Building the Open-Source Investigation Tools of the Future: Why Collaboration is Key

Whenever we hold a workshop or talk with aspiring open-source researchers at conferences, there is one type of question that comes up time and again: “What are the best tools right now?” or “What tools should I learn first?” Beginners are often fixated on tools because to them, it can feel like knowing the right tools is synonymous with mastering open-source investigations. This is not the case. A clear research goal, creativity in finding dispersed online information in expected and unexpected places, and the tenacity to persist even when the research does not yield immediate results are more important than tools.