Socially Dark: Communities in the Shade
July 4, 2018
Security-analysis firm Recorded Future demonstrates its capabilities in its recent blog post, “Dark Networks: Social Network Analysis of Dark Web Communities.” The write-up describes the methodology researchers used to mine social network data for clues to Dark Web social circles, so navigate there for the technical details. Data engineer Adrian Tirados delineates the three clusters, or communities, they found:
*Low-Tier Underground Forums: Usually free and open-access forums, with many novice members. Higher-Tier Dark Web Forums: The access is generally restricted through things like strict membership vetting, only hosting the site on Tor, or other requirements for access. Members of these sites are experienced and regarded as reputable by other members of the criminal community. Rippers (members that scam other members without delivering a good or service) are scarce, and rigorous banning is enforced in order to protect the community. Dark Web Markets: Market sites with listings of illicit services and goods, stolen credentials, credit card dumps, etc. The access is usually open, meaning that they do not require an existing member to vouch for new registrants. The presence of edges between the two forum clusters versus the almost complete disconnection of the market cluster shows that there is a greater division between forums and markets than there is between low-tier and higher-tier forums.”
The piece goes on to posit upon the difference, suggesting high-tier forum users visit lower-tier forums for information and self-promotion. Those visiting marketplaces seem uninterested in what the forums have to offer (though, of course, they could be checking them out under different names, Tirados allows). Launched in 2009, Recorded Future is headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, with offices in London; Washington, D.C.; and Göteborg, Sweden. They are also hiring as of this writing, in case any readers are interested.
Cynthia Murrell, July 4, 2018
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