Social Links
How OSINT Can Reinforce Dark Web Investigations

Year by year, new ways of online communication and exchanging information emerge. Due to this, more and more personal data has become publicly available. In the meantime, the volume of data breaches and illicit activities is exponentially growing. This applies to not only the Internet but the Dark Web sector as well which has become a real threat to society. This creates a higher demand for open-source intelligence (OSINT) solutions and makes them especially important for cybersecurity professionals.

OSINT tools help collect, process, and analyse information from open sources. Due to their use, it has become possible to significantly boost investigation, prevent current or potential risks, and secure both businesses and individuals. Just as cybercriminals are finding new ways to commit crimes, security professionals are developing new techniques to counteract these new threats. Consequently, OSINT now immensely impacts multiple areas, including cybersecurity, threat intelligence, corporate security, incident response, and darknet monitoring.

Meet Social Links, a company revolutionising the world of open data. With more than 500 open sources, Social Links makes it possible to analyse data from Surface, Deep, and the Dark Web. Its products drastically speed up the entire investigation process that once required a large team and a considerable amount of time to complete. Social Links plays a vital role in fighting cybercrime, brand impersonation, data breaches, and illicit activities on the Dark Web.

Since there is a high level of monitoring on regular websites, a significant portion of criminal activity online currently occurs on the Dark Web. The combination of a cryptographically concealed platform and an anonymous digital payment system has allowed darknet marketplaces to flourish, attracting a huge influx of both vendors and customers. Facts speak louder than words; by 2020, income from darknet markets had exceeded $2 billion. In this context, it’s hard to deny the untraceable nature of the Dark Web.

Despite the challenges this shady sector possesses and perceived anonymity, Social Links’ tools can scan darknet sources to find the needed information. “Unlike other solutions, we can connect data from the Dark Web with data from open sources to complete a full puzzle of investigation,” says Ivan Shkvarun, co-founder, Social Links. In essence, it becomes easier and quicker to de-anonymise users and solve crimes.

Social Links’ flagship product, SL Professional, is designed to help specialists efficiently analyse and visualise information from a wide range of darknet sources to solve various cases related to data leaks, illegal trade, and financial fraud. For instance, with its help, it’s possible to detect data breaches and see where they were already sold to prevent future risks, restore sensitive information, and protect a company’s reputation.
Another widespread case is the fight against illegal marketplaces (like Hydra). SL Professional allows for analysing the activity of malicious actors and completing their full digital footprint based on their actions in the Dark Web and open sources. The latter includes activity in messengers (Telegram), social media (Facebook, Instagram), as well as data from blockchain transactions and corporate sources. This cross-platform analysis plays a crucial role in combating illicit activities.

Social Links always stays abreast of emerging technologies to improve current features and add new ones. Recently, it launched the ChatGPT functionality, making investigations even handier. This includes text summarisation, general sentiment analysis, subject classification, and object sentiment analysis. By deploying it, the whole data analysis of the Dark Web becomes even more convenient.

Since the criminal world is constantly changing and evolving, there is always a need for powerful solutions. This is why Social Links continues to stay on top to provide top-notch solutions to fight illicit activities and protect the security of corporate data. Leveraging OSINT technologies, investigators from various sectors can shine a light on darknet activities and actors to gain crucial insights, transform cases, and accelerate work processes.