DarkCyber for February 5, 2019, Now Available
February 5, 2019
DarkCyber for February 5,2019, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://www.vimeo.com/315073592. The program is a production of Stephen E Arnold. It is the only weekly video news shows focusing on the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
This week’s story line up includes: Alleged money laundering via the popular Fortnite game; and an excerpt from Stephen E Arnold’s “Dark Web, Version 2” lecture at the University of Louisville.
The first story explains how bad actors launder money via the online game Fortnite. The game allows players to purchase “digital assets” by purchasing via a credit card. The credit card funds allow the player to acquire V Bucks. These V Bucks can be converted to weapons, information, or other in-game benefits. But the digital assets can be sold, often on chat groups, Facebook, or other social media. In the process, the person buying the digital assets with a stolen credit card, for example, converts the digital assets to Bitcoin or another digital currency. Many people are unaware that online games can be used in this manner. Law enforcement will have to level up their game in order to keep pace with bad actors.
The second story is an excerpt from Stephen E Arnold’s invited lecture. He spoke on January 25, 2019 to an audience of 50 engineering students and faculty on the subject of “Dark Web, Version 2.” In his remarks, he emphasized that significant opportunities for innovation exist. Investigators need to analyze in a more robust way data from traditional telephone intercepts and the Internet, particularly social media.
Arnold said, “The structured data from telephone intercepts must be examined along with the unstructured data acquired from a range of Internet sources. Discovering relationships among entities and events is a difficult task. Fresh thinking is in demand in government agencies and commercial enterprises.” In the video, Mr. Arnold expands on the specific opportunities for engineers, programmers, and analysts with strong mathematics skills.
A new blog Dark Cyber Annex is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress. Cyber crime, Dark Web, and company profiles are now appearing on a daily basis.
Kenny Toth, February 5, 2019
DarkCyber for January 29, 2019, Now Available
January 29, 2019
DarkCyber for January 29, 2019, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://www.vimeo.com/313630318. The program is a production of Stephen E Arnold. It is the only weekly video news shows focusing on the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
This week’s story line up includes: Microsoft Bing and a child pornography allegation; Endace introduces facial recognition and a tie up with Darktrace; A report about drones and correctional institutions; and CIA report about hazardous compounds.
The first story discusses allegations of child pornography and other inappropriate content in the Microsoft Bing index. DarkCyber’s experts report that problematic content can be found within any free Web search system. The reasons range from bad actors use of code words to innocuous pages which contain links to objectionable content labeled as popular services. Filtering is one approach, but a cat and mouse game requires that Web search providers have to continue to enhance their content review procedures. Chatter about artificial intelligence is often hand waving, politically correct speech, or marketing.
Second, Endace is one of the leaders in lawful intercept hardware and software. However, Endace continues to innovate. The firm has added facial recognition to its service offering. Darktrace, one of the more innovative cyber security vendors, has announced a relationship with Endace. Darktrace’s three D visualization and analytics may spark new products and services for Endace. Verint, another cyber security firm, has also added support for Endace’s lawful intercept systems.
The third story calls attention to a free report about bad actors’ use of drones to deliver contraband into prisons. Correctional institutions in the US are adding anti drone technology. Drones have been used to deliver mobile phones and other contraband to inmates. DarkCyber provides a link so that viewers can request a copy of the Dedrone report.
The final story is a follow up to an earlier report about the chemicals and compounds frequently used for home made explosive devices. A viewer want to know where additional information could be found. DarkCyber provides a link to a CIA document which reviews chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear substances.
A new blog Dark Cyber Annex is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress. Cyber crime, Dark Web, and company profiles are now appearing on a daily basis.
Kenny Toth, January 29, 2019
DarkCyber for January 22, 2019, Now Available
January 22, 2019
DarkCyber for January 22, 2019, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://www.vimeo.com/312358055. The program is a production of Stephen E Arnold. It is the only weekly video news shows focusing on the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
This week’s story line up includes… a report about a cyber crime volunteer program in the Netherlands … a profile of the intelware company Numerica… a new Europol report about the hidden Web… and a Los Angeles’ online service points the finger at Craigslist with drug related allegations.
DarkCyber’s first story reports that Dutch police have begun a cyber crime volunteer program. Individuals with an interest in assisting law enforcement in researching Dark Web and related topics can participate in the new program. Skills required by the police include advanced mathematics and physics. More than 200 people have stepped forward to assist. An initial group of 14 individuals has been selected. One volunteer holds down a full time job but wants to contribute to the government’s efforts to reduce cyber crime.
The second story presents information about Numerica, a company which provides intelligence software or intelware to the US Department of Defense and law enforcement organizations. The Numerica approach relies on advanced technology and intuitive, easy-to-use interfaces for its products. The Lumen product allows jurisdictions to share data about incidents and suspects from a desktop computer or a mobile phone. The system can generate maps with geo-locations marked, brief “bubble gum” card summaries of suspects, and reports which include event and time information. The company is listed on the GSA schedule, which speeds procurement of the company’s solutions.
DarkCyber reviewed a 2018 Europol report about hidden Internet services. The report contains useful information about the relationship among digital currency, hidden Internet sites, and drug sales. Plus, the report identifies chat services as one communication channel which bad actors are using more frequently. The reason is that government efforts to shut down Tor centric Dark Web sites are forcing bad actors to find other means of hiding their activities. One of the chilling findings is that modern distributed services create more challenges for government authorities. Many hidden Internet services do not have a single focal point.
The final story reviews allegations by LA Taco, an online information service, that Craigslist is listing drugs in its online advertising service. The report alleges that Craigslist does not filter ad listings for code words used to allow insiders to locate certain drugs like fentanyl. According to LA Taco, dealers describe drugs as “white china plates.” The savvy drug buyer contacts the seller of what appears to be dinnerware and buys the controlled substances. These are serious allegations, but filtering for common words can delete many legitimate listings from the online service. No easy solution exists in the view of the DarkCyber research team.
A new blog Dark Cyber Annex is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress. Cyber crime, Dark Web, and company profiles are now appearing on a daily basis.
Kenny Toth, January 22, 2019
DarkCyber for January 8, 2019, Now Available
January 8, 2019
DarkCyber for January 8, 2019, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://www.vimeo.com/309717457 . The program is a production of Stephen E Arnold. It is the only weekly video news shows focusing on the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
The lead story is a profile of Sintelix, an Australian company developing software for law enforcement and intelligence professionals. The system can acquire content from the hidden Internet, the Surface Web, third-party sources, and content repositories in an organization; for example, arrest records. Sintelix provides IBM Analyst’s Notebook user with a streamlined, modern interface without giving up the unique features of the IBM Analyst’s Notebook. The three key features of the Sintelix technology are its speed of document and content processing. Hundreds of thousands of documents can be analyzed and indexed on a standard office desktop computer in a few hours. Sintelix also includes an application programming interface. This API makes it possible to use Sintelix with a wide range of third party solutions. Also, the system incorporates robust timeline features. Ana analyst can examine events over a month and then zoom into look at activities in an hour on a specific day.
The second story addresses a way to reduce the complexity of the Tor software bundle, which is required to access Dark Web sites, Many Tor users find the bundle confusing, which can lead to careless errors. . A number of user-induced errors can lead to the user’s loss of the privacy which the Tor software appears to offer. The fix is to use a hardware device which can run the Tor software. DarkCyber reports on an older system called PORTAL as well as a new Raspberry Pi approach. Will these devices provide a way to surf the Web in anonymity. Unlikely, but if properly configured, the devices may prevent some types of operator errors.
The third story discusses India’s legislation which mandates that technology companies provide access to encrypted content. Like Australia, India’s action is helpful to law enforcement and intelligence professionals. However, the mandatory decryption may increase the likelihood that bad actors will find a way to exploit the backdoor. The regulations require that a technology company like Apple or Facebook would have to respond to the government request within a day or two. Even with automated decryption technology, the time limit may prove difficult for some companies.
The final story describes a novel type of punishment for child abuse. The UK has begun deporting abusers to their country of origin and stripping the individual of his or her UK citizenship. So far one Indian who amassed 23 counts of child abuse have been flagged for deportation. Three abusers from Pakistan are likely to be deported as well. Once in their home country, authorities may take punitive action against the abusers.
A new blog Dark Cyber Annex will be available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress. Cyber crime, Dark Web, and company profiles are now appearing on a daily basis.
Kenny Toth, January 8, 2019
DarkCyber for December 25, 2018, Is Now Available
December 25, 2018
DarkCyber for December 25, 2018, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo. The program is a production of Stephen E Arnold. It is the only weekly video news shows focusing on the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
This week’s story line up includes… Australia legislates the unlocking of encryption backdoors… Dark Web counterfeiting ring kept unencrypted customer lists… which operating system provides online anonymity Tails or Qubes… and Dunkin Donuts loyalty points on the Dark Web just in time for the holidays.
First, Australia has become the first country to legislate that technology companies must assist law enforcement in decrypting encrypted messages. The law is controversial and has trigger expressions of concern from privacy advocates. DarkCyber reports that as a member of the Five Eyes organization, the Australian action may increase the resolve of the US, UK, Canada, and New Zealand to seek similar measures in 2019. Amendments to the new legislation are likely, but the Australian action is a significant development for law enforcement which is flying blind among the rapidly rising storm of encrypted communications which thwart many investigations.
Second, Austrian police cracked a Dark Web counterfeiting ring. Police seized fake euros and a list of customers. The names, shipping addresses, and other details were stored in an unencrypted form on computers and on paper. Austrian officials provided the information to Europol, which organized a series of coordinated operations in more than a dozen countries. Hundreds of arrests were made and the police are continuing their sweep. Dark Web criminals may use Tor for anonymity, but their understanding of operational security is poor.
Third, which secure operating is better for online anonymity? Tails is one of the systems used by many individuals. The system ships with Tor and other tools, including encrypted chat capabilities. Qubes is another system used by some individuals for increased security. Qubes, however, requires that the user set up the system, which relies on virtual machines. There are other options as well; for example, Whonix, JohnDo, and ImprediaOS, among others. The answer is that a person must understand the strengths and weaknesses of each option and choose a solution that fits one’s specific needs.
The final story reports that some Dark Web ecommerce vendors are selling Dunkin Donuts loyalty points. A customer with the Dunkin Donuts app and the stolen loyalty points can order donuts and other Dunkin Donuts products with minimal security checks. Discount sweets via the Dark Web have arrived just in time for the holidays.
Watch for information about our new blog (information service) DarkCyber. We will report the location of the service in Beyond Search.
Kenny Toth, December 25, 2018
DarkCyber for December 11, 2018 Now Available
December 11, 2018
DarkCyber for December 11, 2018, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://www.vimeo.com. The program is a production of Stephen E Arnold. It is the only weekly video news shows focusing on the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
This week’s story line up includes… a detailed report about weapons sales on the Dark Web … ThomsonReuters sells driving and personal data to ICE… and The outlines of Dark Web Version 2 become visible.
First, an information packed study about Dark Web weapons sales reveals that Glocks are the most popular illegal hand gun. How much is an illegal weapon? Prices range from $200 to more than $10,000. But fully automatic weapons are the most expensive. Cyber weapons cost a fraction of the price of a physical weapon. The information has been assembled by the RAND Corporation, and the report makes clear that despite the shut down of many Dark Web eCommerce sites, unregistered weapons are available via Tor and the Dark Web. The video provides the information needed to obtain a copy of this useful collection of hard to find data.
Second, DarkCyber reports that ThomsonReuters along with a handful of less well known companies are selling personal data to the US government. ThomsonReuters, according to a source available to DarkCyber, sells information related to driving; for example, data about license tags and information derived from surveillance cameras. With these types of data, government investigators are able to examine travel routes and may be able to pinpoint the location of vehicles. The value of proprietary data is that the accuracy and timeliness of the information can accelerate certain investigations.
The final story reveals that private group chats and encrypted instant messaging may be the future of the Dark Web. Instead of relying on special software to make online behavior anonymous, message oriented applications allow bad actors to work on the public Internet, safe from the eyes of investigators. Stephen E Arnold, author of CyberOSINT: Next Generation Information Access, said: “Encryption is an issue. DarkCyber anticipates that the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia will aggressively seek back doors. The time and cost of traditional decryption are prohibitive as the volume of encrypted messages goes up.”
DarkCyber is released each week on Tuesday. The next program will be available on December 25, 2018.
Kenny Toth, December 11, 2018
DarkCyber for November 13, 2018, Now Available: Amazon Part Three, Simplifying Intelligence Analysis
November 13, 2018
DarkCyber for November 13, 2018, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/300178710. Amazon Policeware, Part 3. DarkCyber explains how Amazon has solved most of the problems associated with machine learning centric intelligence analysis and sense making systems.
Amazon’s approach to policeware pivots on ease of use and ready to use data.
Instead of programming a system and then undertaking expensive set up tasks, Amazon’s approach is the equivalent of heating a meal in a microwave. The time and convenience changes the landscape for advanced content processing and analytics.
With pre-curated data sets, templates, and familiar Amazon interfaces—law enforcement, military, and intelligence professionals can move from task to output in a day from weeks to months with traditional vendors’ systems. Stephen E Arnold, author of CyberOSINT: Next Generation Information Access, said: “The benefit of the Amazon approach is low cost and quicker implementation. Instead of reinventing the wheel for each case or mission, the Amazon approach is repeatable,” which slashes training, configuring, and tuning work associated with policeware systems.”
Decades ago, IBM used mainframes and their proprietary hardware and software to create a barrier to change for government agencies using the systems. Amazon’s approach is to provide a platform which makes use of open source software to allow the US government to make necessary changes to software.
Amazon also offers value added functionality ranging from hardware like the DeepLens smart surveillance devices to patented analytics for real time cross correlation of data. Government agencies using these proprietary components will find themselves dependent on Amazon despite the support for open source software.
Existing vendors have business models built on time and materials billing for each use of their systems. Amazon has changed the game to emphasize quick and easy deployment at a lower cost for greater flexibility and performance.
Watch for the final segment of this four part series. The video will be released on November 20, 2018
DarkCyber for November 6, 2018, Is Now Available: Part Two, Amazon’s Disruptive Thrust
November 6, 2018
DarkCyber for November 6, 2018, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/298831585
In this program, DarkCyber explains how Amazon is using open source software and proprietary solutions to reinvent IBM’s concept of vendor lock in.
Decades ago, IBM used mainframes and their proprietary hardware and software to create a barrier to change for government agencies using the systems. Amazon’s approach is to provide a platform which makes use of open source software to allow the US government to make necessary changes to software.
Amazon also offers value added functionality ranging from hardware like the DeepLens smart surveillance devices to patented analytics for real time cross correlation of data. Government agencies using these proprietary components will find themselves dependent on Amazon despite the support for open source software. Stephen E Arnold, author of CyberOSINT, said: “Amazon’s use of open source makes it easy for customers to make changes to the Amazon policeware system. However, Amazon’s value adding proprietary software allows Amazon to lock in government agencies who want access to Amazon’s most advanced services, features, and functions. Amazon wants to reinvent IBM’s approach to lock in for the 21st century.”
An added twist is that many of the providers of policeware and advanced intelligence systems use the Amazon cloud platform to deliver their products and services to US government agencies. Examples include Palantir Technologies, 4iQ and Webhose. Companies leveraging Amazon’s platform have an advantage over firms which use other cloud solutions. However, in the longer terms, Amazon can exercise control over vendors, partners, and integrators as part of a lock in strategy tuned to the 21st century computing realities.
Watch for the third part of this four part series on November 13, 2018.
Kenny Toth, November 6, 2018
DarkCyber for October 30, 2018, Is Now Available: Part One, Amazon Policeware
October 30, 2018
DarkCyber for October 30, 2018, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/297839909
Stephen E Arnold’s DarkCyber is a weekly video news and analysis program about the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
This week’s program is Part One of our four part series which examines Amazon’s new platform for law enforcement, intelligence, and warfighting software and solutions.
Amazon has developed and successfully deployed its GovCloud platform (classified and unclassified versions). For more than four years, Amazon has provided its machine learning platform and specialized capabilities to one of the largest covert organizations in the United States. The success of that program has encouraged Amazon to compete for the $5 billion JEDI program to provide cloud services to the US Department of Defense.
In this first of four videos about Amazon’s policeware capabilities, Stephen E Arnold discusses Amazon’s coordinated, organized approach to this new service area.
Since 2007, Amazon has systematically put developed and deployed administrative tools, advanced analytic functions like cross correlation, and the technology required to allow point and click access to a wide range of data. Stephen E Arnold, author of CyberOSINT, said: “Amazon’s investment in policeware, its GovCloud technology, and the specialized services for law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and intelligence professionals is important. Amazon’s initiative has the potential to revolutionize how government agencies process open source and classified information.”
The JEDI contract, however, is not the end game for Amazon. The larger objective is for Amazon to provide a range of services which will allow the company to provide regulatory and enforcement services to allies of the United States and meet the needs of local, county, and state agencies. Plus, Amazon has landed a law enforcement contract in the UK which suggests that the company will pursue similar engagements in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, the so-called Five Eyes initiative.
Amazon, if it wins the JEDI deal, could change the way in which government agencies procure advanced technology and process test, image, numeric, and video data. One immediate impact will be to force additional changes in how US government procurements for policeware, war fighting, and intelligence systems are handled. Furthermore, the traditional Federal supply chain for policeware and sense making systems will be disrupted.
Watch for the second part of this four part series next week on November 6, 2018
Kenny Toth, October 30, 2018
DarkCyber for October 23, 2018, Now Available
October 23, 2018
DarkCyber, Stephen E Arnold’s video news program about the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services, is now available. You can view the video at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress or on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/296379232.
This week’s program includes four stories.
Bing and Google allegedly display content not appropriate to some users. Bing suggests links to content related to images not suitable for young people. Google allegedly returns results to YouTube videos which explain how to purchase illegal substances on the Dark Web. DarkCyber’s research team verified that content some individuals may find problematic do appear in search results. YouTube “how to” videos are findable by exploring pages deeper in a Google search result set; for example, pages six and following. The conclusion is that even when “safe search” features are activated links to topics which may be interpreted as offensive are easy to find, even for novice Web searchers.
The second story reveals that old school exploits and hacks have found a new lease on life. Bad actors are using standard office software and widely used utilities to obtain access to confidential information, employee email, and customer data. The method involves luring an employee to click on a link such as a document allegedly containing a list of employees at another company. Once the document is opened, a known vulnerability in Microsoft Office Dynamic Data Exchange is used to take over the target’s computer. DarkCyber reveals the simple fix to use to protect from this old school exploit.
The third story presents information about the system and method used by the now defunct Psy-Group. This firm has been identified as an organization of interest in the Robert Mueller investigation of President Donald Trump’s alleged interactions related to the 2016 election. DarkCyber walks through the principal components of a psychological operation designed to push the hot buttons of individuals associated with certain topics and political ideas. The DarkCyber video includes a link to additional documents related to the Psy-Group’s methods, which appear to be similar to those used by Cambridge Analytica.
The final story provides information about the decrease in Facebook usage in 2017. However, among one group, Facebook has become a must have social network. This user group is law enforcement officers. These professionals adopt false personas and work to obtain access to closed Facebook groups in order to gather information related to an investigation. The use of false personas is becoming a standard practice, and the data gathered are admissible in certain proceedings.
Beginning on October 30, 2018, DarkCyber presents a four part series about Amazon’s policeware initiative. The videos explain the importance of the Department of Defense’s JEDI procurement, the principal components of Amazon’s machine learning system, how Amazon will work to create a new type of vendor lock in, and the use of the Amazon policeware platform as a jumping off point for regulatory services in the US and expansion of its customer base outside the United States.
Kenny Toth, October 23, 2018
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