Open Source Intelligence 101

Imagine you’re working on something important and all of a sudden you start seeing multiple pop-up ads, plus your files or apps are taking ages to load. You start to ask yourself, is my computer infected with malware? It can happen to anyone of us, so always be extra careful! If your computer starts acting up, it could be compromised with a virus or malware; however, this is just one of the many warning signs that could mean that your computer is infected. This is why it is vital to take action as quick as possible. Here are the 13 most common warning signs of a malware infection on your computer. 1. Your computer is running slowly and your apps and files take longer to load than usual. 2. You keep getting blasted with pop-up ads or strange messages on your computer. 3. Your computer keeps crashing and/or it freezes and the blue screen of death appears. 4. You start getting this message on a regular basis, “you’re running out of disk space on Windows.” 5...

Spyware is software that infiltrates your mobile phone or computer, stealing your data and private information. Spyware is classified as malicious software that is created to damage your device, often without you even realizing it is happening. A lot of spyware can even install foreign software that allows hackers to change your settings and passwords, that is why it is so important to always keep your device updated on a regular basis. Spyware is one of the most common threats that can gain access to your computer or cell phone, it can be a massive threat to your business as well as yourself as an individual since it can steal private, personal data and cause harm to your network. Here are the four main types of spyware that you need to lookout for… Adware. This spyware will track your browser history and your downloads in order to display ads about services and products you are interested in. Adware can be annoying plus it can really slow down your devices. ...

Online scams take on new forms every day. The latest in a string of scams include reputational hijacking. We spoke to Cape Town Attorney, Farouk Mowzer, about some of these online scams sites. According to Farouk Mowzer, online fraud is indeed a big thing. It's relatively easy to set up a fake website that purports to be well-meaning and providing independent reviews, but what if that review is intentionally false? According to industry specialists, a number of websites have popped up in the past year that offer independent reviews and listings of scammers. These sites, however, are totally devoid of actual facts, trawl the internet for unrelated information and pop up the data as "reports". Conveniently, these sites have no real contact details that will lead you to be able to take the content offline. Type in the website name and remove though and you quickly find a paid for service at $1000 that guarantees removal, effectively, online blackmail. The sit...

Having a modern surveillance camera system can help you when it comes to investigating break-ins, robberies and a range of different crimes, but how can you improve the odds even more? To get the most out of your security camera system, your cameras should be placed where they can capture the best possible footage… Place at eye level –  A camera that is close to a ceiling will cover a wider area, but that isn’t the best angle when it comes to capturing footage of a suspect’s face, vehicle registration or any other important details. Don’t aim towards lights –  Lighting from a window, sunlight or a lamp, etc. can create silhouettes and shadows, this, in turn, makes it difficult to recognize a possible suspect or make out certain details of an object. Avoid it being too far away –  A camera that is placed too far away is not likely to capture a high-quality image of a suspects face, making it hard to identify someone. Use multiple cameras –  T...

Whether you tweet once a day or constantly tweet updates throughout the day, you need to remember that if you’re using Twitter you need to be aware of the security and privacy risks. Here are five important safety tips to remember when you’re using Twitter. -- Never share personal information It is best to keep all your private information such as your phone number, address and email address, out of your Twitter profile! Geotagging is an optional feature that is able to make your exact location public, it is also best to switch off this setting too. -- Update your password Hackers can easily gain access to your account if you have used a weak, easily guessable password. Use a strong password and change it every few weeks for maximum security. Make sure to include uppercase and lower case letters, numbers and special characters in your passwords every time. -- Never click on suspicious links Often hackers will try a phishing attack on you through your ...

It is vital that you do not fall into an online scammers trap, especially recently as online scams have been on the rise in South Africa. Here are the most common signs of these four popular online scams that you need to be aware of in order to not become the next victim. Online Goods. Scammers love to target those who are selling valuables online. They may tell you that they want to meet and pick up the goods and pay via EFT. Either they will reverse the transfer once they have received the goods or they will send you fake proof of payment. Always meet in a safe, public environment and rather accept payments in cash only. Account Information. If you receive an email or SMS from your bank claiming that your account number or information has been changed, be very wary! A lot of people fall for this and end up paying a scammer for absolutely nothing, believing that it is a legitimate message from their bank. If you receive messages like this, rather contact your...

You cannot believe everything you read and see on social media! Because so many of us think only official, 100% news is shared on Facebook and other social media networks, we need to educate ourselves and those around us to ultimately stop the spread of all this fake news. So, here’s how to spot fake news on social media – and avoid it. Amazing headlines Fake news headlines are often written in capital letters with a lot of exclamation marks. If the headline sounds too good to be true, then it most probably is! Investigate the source Make sure the story you are reading is actually true by going to the source and checking the website to learn more. Format Read through the news carefully; lookout for spelling errors, bad layouts and grammar mistakes. URL Fake news websites often try and pretend to be other legit websites, but they change their URLs slightly – read the URL carefully before you visit the site and click on any links. Don’t...

A holiday scam is a type of scam that will take advantage of potential travelers who are looking to go on holiday by tricking them with falsely advertised fake holiday packages. Often, these fake holiday packages will include ideal accommodation or timeshare. It is easier than you think to fall for a holiday scam as the packages look legitimate as well as the websites they are advertised on. How does a holiday scam work? -- You will come across a website with an unbelievable holiday package. Alternatively, you could receive an email promoting an amazing holiday package. -- The deal is only running for the next few hours, so you need to pay for the package on the fake website before the time runs out and you miss the deal. -- You input your private details on the seemly genuine website, therefore giving away your card details. -- The purchase goes through, but you never receive the holiday package that you paid for. -- The cybercriminals now have access t...

While most of us are used to using Facebook and social media networks, a lot of teens are just starting out and exploring the online work. Unfortunately, there are many bad guys online, especially on social media platforms such as Facebook, who are there to take advantage of new or naïve members. Use these safety and security tips and share them with your teen to ensure everyone has a safer experience. Never register for Facebook if you’re under the age of 13. Some teens want an account when they’re only 11 or 12 – not even a teen yet! However, Facebook specifically forbids anyone younger than 13 from registering. Avoid using your real first and middle name. Facebook does not allow fake names, but you can use your nickname as your first or middle name. This will keep online criminals and potential predators from obtaining more information about you. Set strong privacy settings. Not just anyone should be able to see your profile as well as your content and pho...

Imagine this common scenario, someone leaves a company after many years and starts working for a competitor business in the same business park. It is suspected that the employee may have taken private company info with them, such as client, supplier and pricing lists. No matter what company information it might be, when it is suspected that the employee may have stolen digital assets then it is vital that the company takes the right steps to ensure the evidence is protected and preserved, especially if it is needed in a possible civil litigation. For example, at our OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) department we receive a call from a client stating that they suspect their former employee took important propriety information with them when they left. They still have the former employee’s computer in the office, here’s what we’ll do next… First, we’ll tell the client to immediately isolate the computer in question. If the computer is turned off, then it needs to be lef...

Every year insurance fraud is committed, resulting in millions being lost, however, investigators who use social media to find important evidence are bringing down the numbers. At OSINT, our investigators use social media evidence to provide information against fraudsters. To find out more about our Open-Source Intelligence services please contact 021 110 0422 | email contact@osint.co.za or visit www.osint.co.za Here’s how OSINT investigators gather the evidence from social media networks: 1. Look out for inconsistent information. Is the person in question presenting on a story, but living another? Some people are unaware of what important information they are giving away on social media. For example, someone claims to have broken their arm at work, however their friend posts on their timeline or comments, “See you later at the pool,” or “Can’t wait to go bike riding this weekend!” This makes it obvious that some things are not what they seem. 2. Search for con...

Basically, everyone is on social media these days, so when you connect you’re basically advertising and sharing your life for the entire world to see. So why are social media investigations and social media intelligence so important? A trained professional can find information that any old regular person will never be able to spot as well as do so in the way that will ensure the evidence is secure, making sure they can prove who made the post, comment, etc. as well as prove when it was posted – even if it has already been deleted! At the OSINT division, we use our skills in the open-source intelligence department as well as a range of methods and techniques to find hidden social media accounts or ones that have private settings. Often when you are searching for someone on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. you will type in a name and a variety of accounts will appear, not including the ones that don’t show up in a public search. Because this happens we use a range of ...

These days most of our purchases these days are being made online. You can buy everything online from clothing, a new car, groceries and so much more. Unfortunately, because of this, there is a rise in the amount of online fraud occurring. Find out about our OSINT services and how you can be safe and secure online. All across the internet fraud and illegal activities are continuously growing and those who are involved in manufacturing, insurance industries and finances are experiencing an even higher increase of fraud, leading to significant financial loss. Did you know that it is estimated that 2% of the world’s total current output comes from illegal activity online? It’s time to fight fraud with open-source intelligence! Every business or organization knows that it is vital to prevent fraud in order to keep your company healthy and successful. However, most only think it is necessary to monitor the internal data, but this is only a small fraction of the a...

Due diligence is the process of verifying, investigating or auditing a potential deal or investment to confirm the facts as well as the financial information. Due diligence needs to be completed to assure the buyer of the risks involved as well as what they’ll be getting. Due diligence is so important because it is important in making the right decisions by enhancing the information that is available to the people who are making the decisions. Due diligence allows the buyer to feel comfortable when it comes to their expectations about the transactions. If you’re interested in buying a business then it’s best to ensure proper due diligence is performed. Please contact chris@tcgforensics.co.za for more details on the due diligence process or take a look at our OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) website here www.osint.co.za . Reasons for Due Diligence... Common due diligence reviews with mainly focus on legal, financial and tax, but due diligence can look at so much m...

Social media has made it possible for people to interact with each other from all over the world – everyone knows what everyone else is doing, where they’re going on vacation, when they got married, etc. However, social media networks have also made it possible for more users to become victims of scams. Over the last few years, social media scams have basically quadrupled with fake accounts popping up everywhere. Don’t become the next victim of a scam – here’s how to spot, prevent and deal with social media scams: - There is an ad or poster offering an amazing deal or job that sounds too good to be true. - A job, prize or loan application asks you to pay upfront beforehand. - A popular company uses a Yahoo or Gmail email account to contact you. - You are urged to act immediately! - They ask you to share your private information. - You get a friend request from a “friend” but they ask you random questions or for money. How to prevent social media scams fro...

The internet is an endless place with millions of websites, databases and servers. The visible sites that can be found when you Google something are just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface is the deep web and the dark web. It was once only available to hackers, criminals and law enforcement, but now because of new technologies it is possible for just about anyone to access the dark web! Did you know – The deep and dark web is so large that it accounts for 90% of all websites! Those who wish to access the dark web or the deep web need to use Tor, a browser software like Google, but the difference is Tor uses “nodes”, a random path of encrypted servers to connect users to the dark web without their tracks being followed. Websites on the dark web also use the Tor software to remain unnamed so you won’t be able to find out who has created them, who is running them or who is hosting them. Many people actually use Tor as a regular browser to search the surface ...

You may not be someone who takes risks. You may be someone who follows all the rules, you pay your bills on time, you always wear your seatbelt and you even put on sunblock when it’s a cloudy day. But do you follow all the rules when you’re online? Are you exposing yourself and your money to the dangers that lurk on the internet? Here are 10 silly things that you might be doing that put you at risk! 1. You just assume that online banking websites are safe. Cybercriminals will go where your money goes, so going to a fake banking site and not noticing before you put in your private login details and password can easily lead to cyber theft. 2. You’re doing your online shopping in shady places. You see a great deal online, but you need to be cautious before you visit just any online shop and click “Add to Cart.” Always enter the URL directly and make sure the site is reliable and well-known. 3. You use the same password for everything. If you’re not taking the time...

Billions of messages are sent out every day by spammers, most of it is annoying advertising and harmless in general, but every now and again there is a dangerous file attachment in one of the messages! To trick you into opening the attachment, most spammers will pretend it is something useful or important such as a Word document, gift card, a PDF, etc. Here are the top 4 dangerous file attachments to look out for… ZIP and RAR archives – Cybercriminals like to use archives to hide the malware they are trying to send you! On Valentine’s Day this year attackers were sending out files named Love_You_0899 to people into clicking them and installing ransomware. Microsoft Office documents – Word documents as well as Excel spreadsheets are some of the most popular Microsoft Office files cybercriminals love to use. Most of the time, they will target office workers and disguise the malware files as urgent messages, contracts or bills. PDF files – A lot of people kno...

Perhaps one of the biggest, most popular stories involving the dark web, was the shutdown of Silk Road , an online black market that trafficked basically any illegal goods, from guns and drugs to private personal data and malware. A few years ago, the mastermind behind the Silk Road, Ross William Ulbricht aka Dread Pirate Roberts, was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. He was convicted of seven drug and conspiracy charges, including drug trafficking, computer hacking and money laundering. Ross was also accused of soliciting multiple murders for hire. Ross sent a letter to a U.S. District Judge prior to his sentencing, saying that he had made a “terrible mistake.” “In creating Silk Road, I ruined my life and destroyed my future,” he wrote. First let’s get this out of the way; Ross William Ulbricht is extremely smart. I mean, it’s not that simple to build and maintain a secret internet site, on which criminals traded drugs and assassinations for years! “People...

You’ve heard the words before, but you don’t really know what they mean except that they sound scary. You think it’s a place where all the hackers lurk, but the truth is you’re not really sure. Let’s clear the air on what each concept is and what you can find on them. DEEP WEB First of all you need to know that the deep web and the dark web are not the same thing, although they can sometimes overlap. The deep web contains pages that are not indexed, meaning they will not pop up after a search on most search engines such as Google. These pages are basically invisible; unless you know the direct link or click on the link once you get in the deep side of the web. Here are a few things you can find on the deep web: - Personal email accounts - Social media accounts - Online banking accounts - Businesses private databases - Medical record - Legal record s DARK WEB The deep web is deep, but the dark web is even deeper. It is like the deep web mea...