> security research lab_

virtualbox · wireshark · tails os · tor · ongoing

// overview

built an isolated, air-gapped research environment to learn about security, network analysis, and operating systems without risk to my main machine. everything runs inside vms, fully sandboxed.

// what i built

isolated vm environment
maintained multiple isolated virtualbox instances for os experimentation. each vm is snapshotted and restored between sessions. tested different linux distros, explored how they behave at the kernel level, and broke things on purpose to understand recovery.
tails os + tor
configured tails os — an amnesic os that routes all traffic through tor and leaves no trace on disk. used it to explore decentralized networks, understand how anonymity tools work at a technical level, and experiment with privacy-preserving workflows.
wireshark packet analysis
used wireshark for continuous packet monitoring on the vm network interfaces. captured and analyzed traffic to understand protocol behavior, identify anomalous patterns, and get comfortable reading raw network data. practiced identifying dns leaks, unusual port activity, and cleartext data.

// what i learned

network traffic analysis · virtualization internals · tor/onion routing · dns · protocol behavior · opsec principles · linux kernel basics · privacy tools in practice