Performing Network Packet Capture Analysis Overview Network packet captures (PCAP/PCAPNG files) represent the ultimate source of truth about network activity and provide irrefutable evidence of communications between hosts. PCAP files log every packet transmitted over a network segment, making them vital for forensic investigations involving data exfiltration, command-and-control communications, lateral movement, malware delivery, and unauthorized access. Wireshark is the primary tool for interactive analysis, while tshark provides command-line capabilities for automated processing and script…