DarkCyber for December 25, 2018, Is Now Available

DarkCyber for December 25, 2018, is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://www.vimeo.com/307948842 . 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. Stephen E Arnold, producer of DarkCyber and author of CyberOSINT:  “The use of Tor and similar products can provide a measure of additional security. But those efforts can be undermined by human error and flawed operational procedures. Austrian police reacted quickly and sparked an impressive, coordinated investigation.”

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.
 
About Stephen E Arnold
Stephen E Arnold is the author of “Dark Web Notebook” and “CyberOSINT: Next Generation Information Access.” This book describes some of the technologies used by GSR and Cambridge Analytica to acquire and analyze Facebook user data. He has been named as a technology adviser to the UK based Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Human Trafficking and Child Sex Abuse.” Mr. Arnold also lectures to law enforcement and intelligence professionals who will be attending major law enforcement and intelligence conferences and training programs. In recent months, he has shared his research with law enforcement and intelligence professionals in the US and Europe. His most recent lectures focus on deanonymizing chat and digital currency transactions and the use of smart software for law enforcement and intelligence applications. He publishes the free Web log “Beyond Search,” which is available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress.
 

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