Leveraging OSINT and Darknet Data to Beat Threat Actors

Every cybersecurity expert knows the cold, hard truth about threat actors: they are out there, they are busy, and they are not going away. Beating them requires setting aside reactionary strategies in favor of a solidly proactive approach. It requires leveraging OSINT and darknet data to track and profile threat actors no matter where they are.

OSINT (open-source intelligence) gathers information from every publicly available source – including the darknet. Combining OSINT with darknet intelligence data provides rich, complementary insights into threat actor identities, behaviors, and tactics. As a result, security teams are able to build detailed profiles that give them the upper hand in keeping threats at bay.

OSINT’s Roll in Threat Actor Profiling

In theory, threat actor profiling is possible without OSINT data. But according to DarkOwl, an OSINT darknet investigation provides a level of comprehension not possible with proprietary data sources alone. Proprietary data sources rarely offer the same kind of real-time data public sources offer. So without OSINT, threat actor profiling is incomplete.

OSINT contributes:

• Name Correlation – Darknet OSINT tools can track threat actor usernames and aliases across unlimited platforms. Through this tracking, correlations can be made. Such correlations lead to a broader understanding of a threat actor’s total activities.

• Language Analysis – Analyzing threat actor language is invaluable to building accurate profiles. Profilers look at everything from vocabulary to grammar and phrasing for the purposes of attributing data to specific threat actors or groups.

• Content and Products – Darknet OSINT tools monitor online marketplaces while looking for malware, services, stolen credentials, etc. Discovered data linked to a given threat actor is added to the profile.

• Key Matches – Cybercriminals have a habit of reusing encryption keys in their communications. A thorough OSINT darknet investigation tracks keys and matches them to individuals and groups.

The result of all this data gathering and analysis is better correlation. Data across the full landscape of cyber activity is brought together in a comprehensive picture that helps security teams understand their adversaries inside and out.

Darknet Data’s Role in Profiling

DarkOwl is known in the cybersecurity industry for stressing quality data. They insist that the quality of the data gleaned during an OSINT darknet investigation directly affects the accuracy of any threat actor profile. Darknet data’s role in creating profiles is as follows:

• Darknet Activity – The darknet is to cybercriminals what the traditional internet is to the rest of it. It is a hive of activity via hidden communities, marketplaces, and peer-to-peer interactions. Competent darknet investigations look deeply into these hidden areas of the web.

• Compromised Credentials – Darknet marketplaces routinely trade stolen credentials and other compromised data. Monitoring marketplaces provides valuable information about threat actor capabilities and operational focus.

• Actor Chatter – The darknet is also where security experts find chatter among threat actors. Monitoring their conversations reveals not only intentions and attack planning, but it also adds context that makes profiling more thorough.

Profilers are always on the hunt for data about new tools and strategies. They continually dig around for cybersecurity products and services being sold online. In the end, everything is interconnected in one way or another. That’s why darknet data is so valuable for accurate profiling.

Know Your Adversary

Successful cybersecurity is predicated on knowing your adversary. And there is no better way to truly get to know threat actors than profiling. Organizations like DarkOwl combine OSINT with darknet data to track and profile threat actors. That’s how you beat them. Cybercriminals put in the work to identify and understand targets. Security teams should put in the work to fight back.