Every bit of research begins with an idea. I wonder if… Is it possible that… Could we maybe…
These are sentences I’ve started when doing my research. Things like, I wonder if this malware uses that vulnerability and what does it mean for the future. Is it possible that malware authors are collaborating? Could we learn about the economic model of DDOS providers and use that to subvert them?
On the other hand, practitioners often start with a problem. How can I stop… What will let me… What should I expect…
I’ve started the same sentences when I worked for a startup ISP. How can I stop the malicious traffic? What will let me find malicious actors on my network? What should I expect if I enact a new security policy?
We, as a field, need to communicate these questions between researchers and practitioners. The questions from a practitioner should spark ideas to a researcher, helping them focus their research on current problems. On the other hand, the questions a researcher poses should also be considered by a practitioner. Are their questions the solutions to your future problems?
The goal of the Field Notes article type designed by DTRAP is to spark that research and the questions. As a practitioner, is there something you wish the researchers could answer? Write a Field Note that outlines the question, why it’s important, and what you think of the future.
Field Notes are also open to researchers, we want to hear what you think is a future problem. Will practitioners feel the same way? We want to use them to bridge a conversation between both groups.
Submit your Field Note to https://dtrap.acm.org/ and help us have a little more conversation.