: Are you trying to find a hidden flag , analyze a malicious payload , or recover deleted files ?
: Search for strings ( strings -a ) or metadata ( exiftool ).
: Which platform or competition is this from? (e.g., CyberDefenders , Root-Me , a specific university lab?)
: Use the file command on extracted items.
: Use Autopsy for disk images, Wireshark for PCAPs, or Volatility for memory dumps.