NOTE // ENTRY
Protocol Checklist for Packet Reading
A small checklist for keeping protocol inspection grounded in fields, assumptions, and failure points.
When a packet capture starts to sprawl, the simplest correction is to narrow the frame.
This checklist keeps the review process close to the protocol itself:
- State the question before reading the capture.
- Note the transport and application boundary.
- Record what is assumed to be trusted.
- Record what is omitted from the capture.
- Write the result in plain language before moving on.
The point is not speed. The point is to keep the note usable a week later.