How Social Media and Darknet Data Can Support Cyber Investigations

Summary

A webinar transcript explains how investigators can combine social-media and darknet data to assess threats, connect online identities, and spot phishing and disinformation risks. It includes a case example and discusses ethical challenges.

Key points

The speakers argue that monitoring both darknet and public conversations can help investigators assess whether a threat is gaining traction and spot activity before it becomes widely visible.
DarkOwl described a client case involving disinformation that reportedly contributed to physical attacks on facilities in Latin America.
In that case, investigators said they linked a darknet username to a social-media account, then used associated contact details to connect the activity back to a darknet account.
The speakers said information gathered from social media and the darknet can help identify targets and make phishing attempts more convincing.
The webinar discussed risks from deepfakes and generative AI, including their potential use in phishing and disinformation.
DarkOwl said it avoids collecting from darknet sites where data purchases are required, citing concerns about funding criminal activity and respecting privacy.

Article Details

Topic: How combining social media and darknet data can support cyber investigations, threat intelligence, and early identification of social engineering, phishing, disinformation, and reputational risks.