Social Networking Special Ops: Extending Data Visualization Tools for Faster Pwnage

Presented at DEF CON 18 (2010), Aug. 1, 2010, 4 p.m. (50 minutes)

If you're ever in a position when you need to pwn criminals via social networks or see where Tony Hawk likes to hide skateboards around the world, this talk is for you. The talk is delivered in two parts, both of which are intended to shine a fun light on visual social network analysis. The first part introduces how you can extend the powerful data visualization tool, Maltego to speed up and automate the data mining and analysis of social networks. I'll show how I analyzed skateboard legend, Tony Hawk's twitter hunt and highlight how you could use the same techniques to set up your very own backyard miniature ECHELON. The second part illustrates how these techniques have been used to enumerate a 419 scam, infiltrate the scammers social network and expose deeper, more sinister links to organized crime. I focus specifically on Twitter and Facebook, demonstrating how you can graphically map and analyze social relationships using the Twitter API's, publicly available Facebook profiles, screen scraping and some clunky regex." Related to this talk is the DEF CON Twitter Hunt Each day at DEF CON you will have an opportunity to blag yourself a sweet limited edition DEF CON-ized skateboard deck. There may also be a couple of signed Tony Hawk decks slung in for good measure too... who knows. You will have to follow @TheSuggmeister during DEF CON to know where to look. He'll be tweeting clues which lead to prizes. Hashtag #DCTH'

Presenters:

  • The Suggmeister
    Chris "The Suggmeister" Sumner has been directly involved in Corporate Information Security since 1999 and has maintained a passion for security since seeing Wargames when it first came out. After a lengthy stint as a Pivot Chart creating, PowerPoint wielding, Security Manager for a business division that alone would make the Fortune100, he has turned his attention to a more geeky pursuit and is currently focused on Security in the Development Lifecycle. Outside the corporate world, Chris is a data mining, analysis and visualization geek at heart and also enjoys hiding skateboards in the UK for Tony Hawk.

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