Do you have the right tools for going undercover on the Dark Web—a nefarious world of criminality, anonymity, counterfeit products, child pornography, and human trafficking? In this week’s Industry Undercover Cybertip, we explore Tails and Securelist.

Tails

One of the most important tools for an OSINT investigator is Tails (The Amnesiac Incognito Live System), an operating system that allows the investigator to use Tor (the free software that enables anonymous communication) to avoid censorship and tracking when conducting Deep and Dark Web investigations. It uses state-of-the-art cryptographic tools to encrypt your files, emails, and instant messaging. You can download the Tails installer from the site and run it via a USB stick or a DVD, making it resistant to viruses. Tails is free and comes with a chat client, email, office suite, and browser. The site states that using Tails on a computer does not alter the operating system installed on it, and when the investigator is done, the computer will start with its usual operating system.

New features for 2019 include a new installation mechanism that will allow macOS users easier accessibility, add technical support for Secure Boot, and enable automatic upgrades. For an extensive discussion of Tails, we recommend Lance Henderson’s book, TOR and the Dark Art of Anonymity, which includes an entire chapter on Tails.

Securelist

Another useful resource for Dark Web investigators is AO Kaspersky Lab’s Securelist, which offers extensive discussions about ransomware, malware, and viruses. Kaspersky is a Russian cyber security firm that promotes ethical behavior and monitors bad actors on the Internet. Additionally, it offers most malware patches and advice on common viruses for the average user. Kaspersky’s encyclopedia on software vulnerabilities and the hacker community is quite advanced for those starting to review the Dark Web.

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