The January 9, 2018 Dark Cyber Explains Trovicor Intercept Capabilities

The January 9, 2017, DarkCyber video news program is now available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress. (The video is also available on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/249649665.)

The Dark Cyber program (produced by Stephen E Arnold, Beyond Search, and HonkinNews) for January 9, 2017, explains how Trovicor’s IPF collects and analyzes a range of information. This low-profile company, based in Germany, provides lawful intercept technology to more than 35 countries. The company’s robust system has the capability of monitoring the data flows resulting from the actions of a single individual to the actions of a a much larger group of suspected bad actors. Trovicor sells and licenses its technologies to governments, not commercial enterprises.

Stephen E Arnold, author of “Dark Web Notebook”, said: “Bad actors often have a flawed understanding of the capabilities of specialized software, systems, and platforms available to investigators and intelligence professionals. Trovicor’s capabilities---particularly the company’s ability to pinpoint the digital activities of one person or a group of suspected bad actors---should be a wake up call to wrongdoers. Technology provides enforcement professionals with mechanisms for prosecuting those who break the law.”

The January 9, 2017, video answers a frequently asked question about the Dark Web: “Can a person buy an automatic weapon on a Dark Web contraband site?” The answer is provided by the US Government Accountability Office. The GAO studied more than 70 Dark Web merchants offering weapons. More than 15 percent were outright scams, but other vendors were set up to do business and sell in exchange for digital currencies. There are barriers; for example, delivery. The Dark Cyber video provides details and a link to the GAO report.

Dark Web drug markets thrive despite increased pressure from government authorities in Western Europe, the UK, and elsewhere. The reason is simple economics. The cat-and-mouse game means that when one drug site is taken down by law enforcement, another drug site opens. Dark Cyber reports that online drug buyers seek sources of contraband despite the risks of legal action.

Dark Cyber also explains how Dark Web drug economics encourages bad actors to open contraband Web sites despite law enforcement crackdowns. This week’s program answers the question, “Can a person buy an automatic weapon on the Dark Web?” The research conducted by the US Government Accountability Office provided the answer. The study reported that 15 percent of weapon offers were scams, a surprisingly low number if the data are accurate.

About Stephen E Arnold

Mr. Arnold is a former executive at Halliburton Nuclear and Booz, Allen & Hamilton. He was one of the individuals who developed the Threat Open Source Intelligence Gateway, an information service for US law enforcment and intelligence professionals. He is the author of the best-selling “Dark Web Notebook.” (Information is available at www.xenky.com/darkwebnotebook). He also wrote CyberOSINT: Next Generation Information Access and three monographs about Google’s technology. Although semi-retired, he provides service to selected organizations worldwide. He is a featured speaker at the Telestrategies ISS conferences.

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