable avalanche of wireless devices, from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to Zigbee, aircraft, thermometers, door sensors, Lora mesh, and more. If you can't see it, you can't analyze it or debug it; we'll talk about ways to capture as many protocols flying around in the air as we can, and what the most affordable hardware to do it is. sf26us-232-capturing-the-spectrum-of-wireless-packets Beginner Mike Kershaw en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/PNSKEA/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/PNSKEA/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-21T17:15:00-05:00 17:15 01:00 Ever wondered what really happens inside a power substation during everyday operations? In this session, we’ll take a dynamic “flyover” of a small-to-medium-sized substation, exploring critical points where power and data intersect and uncovering the interactions that keep the power system stable and responsive. We’ll look at how these elements work together to keep the lights on—and how their digital nervous system communicates in real time. To bring it all together, we’ll walk through a real-world power system event, following the flow of communication from the initial fault detection all the way to the control center’s response and back to the field. Along the way, we’ll decode how these messages orchestrate recovery and maintain reliability. Whether you’re a packet sleuth or a power systems enthusiast, this session gives you a front-row seat to the intersection of operational technology and network analysis. sf26us-199-packets-in-the-power-grid-a-journey-inside-the-substation Beginner /media/sf26us/submissions/LRBBM8/Packets_in_the_Power_Grid_Lopez_Session_Image_tfk_TO2yCQv.webp Daniel Lopez en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/LRBBM8/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/LRBBM8/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Dinner 2026-07-21T18:30:00-05:00 18:30 03:00 Sponsor Showcase and dinner sf26us-187-sponsor-technology-showcase-reception-team-trivia-for-it-nerds-and-dinner Organization en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/WNWRRU/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/WNWRRU/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-21T11:30:00-05:00 11:30 01:00 The _Wireshark Certified Analyst_ exam is not an easy certification to take, especially if your knowledge about the details of the TCP protocol is somewhat shaky. In this talk we'll take a look at the aspects mentioned in the WCA curriculum and discuss them together. The goal is to make sure you understand what you need to bring to the exam and help you identify the areas where you might have to improve your skill analyzing TCP to achieve the WCA status. sf26us-240-tcp-details-that-matter-for-the-wca-exam Expert / Developer Jasper Bongertz en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/ZBAFXP/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/ZBAFXP/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-21T13:30:00-05:00 13:30 01:00 Engineers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have been working to add support for MAC Privacy Protection protocol (IEEE 802.1AEdk) to the Linux kernel. MAC Privacy is a Layer 2 protocol intended primarily for use with MAC Security (IEEE 802.1AE) which can modify network traffic metadata including source and destination addresses, timing, and volume. Engineers decided early that having the ability to dissect this new network protocol in Wireshark would not only aid development and testing but also eventually be expected by the community. In this talk, engineers at PNNL present a new Wireshark dissector plugin for handling MAC Privacy protocol. They cover the plugin and its features as well as the pros and cons of developing a Wireshark plugin in Rust. sf26us-201-mac-privacy-protocol-wireshark-plugin Expert / Developer Cameron Smith en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/PDJYJ9/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/PDJYJ9/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-21T14:45:00-05:00 14:45 01:00 AI is already changing how network engineers learn, troubleshoot, document, automate, and operate networks. But the opportunity is not to hand the network over to a chatbot. The opportunity is for hands-on practitioners to move up a level: defining better workflows, writing clearer requirements, setting stronger guardrails, validating results, and using AI as a force multiplier. This talk introduces practical AI concepts for network engineers, including LLMs, agents, prompt workflows, API-based tooling, Spec-Driven Development, Test-Driven Development, and the role of deterministic automation alongside AI systems. We will walk through realistic NetOps use cases such as MOP review, incident summarization, log and packet capture analysis, Python and config generation, and an SDD-based workflow using real AI-assisted infrastructure design work. The central message is simple: the next-generation network engineer does not stop being hands-on. The NGNE learns to think like an architect. sf26us-249-ngne-with-ai-think-like-an-architect A.I. /media/sf26us/submissions/CPNTMA/image_Sut1jmD.webp Scott F Robohn en Here is a slightly longer version of the abstract: AI is already changing how network engineers learn, troubleshoot, document, automate, and operate networks. But the opportunity is not to hand the network over to a chatbot. The opportunity is for hands-on practitioners to move up a level: defining better workflows, writing clearer requirements, setting stronger guardrails, validating results, and using AI as a force multiplier. This talk introduces practical AI concepts for network engineers, including LLMs, agents, prompt workflows, API-based tooling, Spec-Driven Development, Test-Driven Development, and the role of deterministic automation alongside AI systems. We will walk through realistic NetOps use cases such as MOP review, incident summarization, documentation cleanup, log and packet capture analysis, Python generation, config generation, and an SDD-based workflow using real AI-assisted infrastructure design work. The central message is simple: the next-generation network engineer does not stop being hands-on. The NGNE learns to think like an architect: designing workflows, constraining tools, reviewing ruthlessly, validating behavior, and using the right tool for the right job. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/CPNTMA/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/CPNTMA/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Workshop 2026-07-21T16:00:00-05:00 16:00 02:15 Real life troubleshooting a difficult 3rd party software performance issue with using Wireshark and Advanced Analytics sf26us-231-wireshark-plus-advanced-analytics-better-together-2-part-session Expert / Developer John Pittle en Join us for a troubleshooting deep dive into solving a difficult problem occurring within Webex login from 2018, known as the 98% hang condition. We’ll showcase how the partnership of Wireshark and Advanced Analytics can be leveraged to quickly isolate the fault domain. Captures will be provided for use during the session. Session is half presentation and half hands-on lab with Wireshark. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/BGPWJC/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/BGPWJC/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-22T09:00:00-05:00 09:00 01:00 Before the rise of the internet (mid 1980s through the mid 1990’s , the packet and protocol ecosystem was much different than it was today. Many of the protocols have now gone extinct and new ones have risen in their place. Moving from the world of serial protocols (e.g. HDLC/SDLC) to the Internet stack was a seismic shift, but the need to understand what’s on the wire only became more important. What the transition was like, and why Wireshark was crucial in enabling it. sf26us-200-keynote-packets-through-the-ages-a-personal-story Beginner Peter Jones en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/3BTBPN/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/3BTBPN/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-22T10:15:00-05:00 10:15 01:00 Your network never sleeps. Neither does your team — and that's the problem. IT pros are on call at 3am, absorbing abuse from non-technical staff, and carrying the weight of every outage. The result? A workforce burning out quietly, abandoning their posts, snapping at their families, and turning to substances to cope. According to the CDC, suicide rates among IT professionals are quietly climbing. This discussion needs to happen now. DJ Eshelman has 25+ years in IT consulting and has lived these stories firsthand. In this session, he breaks down how trauma accumulates in IT, why burnout is a management failure not a technology one, and what network leaders can do right now to stop the cycle. You'll leave with: practical steps to protect your team, reduce technical debt, and retain the people keeping your infrastructure alive. The biggest threat to your network isn't the next zero-day or patch gone bad. It's losing the people who defend it. sf26us-234-burnout-is-only-the-beginning-how-to-prevent-a-buildup-of-trauma-in-it Beginner /media/sf26us/submissions/ZSVEAS/image_uCAec2E.webp D. J. Eshelman en **Why Your Network Is Only As Strong As The People Running It** You came to SharkFest to sharpen your technical skills. But this is the session that might change something more fundamental. Network engineers are among the most overworked, under-resourced professionals in any industry. The 3am calls, the constant firefighting, the impossible on-call expectations — they don't just create stress. Over time, they create trauma. And that trauma follows people from job to job, quietly compounding until it becomes a crisis. DJ Eshelman has 25+ years in IT consulting and has lived these stories firsthand. Now as an Independent Executive Director with Maxwell Leadership, he's dedicated to changing the IT Leadership world. In this session, he breaks down how trauma accumulates in technical environments, how to recognize the signs in yourself and your team, and critically, why most of it is a management problem, not a technology problem. You'll leave with: - A clear framework for understanding the IT trauma cycle (aka IT PTSD) - Practical steps managers can take immediately to protect their teams - Tools for structured priority management that reduce reactive chaos - An honest look at what actually retains great technical talent Prior attendees have had all-day discussions about this talk which tells us it is just that important right now. Whether you're an individual contributor, a team lead, or a department head, the health of the people running your network is just as mission-critical as the network itself. The biggest threat to your infrastructure isn't the next zero-day. It's losing the people who defend it. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/ZSVEAS/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/ZSVEAS/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-22T11:30:00-05:00 11:30 01:00 Ever have a client fail to find an Apple TV? Or have slow or stuttering streaming? Well, then look no more! AirPlay and other casting protocols are surprisingly complex, but with the help of packets, you can feel more confident troubleshooting. sf26us-195-media-casting-protocols-everything-airplay-airdrop-and-wi-fi-aware Intermediate Eva Santos en We will walk through: -AirPlay vs AirDrop -The five phases of AirPlay -How to troubleshoot the phases over packet capture (802.11, BLE) and MacBook console -The changes to AirPlay above iOS 26 and Android support -Alternatives to AirPlay such as Wi-Fi Aware and Miracast, differences over in packet captures false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/VAHVRB/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/VAHVRB/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Packetdoctors Session 2026-07-22T13:30:00-05:00 13:30 01:30 The experts on this panel have been asked to look at a trace file and help find a reason for certain behaviors by attendees at many SharkFests. Based on this, they’ve decided to create a public forum for examining individual trace files with a broader audience for a collective learning experience. Trace files will be gathered from attendees prior to SharkFest and only given to the panel members during the session so that the “not- knowing what to expect and whether it can be solved” experience of working through an unknown trace file can be preserved. Come to this session and learn to ask the right questions and look at packets in different ways. PLEASE SEND PERPLEXING TRACE FILES FOR ANALYSIS BY THE PANEL TO jasper@packet-foo.com PRIOR TO SHARKFEST! sf26us-194-the-packet-doctors-are-in-packet-trace-examinations-with-the-experts Jasper Bongertz en true https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/A7BFDV/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/A7BFDV/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-22T15:15:00-05:00 15:15 01:00 The Open Markets Initiative (OMI) has generated millions of lines of Lua dissector code for hundreds of binary electronic-trading protocols. This talk explains how we model binary protocols and why binary protocols form their own field of computer science. We will look at real exchange protocols covering how we go from a messy pdf spec to a Wireshark dissector. The session traces the evolution of code generation from early source generators to OMI’s advanced binary data modeling, showing how this shift enabled a large ecosystem of accurate, production-grade dissectors maintained through crowdsourcing. Along the way, we’ll examine what makes a scalable binary dissector, why protocol-driven development changes the rules, and how Wireshark helped form the OMI. sf26us-198-from-specs-to-packets-generating-binary-exchange-dissectors-at-scale Intermediate /media/sf26us/submissions/FTMZDH/Logo_zB5ntT7_EeoWRFg_99P09kh.webp William Tegel en This talk presents the Open Markets Initiative (OMI) as a research platform built around a protocol-driven approach to dissector generation. OMI has produced over four million lines of Lua dissectors for real-world binary exchange protocols. The core idea is that the protocol binary data model itself, not the dissector, is the primary artifact. Once the protocol is captured in a structured, reusable form, multiple classes of tooling can be generated from it, with Wireshark dissectors as a key output. We will examine several classes of exchange protocols and show how OMI’s generator differs from earlier iterations of code generation tools, “generations of generators.” Instead of emitting code from message templates, flat schemas or other domain specific languages, our binary data models encode protocol semantics, constraints, and structural variation explicitly. This allows families of related protocols to share definitions, makes version evolution tractable, and produces dissectors that are both predictable and auditable. Using real examples, we’ll show how generator design choices directly affect correctness, maintainability, and crowd contribution. The entire electronic trading industry benefits from the open-source Wireshark and dissector ecosystem. Many exchange protocols are underspecified, implicitly defined, or guarded by information barriers. OMI turns reverse-engineering knowledge into shared specifications that can be reviewed, improved, and extended collaboratively. That process has led to a rapid expansion of accurate, production-grade dissectors, many of which are now relied on as primary analysis tools in the electronic-trading ecosystem. The session is aimed at attendees interested in protocol modeling, code generation, advanced dissector design, and the ways open tooling can transform opaque binary systems into observable, debuggable infrastructure. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/FTMZDH/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/FTMZDH/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-22T16:30:00-05:00 16:30 01:00 TCP SACK is an important performance enhancement to TCP. Learn the details of how to interpret the SACK field and relate it to performance of the application, using a very interesting case study from an actual customer. sf26us-255-tcp-sack-overview-and-impact-on-performance Intermediate John Pittle en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/EZKBZW/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/EZKBZW/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Organization 2026-07-22T17:45:00-05:00 17:45 00:45 Innovation doesn’t always start with a perfectly reasonable idea—sometimes it starts with something gloriously absurd. This session invites both developers and users to surface their most unconventional, impractical, or outright bizarre ideas for Wireshark and packet analysis. Nothing is too silly, too quirky, or too infeasible to share. By creating a space free of judgment and full of curiosity, we open the door to unexpected breakthroughs. 99 wild suggestions may go nowhere… but the 100th can trigger a spark that becomes a feature, a tool, or even a whole new product direction. Join us for an hour where creativity takes the wheel, seriousness stays at the shore, and every idea—no matter how ridiculous—gets its moment in the water. This is open-house / open-door. Just come in and have some fun throwing ideas around sf26us-197-1-feeding-frenzy-of-wild-ideas-when-sharks-brainstorm Beginner /media/sf26us/submissions/FYWGV9/shark_waci_j4GEXty.png en *Goal:* Generate offbeat, humorous, impossible or “why would anyone even…” suggestions that just might reveal a surprisingly valuable insight for Wireshark’s future capabilities. *Format:* * Why absurd ideas matter. * Warm Up * Open SharkTank * The ‘Maybe…’ scan *Ground Rules:* * All ideas are welcome. * No shooting down concepts—only building on them. * Humor encouraged; feasibility optional. * The wilder, the better. *Who Should Attend:* Anyone who uses Wireshark, contributes to it, builds tooling around it, or likes thinking sideways. No technical depth required—just curiosity and a willingness to have fun. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/FYWGV9/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/FYWGV9/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Dinner 2026-07-22T18:30:00-05:00 18:30 03:00 Sponsor showcase, group packet challenge and dinner sf26us-188-sponsor-technology-showcase-reception-espcape-group-packet-challenge-and-dinner Organization en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/WVUP7Q/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/WVUP7Q/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-22T10:15:00-05:00 10:15 01:00 When systems have problems often times engineers say it is a network problem… and they’ll say this without any actual data pointing the finger at the network. Sometimes it is a blamestorming session – database group is blaming the network, network is blaming the software, software is blaming the hardware speed, and hardware is blaming the database. When this happens, the best thing to do is kick everyone out of the room, sniff the data, and see where/what the bottleneck is. More often than not it isn’t one particular thing but the interactions between two endpoints that just don’t completely like each other. Identifying that is the first step in getting the right groups talking to each other and resolving the root of the issue. In this talk I’ll setup N real world scenarios, describe the problem, show the captured data and how if you ask the capture in the right way how the problem will reveal itself. sf26us-165-don-t-blame-the-network-ask-the-network Intermediate /media/sharkfest-25-us/submissions/M8KMKW/Teaser_K1luPWE.PNG David Soussan en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/M8KMKW/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/M8KMKW/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-22T11:30:00-05:00 11:30 01:00 we'll walk through how a device connects to an LTE network, from initial access to an active data session, and examined the packet flows that make that connection possible. We also look at how 3GPP protocols structure this communication and how tunneling is used to carry traffic across the network. Providing a clearer understanding of how LTE networks operate and explore similar concepts as they evolve into 5G. sf26us-202-understanding-lte-5g-3gpp-packet-flow-and-network-analysis Intermediate Mark Stout en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/RKVN3B/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/RKVN3B/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-22T15:15:00-05:00 15:15 01:00 Packet analysis tools present traffic as linear sequences, requiring analysts to reconstruct relationships mentally. This session introduces a topology-based approach that visualises PCAP data as a graph of hosts and interactions, enabling immediate structural understanding. Using a real NetSupport RAT infection from a published malware-traffic-analysis.net exercise, we compare traditional packet list workflows with topology-driven analysis. The approach reduces cognitive load, accelerates diagnosis, and highlights patterns that are difficult to see in sequential views. The session also demonstrates a Wireshark-integrated workflow using PDML export, and an AI analysis engine that runs entirely in the browser: an evidence-grounded triage layer that identifies the infected host, its C2 beacon, and the protocol disguise in seconds, without packet data ever leaving the machine. sf26us-203-topology-based-pcap-analysis-wireshark-integrated-insight-beyond-packet-lists Intermediate /media/sf26us/submissions/8BDMAY/image_ApBlXqv.webp Ryan Younger en Traditional packet analysis relies on sequential inspection of frames, which obscures higher-level structure and slows diagnosis, particularly for less experienced analysts. Network behaviour is inherently relational, involving hosts, conversations, and protocol groupings. This session presents a practical approach to PCAP analysis using real-time topology visualisation. Traffic is represented as a graph of nodes (hosts) and edges (conversations), letting analysts immediately identify communication patterns, dependencies, and anomalies. A single case study anchors the session: a threat hunt through a real 15,000-packet NetSupport RAT capture from a published malware-traffic-analysis.net exercise. In a packet list the C2 channel hides in plain sight: one conversation among nearly a hundred external hosts, on port 443, dressed as TLS. In the topology it surfaces as a persistent edge that never goes quiet. The built-in AI analysis then completes the picture: a deterministic, evidence-first engine flags 273 requests on a fixed 60-second timer inside a single long-lived connection, plus cleartext HTTP on a TLS port whose User-Agent names the tooling itself. The analysis runs on-device in the browser, every claim is grounded in the capture, and the suggested display filters pivot straight back into packet-level verification, completing the incident report from verdict to infected host, hostname, and user. The session will show how topology-based analysis: Reduces cognitive load by externalising relationships Accelerates identification of attack and failure patterns Supports both novice learning and expert triage workflows Extends structural reasoning with grounded, on-device AI triage Complements, rather than replaces, traditional packet inspection Attendees will leave with a new mental model for analysing network traffic, and practical techniques for integrating structural reasoning and AI-assisted triage into their existing workflows. false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/8BDMAY/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/8BDMAY/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-22T16:30:00-05:00 16:30 01:00 It's not easy to spot attacks in network packets, mostly because there's so many of them (packets, that is), resulting in the Signal-to-Noise ratio is extremely high. But there are also additional challenges, like encryption or attackers simply using protocols that administrators use themselves. We'll take a look at a number of real world scenarios and learn about various attack patterns and how to find/recognize them. sf26us-239-attacks-in-the-network-a-look-at-real-world-malicious-traffic-examples Security Jasper Bongertz en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/RTCHM3/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/RTCHM3/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Organization 2026-07-23T09:00:00-05:00 09:00 01:00 SharkBytes consist of “little crunchy bits of wisdom.” Like popular TED talks, SharkBytes aim to inform, inspire, surprise, and delight by delivering a speech on a personal topic in under 5 minutes. Information and a review of past SharkByte presentations can be found https://sharkfest.wireshark.org/sharkbytes Email us your SharkByte session idea: sharkfest@wireshark.org sf26us-192-sharkbytes Organization en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/EUUK7H/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/EUUK7H/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-23T10:15:00-05:00 10:15 01:00 The use of Network Address Translation in networks is unavoidable. In this session, we will examine the different use cases of NAT and the design and application of those use cases. We will use Wireshark to examine how NAT modifies fields in the IP and TCP header and how that can aid/hinder network troubleshooting. Attendees can expect an interactive session where we work together to understand the details of NAT operation and usage. sf26us-204-examining-nat-behavior-with-wireshark-wca-core-topic Beginner Ross Bagurdes en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/SJTHY9/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/SJTHY9/feedback/ Hermitage ABC | General Session Presentation 2026-07-23T11:30:00-05:00 11:30 01:00 Why is the website slow? This simple question can spawn a whole world of complexity, so let's take a tour through it! We will use browser developer tools as our north star, diving into packets as well as internal net-export logs to show what's happening at every step of a web request. By translating the waterfall to the wire, we'll be able to understand common web performance bottlenecks and the quick fixes that make them disappear. Finally, we'll take a peek at energy-aware web design to see how a website can mindfully sip power rather than burning through a battery. You will leave this session with the tools and understanding to debug modern websites. sf26us-208-understanding-and-analyzing-web-performance Beginner Josh Clark en true https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/7X7YG3/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/7X7YG3/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-23T10:15:00-05:00 10:15 01:00 This past spring, the software world was rocked by AI vulnerability storm, as the state of the art in AI vulnerability scanning advanced rapidly, and flaws were found in the software that we use every day. Wireshark wasn't spared from this, and in this talk Gerald will show how Wireshark was impacted, and the processes and tools that the development team uses to protect Wireshark from security issues. sf26us-246-ai-found-holes-in-our-cheese Security Gerald Combs en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/YNP8WZ/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/YNP8WZ/feedback/ Hermitage D | Classroom Presentation 2026-07-23T11:30:00-05:00 11:30 01:00 We will focus on troubleshooting with Wireshark and how to present your results to audiences of different technical levels with the use of Profiles, filters and other views in Wireshark. I will provide sample profiles and captures so you can follow along sf26us-210-troubleshooting-with-wireshark-and-how-to-explain-your-findings Beginner Patrick Barber en false https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/TPZ79F/ https://conference.wireshark.org/sf26us/talk/TPZ79F/feedback/