NeedleStack: Recent Episodes
Matt Ashburn, Authentic8
Every Tuesday, former White House CISO and CIA cybersecurity officer Matt Ashburn sits down with tech industry veteran Jeff Phillips. The pair discuss tips, tricks and insights to the practice of online research. Whether you’re an OSINT expert or online research just comes with the job, tune in to learn how to hone your skills, improve efficiency and protect yourself as you search the surface, deep and dark web.
From Authentic8, creators of Silo for Research. Visit authentic8.com/needlestack for episode details, register to watch live shows or be part of our listener Q&As!
In this episode of NeedleStack, host AJ Nash welcomes new co-host Kacper Piwowar to tackle the growing threat of deepfakes and synthetic media. They explore how AI has made impersonation cheap and easy, with more than 100 million fake profiles on Meta platforms alone and deepfake losses projected to hit $40 billion by 2027. The sobering reality: Only 24.5% of people can accurately detect AI-generated content, making everyone from individuals to investigators vulnerable.
AJ and Kacper discuss practical protection strategies and introduce a paradigm shift in fighting deepfakes. They cover the balance between necessary digital presence and privacy protection, implications for OSINT professionals, and why effective security education must meet people where they are.
In this (very timely) episode of NeedleStack, host AJ Nash and guest Kevin Uniacke from Seerist discuss securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
They explore how intelligence professionals break down massive security challenges across multiple countries, the differences in threat environments between venues, and why organized crime is actually more predictable than random threats. Kevin shares insights on the intelligence cycle, stakeholder requirements, and how to deliver actionable intelligence products. The conversation covers travel safety for attendees, the role of AI in open-source intelligence, and practical preparation tips including site surveys and emergency planning.
They also discuss why transparency in intelligence sources matters and the importance of expert analysis over social media rumors.
Integrating security into our daily lives can feel overwhelming. From password management to encryption, it’s easy to feel frustrated. Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash share our experiences navigating security in our personal and professional lives. They discuss practical strategies like how to choose your seat in a restaurant for safety and the importance of encryption. Remember, security isn’t just a job; it’s a lifestyle. Finding the right balance is key, and it’s okay to have slip-ups along the way.
In this episode, hosts Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash engage with cybersecurity expert John DiMaggio to explore the complexities of ransomware negotiation. They discuss the process of responding to ransomware attacks, the stakeholders involved, and the legal and ethical considerations that companies face when deciding whether to pay a ransom. The conversation delves into the tactics used by ransomware groups, the importance of understanding target selection, and the role of insurance in these scenarios. Additionally, they highlight the need for standards in negotiation practices and preventative measures that organizations can take to mitigate risks. The episode concludes with a discussion on the future of ransomware negotiation and the importance of having knowledgeable advisors in the field.
NeedleStack hosts, AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi engage with Roman Sannikov a seasoned expert in cyber threat intelligence, to explore the complexities of the dark web. The conversation delves into the myths surrounding the dark web, the community dynamics within cybercrime, and the professionalization of criminal enterprises. Roman shares insights on how trust and reputation are managed in these underground communities, the barriers to entry for new members, and the human element that often gets overlooked in discussions about cybercriminals.
In this episode of NeedleStack, hosts AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi engage with John Costello, a director at WireScreen, to discuss the complexities of China's strategic competition with the United States. The conversation covers China's technological advancements, the implications of its five-year plans, challenges in intelligence gathering, and the dynamics of military-civil fusion. The discussion also touches on the importance of due diligence for businesses engaging with Chinese companies and the role of Chinese students in U.S. education.
In this episode, the hosts discuss the implications of surveillance technology and AI on intelligence, journalism, and civil liberties. They explore the dual nature of surveillance as both a tool for security and a potential threat to privacy. The conversation delves into the challenges posed by misinformation, the importance of expertise in navigating these issues, and the ethical considerations surrounding the use of surveillance technology. The episode concludes with reflections on the future of journalism and the role of AI in shaping public perception and trust.
In this episode of Needlestack, hosts AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi delve into the complexities of disappearing online, drawing insights from their experiences and the book 'The Art of Invisibility' by Kevin Mitnick. They discuss practical steps for maintaining anonymity, the role of technology in obfuscation, and the challenges of creating and sustaining multiple identities. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on privacy and the importance of understanding personal risks in a digital world. Through engaging anecdotes and expert insights, the hosts provide a comprehensive overview of the art of invisibility in today's interconnected society.
In this episode, hosts Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash engage with Neil Ysart, a seasoned expert in cyber investigations and open source intelligence (OSINT). They discuss the Coalition of Cyber Investigators, its role in promoting OSINT, and the importance of establishing standards in the field. The conversation delves into the challenges and risks associated with OSINT, emphasizing the need for ethical practices and the potential dangers of unregulated citizen intelligence efforts. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to advocate for the development of global standards in OSINT.
In this episode, Michael DeBolt joins Robert Vamosi and AJ Nash to dive into the world of Cyber HUMINT — the application of traditional human intelligence (HUMINT) tradecraft in cyberspace. They discuss how investigators use digital personas (sometimes called “sock puppets”) to infiltrate online threat actor communities, collect intelligence, and even engage adversaries safely. Michael explains how credibility, language, slang, and cultural nuance are essential to blending in, while AJ highlights the risks of untrained amateurs attempting such operations. They explore the art, ethics, and operational security challenges of conducting human intelligence in the digital realm.
In this episode, AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi discuss the challenges posed by misinformation and the rise of AI-generated content. They explore the evolution of journalism, the impact of social media on information consumption, and the importance of critical thinking and media literacy. The conversation also touches on the role of AI in content creation, the balance between technology and human oversight, and the potential positive aspects of AI technology. Ultimately, they emphasize the need for source verification and the ongoing struggle to navigate the post-truth era.
In this episode of NeedleStack, hosts AJ Nash and Robert Vamosi engage with James Villenueve, a geospatial intelligence expert, to explore the world of GEOINT and its intersection with open source intelligence (OSINT). They discuss the importance of understanding geospatial data, the ethical implications of its use, and the challenges of protecting personal information in a data-rich environment. The conversation also highlights positive applications of geospatial intelligence, including environmental monitoring and humanitarian efforts, while addressing the risks associated with data misuse and the evolving role of AI in the field.
Jason Baker from the Guidepoint Research & Intelligence Team (GRIT) shares his background and provides insights into ransomware attribution, the challenges of defending against ransomware, and the implications of AI in ransomware operations.
How can Intelligence benefit financial sectors? It can address challenges like sanctions, data privacy, and cryptocurrency. Teresa Walsh highlights the importance of collaboration, the role of AI in intelligence, and the necessity to professionalize intelligence roles in the private sector. The conversation also delves into building mature and unified intelligence programs, emphasizing the need for a Chief Intelligence Officer role in any organization.
Ultimately, GenAI has the potential to create jobs in areas like data science and cybersecurity, but only if it is integrated responsibly. However, the consensus today is that AI should remain a just tool for analysts, not a direct decision-maker, until reliability and trust in its outputs significantly improve.
About Brian FullerBrian A. Fuller is Director of Operations for the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences at Mercyhurst University, a position he assumed in December 2019. As the Director of Operations, Fuller supports all operations related to the academic curriculum or Ridge College activities. This includes working as the Director for the Center of Intelligence Research, Analysis and Training (CIRAT) and Director of the Innovation Entente Lab (IEL). Previously, he served as a Senior Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) instructor for the Department of the Army’s OSINT Office, where he was charged with overseeing the Army’s OSINT training program for the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions. He trained Army intelligence professionals at the strategic, tactical, and special operations levels. He managed the training curriculum, personnel, financial, and administrative affairs of the program while participating as a subject matter expert in the intelligence communities’ OSINT program and operational development working groups, ensuring the continued growth of the discipline and associated tradecraft and technologies.
Robert and AJ went to Hacker Summer Camp. What’s that? It’s a week of conferences such as Black Hat USA, BSidesLV, the Dianna Initiative, Squadcom, and of course DEF CON. Find out what’s relevant for the intelligence community during this first week in August annual event.
From street cop to OSINT expert, Nico Dekens aka “the Dutch OSINT Guy” shares his incredible journey and insights. Discover the evolution of OSINT and the challenges of integrating AI in intelligence collection and analysis.
Sometimes, when a Hollywood actor stars in a blockbuster film or a hit TV show, or when an athlete wins the Super Bowl, their personal problems begin with scandalous photos, property theft, even death threats. That’s where OSINT can help them stay one step ahead.
About Chad BrockwayChad Brockway, President of the Intelligence Operations Division at Edgeworth Security, is an industry expert in the fields of digital intelligence investigations and methodologies where he leverages his extensive background in intelligence, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, federal law enforcement and cyber operations to provide unique services and lectures to the professional and education industry.
Chad has worked across multiple federal law enforcement and national security agencies both within the United States as well as in cooperation with foreign government and law enforcement partners.
During his time with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Chad served with the Special Technologies and Applications Section (STAS) where he oversaw multiple intelligence and cyber programs, personnel, and resources. Additionally, Chad served as the Deputy Watch Center Director for the Department of Defense Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA) agency and as a Military Police Officer in the Marine Corps where he was assigned to the Marine One Helicopter Squadron and the White House Liaison Office under the Clinton and Bush administrations.
There are OSINT tools that mirror or provide workarounds for hidden social media posts. Join us as we talk with an investigator who really knows his way around the internet, dark web, social platforms and more.
AJ and Robert explore the shadowy side of AI — how some users are becoming addicted, confiding in it like a personal therapist and then gaining confidence to take risky actions in their lives and at work. They discuss what this could mean for insider threats and the broader impact on security.
Anna discusses her career trajectory from corporate security and financial crimes to becoming the CEO of Pine Risk Management. She shares her experiences in conducting complex risk assessments, fraud detection, and crisis communications, particularly highlighting her role at Meta where she led Silicon Valley's largest physical red team.
An OSINT Arabic instructor and geopolitical risk expert joins the show to discuss what can get lost in translation when performing OSINT investigations. Plus learn how cultural knowledge can unlock key insights.
About Paolo Walcher
Paolo Walcher is a leading OSINT trainer and security consultant, recognized for his expertise in Arabic-language investigations, geopolitical risk, and strategic intelligence. With a background in counterterrorism and crisis management, Paolo delivers advanced OSINT training to law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies on both national and international levels.
At i-intelligence GmbH, he equips private and governmental organizations with the tools to navigate complex security environments, specializing in Arabic OSINT and Middle East-focused research. Formerly a Security Business Intelligence Analyst at BMW Group, he provided strategic insights on global threats, including the war in Ukraine, supporting corporate decision-making and conflict monitoring.
Paolo holds a B.A. in Safety and Security Management and an M.Sc. in Crisis and Security Management from Leiden University, with a specialization in the Governance of Radicalism, Extremism, and Terrorism. His work spans illicit networks, military conflict analysis, and supply chain security. As a Bellingcat volunteer, he has contributed to civilian harm verification and human rights investigations—and continues to explore the full potential of OSINT as a force for accountability and justice in the human rights space.
Fluent in English, German, and Italian, Paolo brings a cultural lens to OSINT, advocating for the ethical use of AI in intelligence gathering while emphasizing the enduring value of human-led analysis. His passion for maritime OSINT, regional dynamics, and investigative training makes him a key voice in the future of open-source intelligence.
Ransomware groups continue to generate significant profits, frequently relying on recycled or leaked code—leading researchers to describe them as “lazy.” OSINT analysts follow cryptocurrency transactions to trace financial trails, while effective defense depends on early detection, system-level visibility, and staying alert to shifts in attacker techniques.
Discover how AI is revolutionizing OSINT, from speeding up data collection to generating comprehensive reports, while also addressing the challenges and ethical considerations. Hosts AJ and Robert dive deep with Lance James, discussing real-world insights and the potential for misuse.
A librarian and an OSINT analyst may have more in common than you realize. That’s how Tracy Maleeff found her way into cyber and made a name as InfoSec Sherpa.
From government to private enterprise, counterintelligence can unlock big benefits in cybersecurity. We sit down with a counterintelligence professional to define the practice, and how everyone can benefit by employing it.
Meet the new hosts of NeedleStack. Robert Vamosi is a CISSP and award-winning journalist. AJ Nash has two decades of experience in the Intelligence community. Together they will host new episodes of NeedleStack, with an array of amazing guests.
Jacob Lloyd, head of investigations at Animal Welfare Investigations Project, has been putting OSINT skills to use to stop organized animal crime — dogfights, puppy mills, badger baiting and more. Jacob discusses how these crimes are often neglected by law enforcement due to lack of training and are thus dealt with reactively. He explains how to leverage pedigree sites, social media and other online sources to proactively investigate animal crime and save animals from this horrible fate.
Key takeaways
- What pedigree sites can tell you about fighting dogs and their owners
- How prevalent information on organized animal crime is on the surface web
- How to get involved with Animal Welfare Investigations Project
From influence operations and Telegram to using marketing tools for OSINT insights, our guest gives pro tips on OSINT and cyber investigations for professional practitioners.
Key takeaways
- Digital forensics incident response
- Cyberthreat and OSINT crossover
- Marketing tools for OSINT
In this episode, we sit down with cyber threat analyst and SANS OSINT instructor, Steven Harris. Steven discusses how Telegram is a must-use channel for investigating the war in Ukraine, and why cyber threat actors are flocking to the app.
Key Takeaways
- SOCMINT from law enforcement to cyber threats
- Investigating on Telegram
- Why Telegram allows cyber threat actors a lower barrier to entry
Alex Lozano of Cybergy joins us to discuss how he uses OSINT and social media to protect executive clients, resources for his cyber students at University of Barcelona and the best tools for real-time monitoring.
Key takeaways
- How to use OSINT for executive protection
- Resources for students and OSINT newbies
- Tools for real-time monitoring
Language can limit or expand your worldview. That’s important to remember in OSINT where what you’re able to find and analyze can greatly affect the intelligence you build. Skip Schiphorst, OSINT instructor at i-Intelligence, shares his expertise on why even baseline knowledge of a foreign language is important in a world flush with translation services; how foreign language content can counteract bias; and tips for verifying automated translations.
Key takeaways
- You can find a lot more online than you may think by using foreign languages — even those using non-Latin characters
- You don’t need to be a ninja with years of training to find foreign content online, or outsource everything to language experts
- Know the basics of OSINT, be critical and be patient when searching online in a foreign language
MJ Banias discusses how one man’s late-night OpSec fail is an OSINTer’s treasure. If that’s too salacious for you, we also talk about how awesome newspaper archives and librarians are.
Journalists, academics and NGOs face unprecedented levels of threats in real life and in the digital world. With limited resources, they often lack secure methods to collect OSINT. That’s why a digital investigations platform is being offered pro bono as part of a larger CISA initiative.
An analysts from DarkOwl joins us to discuss dark web research and all its facets. From AI and other trends on the dark web, to operational security, learn how to turn on the light beneath the surface of the internet.
How can I get in? Steve Stasiukonis knows the power OSINT brings to this crucial pen testing question. From uncovering who to pose as, what to wear and how to forge a badge, OSINT can be the key you need to unlock a client's physical security. Steve also discusses the gold mine OSINT brings to cyber pen tests and what CTI pros need to know before going on the dark web.
We go behind the scenes with Jon DiMaggio of Ransomware Diaries. As the chief security strategist at Analyst 1, Jon has conducted in-depth investigations of ransomware groups, including the famed Lockbit gang. He tells us the open-source tactics he uses and how cyber threats can take a mental toll.
Bullsh*t Hunting creators Justin Seitz and Some Lawyer share their tips on how OSINT and legal investigation tactics can benefit one another. They talk about their series “The Hunt” as it examines suspicious legal proceedings and possible wrongful convictions. Plus we dive deep into public records requests with tips of how to get the information you need.
Cybersecurity is rife with technological solutions, but as security researcher John Hammond knows all too well, it’s people that make the difference. Hear how people make or break security intel, both as researchers and threat actors. We’ll talk sock puppets, the role of OSINT for your own OPSEC and intelligence building, cybergang leaders as businessmen and more. Plus we’ll dive into John’s recent OSINT work on the ScreenConnect vulnerabilities and how they’re being leveraged in the wild.
Do you wish you had more training opportunities or just chances to flex your OSINT skills? We’re hosting a big event this month where we’ll talk ways to level up your tradecraft, training opportunities, take-home tips and more.
There are many paths to OSINT — one of them is through training programs and online resources! Aubrey and Shannon break down what’s available, what’s free (or not) to keep you abreast of how you can gain and further your OSINT skills.
Propublica reporter and author of the Digital Investigations newsletter, Craig Silverman joins the podcast to discuss disinformation trends on social media platforms, elections around the world in 2024 and what journalists and OSINT investigators can learn from each other.
DefCon speaker and host of DoingFedTime on YouTube, Sam Bent joins the podcast to shine light on operational security concerns on the dark web. The reformed darknet marketplace seller shares insights and advice for best practices when investigating on the dark web.
Ritu Gill, or @OSINTtechniques as she’s known online, joins the podcast to give tips for social media intelligence gathering. What are the little-known platforms to look at and how do you gather safely? Tune in to hear the tips.
The chief investigations officer of the National Child Protection Task Force shares the tools and methods he trains law enforcement on, how he protects his mental health in a such a devastating field and the latest platforms and technology to stay on top of.
Jessica Smith, president and founder of ClickSafe intelligence and special investigations lead with the National Child Protection Task Force, joins the podcast to dispel misconceptions about child protection. From who is being targeted to where and how, Jessica Smith shares how misinformation about child exploitation can derail investigations, and how OSINT helps pave the way for child protection.
We discuss recent Bellingcat reports on whether AI has the capability to reliably identify AI. The reporter and fellow shares his research on AI for OSINT and the results.
We talk to an OSINT professional about what he learned when he applied his daytime skills to a moonlighting hobby. On YouTube, Gary Ruddell shares 3-minute tips, geolocates scenes from movies and shares the OSINT discipline he learned from the U.K. military with hobbyists and practitioners just starting out.
Producers Aubrey and Shannon review the latest articles and research on using AI in OSINT. Should you consider using AI chatbots in research now or in the future? And if so, how can you do so securely and with verification in mind?
Key takeaways
- AI chatbots aren’t great at OSINT right now, but they might be one day
- Verification is key
- You need an access policy
References from the show
- Criminals Have Created Their Own ChatGPT Clones from Wired
- Can AI Chatbots Be Used for Geolocation? from Bellingcat
- Best practices for creating a dark web access policy
How can researchers keep up with all the changes in the OSINT landscape? From AI to constantly shifting social media platforms, Neil Spencer from LifeRaft gives tips for how to adapt and optimize your OSINT practice.
Key takeaways
- How AI has evolved
- Massive shifts on social media platforms
- Threat verification
About Neil Spencer
Neil Spencer is the director of market strategy and partnerships at LifeRaft. With more than twenty years in the security industry, Neil has worked with both corporate and government clients to implement technology that addresses the evolving threat landscape. His work at LifeRaft focuses on leveraging the wealth of online data sources, trends and new technologies to enhance threat intelligence in the security sector.
Further reading
- 5 tips for conduction OSINT on alt-social media platforms
- Unveiling digital vulnerabilities: the intersection of cyber & physical security
- 9 best OSINT software tools for Telegram
As analysts assess how AI could improve their workflow, Babel Street is presenting technology that can help border agents better name-match terrorist watchlist to travelers. Declan Trezise, vice president of global solutions engineering, joins the show to discuss how AI can create more seamless borders for agents and innocent travelers.
Key takeaways
- Digitization and the future of borders
- Name–matching technology for terrorism watchlists
- Creating faster, seamless travel for citizens
About Declan Trezise
Declan Trezise is the Vice President of Global Solutions Engineering for Babel Street, and he is based out of the UK. He has many years of experience working out the thorniest problems of converting unstructured text into actionable insight, and communicating complex technical solutions to audiences at all levels and walks of life — from international royalty and heads of state to rock stars.
References from the show
- AI-enhanced border security
- Babel Street
Everyone is talking about using AI for OSINT, but what are the ethical considerations before you fire up your first chat? Before you start feeding a machine learning model your data and relying on it’s results, our guest from Fivecast tells us what you should consider.
Key takeaways
- ChatGPT has built-in biases (just like humans)
- Understand the human toll behind machine learning
- How to use AI responsibly
About Trent Lewis
Trent is part of the Fivecast Data Science team and leads efforts in natural language processing of OSINT data and the evaluation of the Fivecast Risk Detectors. Prior to joining Fivecast in 2021, Trent was an academic at Flinders University (2005-2021) teaching and researching in databases, programming and machine learning. With a background in cognitive science, Trent has a PhD in Audio-Visual Speech Processing that explored the use of multi-modal data sources to improve the classification of speech.
References from the show
- Responsible use of AI
- Analyzing online communities
- Leveraging AI for counter terrorism industry brief
- Fivecast
Wondering how to incorporate AI into your OSINT framework? We asked the CEO and founder of the popular training organization, OSINT Combine.
Key takeaways
- How can OSINT researchers leverage generative AI?
- Tips for spotting disinformation in an AI world
- Teaching ChatGPT your company datasets
About Chris Poulter
Chris is the Founder & CEO of OSINT Combine who are leaders in open-source intelligence training and software with support to counter-human trafficking, counter-terrorism, law enforcement and other strategically important efforts around the world. He spent over a decade in the Australian Defense Force with extensive operational experience around the world. He has an established background working in military and law enforcement environments domestically and overseas, with proven outcomes in developing open-source intelligence capability to multi-national teams that service strategic and operational objectives where the cyber, human and physical terrain overlap. Additionally, he is the creator of NexusXplore, a leading OSINT software platform that is trusted globally in supporting complex mission sets in the open-source environment.
References from the show
- OSINT Combine
- Nexus Xplore
- Australian OSINT Symposium
- Connect with Chris
We’re handing the mic over to our friends at Talking Threat Intelligence, a podcast by LifeRaft today. On the show, they had our very own Daniel Ben-Chitrit on to discuss the security implications of ChatGPT, how it could be used by phishing scammers to up their skills and the safest way for OSINT researchers to prompt AI.
Key takeaways
- Security implications of ChatGPT
- “A force multiplier” for phishing scammers
- The safest way for OSINT researchers to prompt AI
About Talking Threat Intelligence
Talking Threat Intelligence explores the intersection of OSINT and risk management. Each episode breaks down emerging threats that could impact an organization, insights into the latest technologies that can enhance security operations and tips for exploiting threat intelligence to keep your staff, assets and customers safe.
References from the show
- Listen to Talking Threat Intelligence
- LifeRaft
- Find Dan on LinkedIn
We sit down with the author of the new OSINT reference book Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, Rae Baker. Baker is an expert in OSINT with an emphasis on maritime intelligence, analyzing vessels and ports around the world. In this episode, she shares tips from her book, blog and career, and we explore her one-of-a-kind OSINT training game, Kase Scenarios.
Not his real name, but there’s real fun to be had learning how JoseMonkey geolocates videos on his wildly popular TikTok channel. Hear the tools, techniques and process he uses to pinpoint even the trickiest videos, the wildest things he’s seen and how this supersleuth got into the GEOINT game.
We attended USGIF’s GEOINT Symposium so you don’t have to (but you should – it’s great). NeedleStack producers Aubrey and Shannon break down the geospatial intelligence conference (and its many, many acronyms) and the presence of OSINT on the floor, in keynotes and the Innovation Hub. If you’re an open-source researcher, tune in to understand what’s out there and how to leverage this adjacent INT.
Key takeaways
- What skills are needed in geospatial intelligence organizations and how OSINT skills can translate
- Layering GEOINT and OSINT to synthesize and communicate intelligence
- The wide world of use cases for GEOINT
In this episode, our guest brings more than 30 years of experience from the Department of Defense to the conversation. James A. Samuel, Jr. is now in the private sector working as an entrepreneur in the GEOINT space, using his military knowledge to create apps that use location data to protect safety.
As commercial satellites increase and technology advances, what does the future of geospatial intelligence look like? We ask our guest to explain the basics of GEOINT, where it’s headed and how other industries can utilize one of the most fascinating -INTs.
Abbi Dobbertin of Fivecast and Adam Huenke join the podcast to talk hot takes. As tradecraft and training leads, respectively, and years of OSINT practitioner experience between them, they’ve come to form opinions on some of OSINT’s more heated topics.
Producers Shannon and Aubrey attend the 2023 Symposium on Open Source, Social Media and National Security. They discuss highlights, panel topics and advice for people hoping to break into a career in OSINT, INFOSEC and NATSEC.
This week, a high school criminology teacher joins the podcast to discuss how teaching open-source research helped engage his students during distant learning. In the classroom, OSINT can show students the power of open-source information and serves as a cautionary tale for sharing personally identifiable information online.
Our guest is a former FBI investigator and current university professor who has tips for practitioners in every industry. From the protocol before you log on to conduct OSINT research to the resources and reporting, here are the tips for approaching your OSINT like law enforcement.
A founding member of the OSINT Curious Project joins us to give practical tips and advice for researchers. We discuss tools, tradecraft and trends with Micah Hoffman.
The president of the OSMOSIS Association and host of OSINT Cocktail, Cynthia Navarro, joins the podcast to discuss how creating a community of open-source researchers had allowed her to learn from others and hone her skills.
The times they are a’changing. Open-source intelligence was once the lesser celebrated branch and now makes up the bulk of analytical reporting. Our guest tells how the federal government is changing its views on OSINT.
The director of the soon-to-open Open-Source Intelligence Laboratory of University of Albany joins the podcast to discuss the definition of OSINT and how his students will research its effect on society.
It’s a new year and as researchers work to hit their goals, we want to revisit some of our most important advice for securely investigating online. It’s time to take stock of your security hygiene and revisit how your digital fingerprint may be getting in the way of finding the data you need.
Watch when Jack Rhysider of Darknet Diaries shares his amazement at what hackers will do “for a free burrito,” or the moment Rob Fuller, a read team and CTI director, condemns security awareness training. From journalists to OSINT investigators to dark web experts, here are some of the best moments we shared with guests last season.
Our second book club episode features essential reading for threat intelligence. New York Times reporter, Nicole Perloth, gives a history of the zero-day market and how it has changed the cyber weapons arms race. Learn how this market was created and what it means for future cyber defense.
This special edition of NeedleStack features a must-read for open-source researchers, We Are Bellingcat by Eliot Higgins. Our producer Shannon discusses what she learned from the founder of Bellingcat’s tell-all and how researchers can learn from the organization’s practices.
In this episode, an expert OSINT practitioner from both government and private sector practices joins to share hands-on tips from in the field. He also shares what the students of Center for Intelligence and Research and Training are learning from their real-world client experiences.
Authoritarian regimes create propaganda and disinformation, in part, by blocking citizens’ access to traditional news sources. In this episode, co-founder of Samizdat Online, Yevgeny Simkin, walks us through how their program works in partnership with outlets to syndicate articles to bypass censorship in Russia and other countries — to get citizens and researchers the information they need.
Authoritarian regimes create propaganda and disinformation, in part, by blocking citizens’ access to traditional news sources. In this episode, co-founder of Samizdat Online, Yevgeny Simkin, walks us through how their program works in partnership with outlets to syndicate articles to bypass censorship in Russia and other countries — to get citizens and researchers the information they need.
Nick Hardinges from the Reuters fact-checking team joins the podcast to walk us through how to go about debunking information online, from deciding what’s worth covering to why grainy images should make you skeptical. Ultimately, fact-checking takes time, persistence and a healthy dose of intrigue.
Key takeaways
- Know these telltale signs of doctored content
- Check your sources
- Do some digging on what you see
About Nick
Nick Hardinges is a former digital news editor and current fact-checker for Reuters, whose job is to find harmful, widely circulating and topical misinformation, and then address those claims in articles directly responding to the claims being made. Nick’s main focus is on setting the record straight on social media but to sometimes address claims from elsewhere, such as outright lies in politics, or damaging conclusions reached in unscientific ‘research’ papers.
Where to find Nick
- @NickHardinges
- FIFA COVID misinformation story
- Spotting the difference between legitimate videos and satire
Nick Hardinges from the Reuters fact-checking team joins the podcast to walk us through how to go about debunking information online, from deciding what’s worth covering to why grainy images should make you skeptical. Ultimately, fact-checking takes time, persistence and a healthy dose of intrigue.
Key takeaways
- Know these telltale signs of doctored content
- Check your sources
- Do some digging on what you see
About Nick
Nick Hardinges is a former digital news editor and current fact-checker for Reuters, whose job is to find harmful, widely circulating and topical misinformation, and then address those claims in articles directly responding to the claims being made. Nick’s main focus is on setting the record straight on social media but to sometimes address claims from elsewhere, such as outright lies in politics, or damaging conclusions reached in unscientific ‘research’ papers.
Where to find Nick
- @NickHardinges
- FIFA COVID misinformation story
- Spotting the difference between legitimate videos and satire
Social media and traditional media overlap now more than ever, with social media providing an opportunity to reach and resonate with new audiences – for better or worse. Rachel Baig knows this intersection well. As a social media journalist and trainer for Deutsche Welle, she knows the ins and outs of not only using social to identify a great story but also how to spot a fake one. In this episode, Rachel breaks down important lessons from her training to understand media spoofs, verify images and videos, spot tell-tale signs of bots and more.
Fact-checkers’ biggest nemesis is the proliferation of disinformation in the digital age. Chris Paul joins the episode to talk about Russian propaganda and disinformation techniques. Why are they so effective? Is it skill or just an innate vulnerability for humans to want to believe what they see? Chris Paul walks us through his research from the technical to the psychological.
The intersection of open-source information, disinformation, social media and journalism has spawned a new breed of investigator. Meet Brecht Castel, fact-checking journalist and OSINT aficionado. In this episode, Brecht shares his advice on how to be good at both. Learn how his background as a journalist helps him dig deeper, beyond “hashtag OSINT” and get the bigger story. And how his passion for OSINT has led down many interesting paths — from locating one tree in the whole of Africa to explaining why a mosquito with a number on its back is not part of Bill Gates’ plan for world domination (or even a mosquito, for that matter).
Mis- and disinformation abound on social media. But as violating users are deplatformed from mainstream sites, they’ve become hyper-concentrated on alternative social media where anything goes. We sit down with Dr. Welton Chang, CEO and co-founder of Pyrra Technologies, to discuss how AI/ML is helping researchers zero-in on disinformation, domestic extremism, hate speech and more, and understand how to counteract it.
Fact-checking can be seen as the undoing of a story, tearing apart the salacious tidbits to get at the bloody — or perhaps just boring — truth. In this episode, veteran journalist and lead of AFP's award-winning digital verification team in Africa, Nina Lamparski, sits down in the NeedleStack guest seat to discuss fact-checking and debunking in the age of misinformation, how local media consumption habits impact her work, fact-checking in election cycles and more.
From a love of Tom Clancy novels to military intelligence to “the ivory tower” of industry analysts, Rick Holland’s road to Digital Shadow’s CISO taught him many lessons along the way. Rick shares his advice for building an intel team, including: avoid homogenous groups; take time to strategize — and follow — processes for OSINT collection on the surface, deep and dark (or derp) web; and remember the importance of human relationships even in the tech-heavy world of threat intelligence.
OSINT is a powerful tool to identify vulnerabilities in your organization. But with all the information out there, how do you zero-in on the data you need quickly? In this episode, host and former CISO Matt Ashburn gives his advice on go-to resources, where to automate, how to truly gain an outside perspective and tradecraft considerations.
After spending 22 years in the U.S. Air Force building the branch’s cyber presence worldwide and reshaping its cyber curriculum, Lance Taylor now applies his background to the private sector. From lessons he’s learned along the way to the best tools for the job, Lance tells us how companies can improve their intel.
Without the right appreciation for intelligence, organizations may be hiring themselves into a problem. Vice President of Intelligence at ZeroFox A.J. Nash sits down with NeedleStack to discusses the fundamentals of intelligence, how to build and lead the best teams, and why as analysts doing the easy thing may be doing the best thing.
In Episode 20 we interview Rob Fuller, the Red Team and CTI director for a major U.S. airline. Rob discusses why he thinks hacking your own team to find weaknesses can be fun and how his military background led him to cyber security.
In this listeners live episode, Matt answers questions from the audience that have come up over our dark web episodes. Get sage advice on safely accessing the dark web without running afoul of policy, blockchain analysis (or the lack thereof with Monero), how to use PGP encryption to communicate with dark web actors and more.
The surprising identity behind some of the internet’s most nefarious hacks and why sometimes criminals are more willing to talk than victims of a crime, we discuss the dark side of the web with Darknet Diaries host Jack Rhysider.
Eileen Ormsby has chatted with drug lords, been threatened by purported hitmen and written books about The Silk Road. Her investigative journalism led her to the dark web, where she has been reporting her findings ever since.
Michael James of the https://osintcurio.us/ (OSINT Curious Project) joins the podcast to give expert tips on conducting dark web research. From GitHub tools to Discord resources— Michael has practical guidance on finding information in the dark. Key topics: Misconceptions about OSINT and the dark web Strategies and resources for conducting dark web research Examples of Michael’s successful investigations leveraging the dark web How the shift to dark web v3 impacts your research Opsec considerations
Resources mentioned in this episode: https://www.hunch.ly/ (Hunchly) https://ahmia.fi/ (Ahmia) https://tails.boum.org/ (Tails OS) https://www.echosec.net/ (Echosec)
In this episode, podcast contributor Adam Huenke discusses how to investigate financial crimes on the dark web. How do stolen credit card numbers affect the victim of theft, the institution and those who investigate fraud? Tune in to hear all about it.
There’s a (false) assumption that cryptocurrency is inherently anonymous, concealing the identity of those who use it. But in fact, crypto has been used in countless investigations to unmask criminals and bring them to justice. We sit down with Matt Price, former IRS-CI special agent and current head of investigations and intelligence at Binance, to bust the myths of crypto and the dark web, and learn how the best advice to any investigator holds true for crypto: follow the money.
In this episode, host Matt Ashburn, and co-host Jeff Phillips, break down everything you needed to know about the dark web. From how it works and why it was invented to things to consider before conducting your research there – we cover all the questions you were too afraid to ask.
Needlestack hosts answered live questions from our listeners in this special episode. From use cases in different industries to world news to tools to help researchers – Matt and Jeff discussed the role of OSINT in professional research.
This week the team is joined by threat intelligence researcher Adam Huenke to go over the importance of open-source intelligence to CTI research. From social media to the dark web, freely available information can be found to help improve security.
It takes a team of people to provide protection to executives and one of their most important tools for offering the best protection is OSINT. Whether searching Facebook for public protests or getting a tip from Twitter, guest Mick Baccio explains how open-source is a key tool in the field.
Trust and safety is a constantly growing and evolving field. In this episode, we cover the basics of the industry and the role of OSINT in minimizing risk to end users. We also discuss the risks to researchers when their investigations take them off-platform and into the wild of the web.
The latest episode in our OSINT use case tour covers how open-source can be applied to law enforcement. The popular use of social media has made it so that more and more of the clues investigators are looking for can be freely found.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) has been playing out on the world stage in a big way over the past few weeks. Social media platforms like TikTok have become insightful sources for analysts to track Russian military movements in the Ukraine invasion. Tracking disinformation on various sites shows a war being fought with more than tanks — Russia is using culture and the power of the media. And auxiliary intelligence is a growing resource in governments gaining OSINT.
In our first listeners live episode, Matt and Jeff take questions from our live audience. They cover resources that can be useful in finding the best OSINT tools; advantages to using native-language search engines in international research; free training for OSINT analysts; and managing attribution to access the information you need. Listen on-demand, or sign up for our upcoming live events at authentic8.com/events/needlestack.
Disguising your digital fingerprint is imperative to the results of online research. This episode, the hosts dive into the tools that can help investigators understand and manage their identity online. From websites to browsers, extensions and full-service managed attribution platforms, here are the tools you need to blend in online.
You’re conducting your research. It seems like it’s going successfully. But unbeknownst to you, the subject of your research is onto you, knows you’re snooping and is working to spoil your investigation. This is thanks to your digital fingerprint being passed by your browser. In this panel discussion, we dive deeeep into all the ways details of your digital fingerprint can be discovered — even when using tools built to disguise it — and how adversaries can take advantage of it.
Blending in with the crowd is critical to performing successful online research. If adversaries or the targets of your research can recognize your digital fingerprint, you could get blocked, targeted, infected, identified or tracked. In this episode, we’ll explain what’s in a digital fingerprint, how traditional browsers share this information, what it can mean for research projects and what’s needed to manage it.
In an effort to conceal their identity, online researchers may turn to the solutions they know: VPNs, Inocgnito Mode and free Wi-Fi. While these solutions may appear to be working on the surface, there’s lots of details still being disclosed to sites they visit. Tune in to learn what these solutions miss and what’s needed to truly blend in with the crowd to ensure quality research.
Tune into the podcast every week to learn how to hone your online research skills with better tradecraft. Hear from our host Matt Ashburn and co-host Jeff Phillips as they share tips, tricks and tools to protect your identity, stay safe while you search and improve the efficiency of your investigations. Learn more at authentic8.com/needlestack.
The use cases for online research have exploded in recent years and have become critical practices not just in government and law enforcement agencies, but also in commercial organizations of all sizes. We look at the impact online research has, what are the risks to those who perform sensitive research and what needs to change in the practice.