Introduction
In today’s digital age, Google Search has become synonymous with the internet, making it a go-to resource for most people. However, the internet is much more extensive than what is readily accessible through search engines. Beyond the easily searchable commercial domains lies the “deep web,” a vast region comprising unstructured data, temporary pages, and password-protected content. Additionally, there is the “dark web,” accessible only through specialized browsers like the Onion Router (TOR) and I2P, which contains hidden and unindexed sites associated with criminal activities. In this article, we delve into the importance of navigating the dark web for business intelligence and explore the partnership between Silobreaker, an intelligence platform, and Flashpoint, a company providing business risk intelligence.
Understanding the Dark Web: A Closed Community
The dark web represents a small portion of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines. Instead, users access it through TOR and I2P browsers. Dark web sites often have obscure, randomly generated names comprising sixteen-digit alphanumeric characters, making them difficult to locate without specific knowledge.
The dark web has become a breeding ground for illegal activities, including trading computer vulnerabilities, engaging in illicit drug sales, and discussing criminal ventures. To combat these issues, businesses must navigate this hidden realm to gather intelligence, understand adversaries’ operations, and distinguish fact from fiction.
Leveraging Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) for Dark Web Analysis
Flashpoint and Silobreaker employ open-source intelligence (OSINT) from public sources rather than resorting to covert or hidden activities. While OSINT on the traditional internet may involve analyzing social media posts and public forums, OSINT on the dark web revolves around monitoring memberships in various closed forums.
Flashpoint monitors approximately 330 dark web forums where users often use contextual and cultural terms. Understanding this language is crucial for interpreting discussions accurately. For example, instead of directly stating a monetary value, users might refer to an exploit as “500 doughnuts,” where “doughnuts” means dollars.
Language barriers pose an additional challenge, considering the global nature of dark web activities. Flashpoint has employed linguists to decipher and interpret the vernacular used on the dark web to ensure accurate analysis and understanding.
Silobreaker’s User-Friendly Interface for Dark Web Searches
Silobreaker offers a user-friendly interface that allows information security researchers to conduct searches on the dark web. Researchers can input phrases and keywords to initiate searches, enabling them to gather relevant information effectively.
The platform can search for common names and associated Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) numbers in multiple languages. This feature helps security experts stay informed about the latest vulnerabilities and potential threats circulating on the dark web.
Combating Sex Trafficking on the Dark Web
Searching the dark web has also been employed for noble causes, such as combating sex trafficking. DARPA, the U.S. military’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, developed a search engine known as Memex, specifically designed for law enforcement to combat sex trafficking on the dark web.
Memex, created in 2014 and costing DARPA $67 million, has proven useful in identifying signals related to human trafficking, such as repeated phone numbers used by organizations engaged in online trafficking or branding tattoos visible in photos online. Law enforcement agencies can utilize Memex to filter through dark web data and identify human trafficking networks and associated behaviors.
Conclusion
Navigating the dark web has become an essential aspect of gathering business intelligence and combating illegal activities online. Through partnerships like that between Silobreaker and Flashpoint, businesses can leverage open-source intelligence to understand adversaries’ activities, detect potential threats, and separate fact from fiction in the dark web’s closed communities. Additionally, noble efforts like using search technology to combat sex trafficking highlight the positive impact of utilizing the dark web’s vast data for crucial and honorable purposes. As technology evolves, businesses and law enforcement will continue to find innovative ways to harness the dark web’s potential while upholding cybersecurity and protecting society from illicit activities.
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