#Private digital forensics

[privateinvestigatorsuniverse]

Why do Private investigation companies rely on surveillance?

Technology has emerged as a powerful tool when considering a private investigation. It has revolutionised the process and enhanced efficiency. So, in this blog, we will highlight the dynamic realm of technology and its cutting-edge use in private investigation. So follow on and find out how private investigation companies are taking advantage of the same.

Enhanced Advancements in Surveillance Technology

Surveillance is the central pillar of private investigations companies. It has undergone a digital transformation over the years. Enhanced drones, camera systems and GPS tracking devices help private investigators carry out effective and discreet monitoring. Sophisticated recording devices and high-resolution cameras provide more apparent proof, while drones provide a bird's-eye view for inclusive surveillance reports.

Helping in Cyber investigation and digital forensic reports

Private investigation companies are strongly relying on digital tools. And its use has been amplified in cyber investigation and digital forensics. Professionals in this field can offer worthy information from social media platforms, electronic devices and other online sources. These tools are highly instrumental in cases involving digital footprints, scams, cybercrimes or frauds.

Use of big data to analyse the different pattern

Private investigating companies use the power of big data analytics to identify correlations and patterns in massive datasets. This analytical skill helps in finding concealed connections. It also assists in deciphering intricate information and predicting potential results. The ability to shift through large data volumes improves the effectiveness of investigations.

Considering Ethical values in the digital arena

No doubt, technological enhancement provides unmatched capabilities. But, private investigating companies need to consider the ethical part as well. They need to balance individual privacy and truth together on the same plate. And that is no doubt a fragile task. Adhering to Clear guidelines and legal frameworks is significant to ensure ethical practices are followed using data analytics, surveillance cameras and digital forensics.

Final say

Thus, these are some of the best practices private investigation companies follow when considering surveillance in personal investigation services.

[daltonvillegas]

Digital Evidence Analysis in Private Investigation: Leveraging Corporate Security Video Software

In the realm of private investigation and corporate security, the role of digital evidence analysis has become paramount. With the proliferation of video surveillance tools and software, investigators now have access to an abundance of data that can be pivotal in solving cases and ensuring the safety of businesses. This article delves into the significance of digital evidence analysis, the evolution of private investigator video tools, and the integration of corporate security video software in modern investigations.

The Importance of Digital Evidence Analysis

Digital evidence analysis involves the collection, preservation, examination, and presentation of digital evidence in legal proceedings. In the context of private investigation and corporate security, this process has revolutionized the way cases are handled. Video footage captured by surveillance cameras serves as a crucial source of evidence, offering insights into incidents, identifying suspects, and corroborating witness testimonies. However, the sheer volume of data generated by these systems necessitates advanced analytical tools and methodologies to extract meaningful information efficiently.

Evolution of Private Investigator Video Tools

Private investigators rely heavily on video tools to gather evidence and conduct surveillance discreetly. Over the years, these tools have undergone significant advancements to meet the evolving demands of the profession. From covert cameras and body-worn recording devices to drones equipped with high-definition cameras, investigators now have access to a wide array of sophisticated equipment. These tools not only enhance the quality and scope of surveillance operations but also enable investigators to adapt to diverse environments and scenarios effectively.

Corporate Security Video Software

In the realm of corporate security, video software plays a vital role in safeguarding assets, preventing crime, and maintaining a secure environment for employees and stakeholders. Modern corporate security systems utilize advanced video analytics algorithms to monitor premises in real-time, detect suspicious activities, and generate actionable insights. Moreover, integration with other security technologies such as access control systems and alarm systems enhances overall situational awareness and response capabilities.

Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Investigations

The convergence of digital evidence analysis, private investigator video tools, and corporate security video software presents a paradigm shift in the way investigations are conducted. By leveraging these technologies synergistically, investigators can streamline the process of gathering, analyzing, and presenting evidence. Real-time monitoring capabilities enable proactive intervention, while forensic analysis tools facilitate the reconstruction of events and identification of perpetrators.

Conclusion

In conclusion, digital evidence analysis is at the forefront of modern private investigation and corporate security efforts. The integration of private investigator video tools and corporate security video software has empowered investigators to conduct more thorough, efficient, and effective investigations. By harnessing the power of technology, stakeholders can mitigate risks, protect assets, and uphold the principles of justice and security in an ever-changing landscape. As we continue to embrace innovation, the role of digital evidence analysis will remain indispensable in shaping the future of investigative practices.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

About the commercial aspects of the the half in/out that they were proposing -

I think one of the biggest reasons they pushed so hard for megxit is because they already had some commercial.deals in the pipe line. And they were desperate that the money coming in from.those should go into their private accounts and not the royal foundation's account. They learnt this the hard way when they did the elephant documentary voiceover.

I strongly believe that Meghan was mad that the Disney money had to go into the foundation, and had to be used to for charity. I think this is where is all started and was a reason why William ordered the digital forensic investigation into the foundation accounts immediately after they left in fall 2019. And also why William split their household and the Sussexes were booted from the foundation.

By Nov/Dec 2019 they also had Quibi deal locked and were going to start working on it by March 2020 (Quibi then went caput in the pandemic so that never materialized, but they had no way of knowing that in late 2019). That money was going to be coming in and they needed it in their personal accounts.

Netflix was also likely in the pipeline, numbers were flying around and they needed to make sure that that money, coming in by mid/late 2020 by their estimates, would be private.

Oprah was also in talks with them. The Apple documentary was signed but Harry had to take permission from the queen for it. And he had to say it was as part of his work for Heads Together. He couldn't be listed as one of the producers in a rpicate capacity for that.

There was an Invictus documentary which had been shot by then, and was likely going to be aired on Amazon in 2020. The Sussexes knew about this documentary, but wanted to monetizeu in some way. Harry (and Meghan) had some sort of a claim on it, and in fact, when negotiations were happening with Netflix, this was part of the proposal. It's why this documentary was pulled from Amazon immediately after their Netflix deal was signed.

This original documentary, as it was made in 2020, never actually aired.

Anyway, so what I'm saying is that one of the reasons they were so heavy handed with their megxit manifesto is because they wanted to dictate the terms and get their way with how the commercial aspects of their deals with these would work in their favour. This is the part that wasn't allowed. All of the rest of it - the perks, the favours, the traveling, the holidaying, the redcarpets etc - would have been possible anyway.

Even having a home in California and staying there part of the year would have been ok. Meghan would have just thrown a tantrum and got away with it. It's the money part that did them in.

They weren't asking to be middlemen or commission agents the way Andrew or Prince Michael were doing. They wanted to be openly making money. And there's where in think Meghan's need for stardom and fame and riches did her in.

This was Meghan's dream and her brainchild. And the only way she could succeed in this is if she had Harry attached to her deals officially, because he was the draw. She realized it early on and maybe that's how her team even secured the deals. And that's why they had to megxit so dramatically. And that's why she had to break him away from his family.

If Harry was still close to his family back in 2019, in any capacity, then they would have eventually convinced him not make commercial deals in a private capai. It just wasn't done, and he understood that. But he came to believe that they were keeping him from shining bright and preventing him from using his potential. Lol

Old ask from February 24th

I think one of the biggest reasons they pushed so hard for megxit is because they already had some commercial.deals in the pipe line. And they were desperate that the money coming in from.those should go into their private accounts and not the royal foundation's account. They learnt this the hard way when they did the elephant documentary voiceover.

No, I don't think so. Because once the Sussexes left the Royal Foundation and set up their own charity (Sussex Royal), everything would have been coming through Sussex Royal. So any money or donations Meghan got for doing Disney's elephant documentary would have been sent to Sussex Royal.

The issue with Sussex Royal was that it wasn't set up the way the Sussexes wanted. I forget the specific details, but essentially the Sussexes wanted the organization to be X but it was actually set up as Y and being a Y-type of organization put some kind of other restrictions on what they could/couldn't do. (I want to say it had something to do with a board of directors, but I'm not sure.)

I strongly believe that Meghan was mad that the Disney money had to go into the foundation, and had to be used to for charity. I think this is where is all started and was a reason why William ordered the digital forensic investigation into the foundation accounts immediately after they left in fall 2019. And also why William split their household and the Sussexes were booted from the foundation.

By Nov/Dec 2019 they also had Quibi deal locked and were going to start working on it by March 2020 (Quibi then went caput in the pandemic so that never materialized, but they had no way of knowing that in late 2019). That money was going to be coming in and they needed it in their personal accounts.

This timeline is a little off. Here's the actual order of events, with a few other milestones:

William booted the Sussexes from KP in October/November 2018.

The household split in March 2019.

Also in early 2019 (according to the Daily Mail), the Quibi negotiations start. My theory is they start around the household split, perhaps when the Sussexes believe they have more privacy.

The Sussexes left the Royal Foundation in June 2019 and immediately launched the Sussex Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka "Sussex Royal").

The Lion King premiere was July 2019, but the Sussexes weren't paid for it.

Meghan recorded her voiceover for the Elephant documentary sometime during the fall of 2019 in London. The BRF sidelined the Sussexes right after Remembrance Day, and it's assumed they traveled immediately to the US for Thanskgiving and stayed there for a bit before going up to Vancouver for December and Christmas, so that means she recorded sometime between late September and early November of 2019.

Megxit and Sandringham Summit in January 2020. The Daily Mail says the Quibi negotiations break off in January 2020 too.

The Sussexes set up Archewell in March 2020.

The Sussex Royal Foundation changed its name to MWX Foundation in early July 2020.

But in late July 2020, MWX Foundation was dissolved and by August 5th, terminated.

Netflix was also likely in the pipeline, numbers were flying around and they needed to make sure that that money, coming in by mid/late 2020 by their estimates, would be private.

Oprah was also in talks with them. The Apple documentary was signed but Harry had to take permission from the queen for it. And he had to say it was as part of his work for Heads Together. He couldn't be listed as one of the producers in a rpicate capacity for that.

I think Netflix and Oprah entered the picture by November-ish 2019 when the Sussexes were in the US for Thanksgiving. Since it sounds like the Sussexes stopped the Quibi negotiations, they wouldn't have done that without having Plan B on the hook, so they had to have been well into discussions with at least Netflix for that deal.

And remember, the BRF had legit concerns about Meghan dialing into the Sandringham Summit to attend virtually. They were concerned that she could record the meeting without their knowing or have other people with her also listening in without their knowing. That they had these concerns to begin with suggests that they were very aware of deals being made or deals being discussed.

There was an Invictus documentary which had been shot by then, and was likely going to be aired on Amazon in 2020. The Sussexes knew about this documentary, but wanted to monetizeu in some way. Harry (and Meghan) had some sort of a claim on it, and in fact, when negotiations were happening with Netflix, this was part of the proposal. It's why this documentary was pulled from Amazon immediately after their Netflix deal was signed. This original documentary, as it was made in 2020, never actually aired.

I think the Invictus documentary was made with the BRF's support and that's why it has never been broadcast. If it had a 2020 air date, then it most likely would have been filmed in 2019 (though I suspect there was a lot of footage from the 2018 Sydney IG) when Harry was with the BRF.

I don't think there's copyright issues or anything like that involved; I think it's more of a money issue. For instance, ecause the BRF notoriously does not accept payment - or donates any payment they get to charity - for this kind of thing, had the original Invictus documentary gone through, the Sussexes wouldn't have been able to profit from it. So it was shelved.

Anyway, so what I'm saying is that one of the reasons they were so heavy handed with their megxit manifesto is because they wanted to dictate the terms and get their way with how the commercial aspects of their deals with these would work in their favour. This is the part that wasn't allowed. All of the rest of it - the perks, the favours, the traveling, the holidaying, the redcarpets etc - would have been possible anyway.

Even having a home in California and staying there part of the year would have been ok. Meghan would have just thrown a tantrum and got away with it. It's the money part that did them in.

I disagree. The BRF would never set them up with a second home in California, no matter how big a tantrum Meghan threw. The offer would have been for anywhere in the realms or the Commonwealth if they wanted the BRF to handle the bills and/or security. What probably would have happened was they'd split their time three ways; part of the year in Britain royalling, part of the year at their second home in the realms/Commonwealth, and then verrrry long stretches of time "on sabbatical" or "working" in the US.

I do agree that they presented the Megxit Manifesto as fait accompli because of the commercial deals. My tinhat theory (though not that tinhatty when you really think about it) is that they had a bunch of contracts/deals already signed, or close to being signed, so they structured the manifesto that way to preserve those deals but the BRF called their bluff on it.

They weren't asking to be middlemen or commission agents the way Andrew or Prince Michael were doing. They wanted to be openly making money. And there's where in think Meghan's need for stardom and fame and riches did her in.

This was Meghan's dream and her brainchild. And the only way she could succeed in this is if she had Harry attached to her deals officially, because he was the draw. She realized it early on and maybe that's how her team even secured the deals. And that's why they had to megxit so dramatically. And that's why she had to break him away from his family.

If Harry was still close to his family back in 2019, in any capacity, then they would have eventually convinced him not make commercial deals in a private capacity. It just wasn't done, and he understood that. But he came to believe that they were keeping him from shining bright and preventing him from using his potential. Lol

I think I'm going to disagree with this last point. The BRF had no issues with the Sussexes making deals or producting content. They all make deals and they all make content, so there's a good chance they would have encouraged Harry and Meghan to do that; partner with their charities to produce content about their work. It's the commercial part they had problems with. If the money went to their charity (or any charity), the BRF wouldn't have an issue because that's what they all do (for instance - when William plays polo for charity, any money that he would make, like an appearance fee or prize winnings, gets paid directly to the charity. He doesn't ever see or touch that money.) But that's not what the Sussexes wanted. They wanted to hold the cash in their hand and personally direct whose pocket the cash went to.

And unfortunately, I don't think there's any kind of counsel the BRF could've done for Harry in 2019, whether they were close or not. This was a 2018-before-the-wedding conversation when they were considering titles. But woulda coulda shoulda.

And in woulda-coulda-shoulda land, if there had been a difficult conversation about titles, half in/half out, commercializing and merchandizing, finances, I doubt we'd all even be here today. But no one wanted to have those hard, difficult conversations. All they said was "Meghan can keep acting," Harry said "no," and then the BRF rolled over. So here we all are.

[pillow-anime-talk]

gender swap.

request: how do you think a female wammy’s boys, lawliet and light would be?

# tags: headcanons; gender swap; slice of life; mostly fluff; maybe angst or drama; also comedy (a bit); sfw

includes: light yagami, l lawliet, beyond birthday, nate river, mail jeevas & mihael keehl {death note}

— LIGHT

↘ Oh, she is definitely one of the most beautiful women in the university and gets a scholarship every year for her academic achievements. She is not competitive and doesn’t try to be; she simply has an innate talent for quickly remembering informations and numbers and uses it to get the best grades, and thus awards or recognition among professors.

↘ She is not very interested in relationships; many boys chase after her, but she doesn’t care at all. Brown-haired girl much more prefers to focus on her career and private goals (both in the Kira case and her job in the investigative department).

↘ Nevertheless, if the situation requires it, she will use her charm and grace to achieve what she needs. This woman will stop at nothing when her own life is at stake.

— LAWLIET

↘ I imagine she’s wearing these cool, fluffy hoodies and huge pants tightly tightened around the waist. She is the definition of a woman who likes to play video games, drink energy drinks, watch anime and sit in her own room (alone).

↘ Just like the original L, she also likes sweets and juicy fruits. I imagine her favorites are mango or peaches. In my head I think that she is a vegetarian and cooks well to maintain a healthy, balanced diet based on the right products.

↘ She is an introvert and it’s hard to make friends with her, even though I personally find her a very attractive woman. However, she seems to be unapproachable and therefore has no success in friendship or love.

— BEYOND

↘ She is a loner who devotes herself to her own projects. She has at most one friend, but she lives alone in a small studio apartment with her beloved cat (she is definitely a cat-person).

↘ She studies criminology or forensic psychology and likes to listen to podcasts. She has very good grades, but very rarely appears in class (he comes to universities only when there are exams). The professors have no problem with her, but they know that she is a rather mysterious girl who struggles with personal problems. Nevertheless, she does very well, although she is an outcast.

↘ That girl enjoys night time and loves spending time with her cat while watching crime shows on Netflix. She definitely has trouble sleeping.

— NATE

↘ Another nerd. The best student in the year, the best student in the field and the best student in the entire university. In addition, she is artistically and musically talented (playing the violin and piano, #canon). Although she doesn’t have many friends, she is quite popular and her white hair catches the eye of most students. She is very liked by the professors, even if she looks at the window during classes and does not write anything in her notebook.

↘ I think she is fluent in French, German, English, Japanese and Swedish. She likes to learn new things – she remembers everything so easily. And also has a natural talent for this type of thing.

↘ She doesn’t have a driving license and is afraid to drive. She’s definitely using other people for a free ride.

— MAIL

↘ Not studying. I think she found work as a graphic designer, game tester or digital game designer. It’s something she likes and she’s really good at it. In the future, she would like to set up her own studio where she would create games.

↘ I have a vision in my head that she is sharing a room in an apartment with several people and she is that girl who likes to party and come home late. Plus, she smokes cigarettes and likes to sleep in late – a real example of a bad girl you don’t have to worry about if your boyfriend hangs out with her after school on a project.

↘ Nevertheless, she is a girl who sleeps with her favorite stuffed animal at night and I have no excuse for that, I just feel in my heart that she has a little brown teddy bear without one eye that she got from her favorite grandma and always sits on her bed waiting for her to come home.

— MIHAEL 

↘ She has many friends, but only one true bestie, with whom she is perfectly matched in characters. She swears, she smokes, she’s always late, she’s sophisticated, she’ll take your boyfriend away if you get in her way... She does not like nosy people and gossip about herself, which is why she always deals with such matters personally, preferably behind the walls of the building or between the garages.

↘ She is brutal and emotionless. She has definitely not yet met a person who could heal this little, wishing for happiness heart. Currently, she lives alone and spent nights in the arms of random men. She doesn’t mind.

↘ Somewhere in the back of my mind I have a vision that she has been to the police station more than once for theft or battery. But she has a rich dad, so she gets away with everything. 

[igotsnothing]

Aaaaaa I need to see Eero and Ryu AGAIN! 🙈😭

Please introduce them to us, can we also get some facts about them?🧎🏻‍♂️❤️

Hi, friend of mystery! I've been working on putting Eero and Ryu's story together for a while now- it's written and I've started taking snapshots. I'm determined to only post it once it's all done- and then I am going to tackle each of my stories in the same manner because I am tired of being such a scatterbrained creator.

I am so GRATEFUL that you are interested in them because that's what it's all about: sharing a story! So, thank you for asking! It made my day! ❤️

Ok- here's some info:

Transcript below the cut, if the text is too hard to read (or click image).

Eero Kaskinen

Age: 30

Background: From San Sequoia.

Job Description: Top-tier cybersecurity expert, specializing in encryption cracking and digital forensics. This is his first covert mission assisting the Komorebi Metropolitan Police, marking a significant step in his career.

Personality: Sees patterns where most people see chaos. Intense, but laid-back and friendly. Observant, analytical, and a bit stubborn.

Relationships: Affectionate and romantic. When he falls in love, he falls hard. His job has made it difficult to maintain a relationship.

Likes: Animals, kitschy anything, traveling, 80s alternative music, anime, coffee.

Extra: Says he is an insomniac, but he just drinks too much coffee and stays up too late.

*

Ryu Watanabe

Age: 38

Background: Born in Senbamachi. Lives in Komorebi-to.

Job Description: Chief Inspector, Komorebi Metropolitan Police Department.

Personality: Methodical, precise, known for his sense of duty. Carries himself with calm authority, appearing stoic, but possesses great empathy and a strong moral compass. Though he’s careful to keep his personal life private, he feels deeply and is sentimental.

Relationships: Comes across as emotionally guarded, but is thoughtful, passionate, and lovingly protective as a partner. Hasn’t had time to pursue a relationship in a long time.

Likes: Cooking, tea, game shows, taking train rides, the mountains, visiting onsens, exploring Komorebi-to.

Extra: Likes going for drinks with his boss, Superintendent Yoshida, and his subordinate, Inspector Ito. Smokes only when very stressed.

[mariacallous]

Authorities in France arrested Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, on Saturday, sparking a public controversy over online speech, encryption, and digital rights as well as a potential diplomatic fallout in Europe. 

Prosecutors in Paris released a list of charges against a “person unnamed” in a criminal investigation in connection with which Durov is being questioned. Those charges include possession of child pornography, money laundering, and association with organized crime. Durov has not been charged but is being detained and questioned; French authorities can keep Durov in custody until Wednesday, at which time they must either release him or charge him with a crime. 

Telegram struck a defiant tone in a statement posted to its platform Sunday, saying that its moderation policies were in line with industry standards “and constantly improving” while adding that Durov had “nothing to hide.”

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” the company said. 

Durov, who founded Telegram in 2013 in his native Russia, has long styled himself as a champion of unfettered free speech online. The platform has adopted a lighter-touch approach to content moderation than many of its social media peers, even as it has grown to nearly a billion global users. 

“Unless they cross red lines, I don’t think that we should be policing people in the way they express themselves,” Durov told the Financial Times in a rare interview in March this year, saying the platform planned to improve its content moderation without elaborating on what he considers a red line. 

In another interview in April with right-wing media personality Tucker Carlson, Durov said the company would cooperate with “legitimate” demands to take down content. 

“If there was a group of people who were promoting violence, there was terrorist activity that was spreading violence in some parts of the world, publicly posting things that any decent human being would disallow or wouldn’t want to be posted, we would help them,” he said. “But in some other cases where we thought it would be crossing the line, it wouldn’t be in line with our values of freedom of speech and protecting people’s private correspondence, we would ignore those.”

That approach has seen Telegram being used by protesters and dissidents around the world as well as the authoritarian governments they are often fighting against, and it has become a leading source of information and intelligence in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

Despite Russia’s historical baggage with Durov and Telegram (the Russian government unsuccessfully tried to ban the app in 2018), the country’s military has become dependent on the app for battlefield communication as well as propaganda in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “In the last two years of the war, no platform has played a greater role in helping us get insight into Russian thinking about the war than Telegram,” said Eto Buziashvili, a Tbilisi, Georgia-based researcher with the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab.

Multiple Russian officials have expressed outrage at Durov’s detention. Unless France provides strong evidence to back up its claims, “we are witnessing a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication and, one might even say, direct intimidation of the head of a large company,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday, adding that Moscow is “ready to provide all necessary assistance and support” to Durov.

Durov’s arrest was also slammed by X owner and fellow tech billionaire Elon Musk—who has espoused a similarly unbridled approach to online speech and is engaged in his own content moderation fight against European authorities—as well as former U.S. National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, who called it “​​an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.” 

French President Emmanuel Macron sought to quell accusations of government censorship on Monday, pushing back in a post on X against what he referred to as “false information” about Durov’s arrest. “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation,” Macron wrote. “It is in no way a political decision.” He also added that France remained “deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship.” 

Both Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have requested consular access to Durov. Durov is a citizen of both countries as well as France. A spokesperson for the UAE foreign ministry said the country is “closely following” his case.

Durov has a complicated relationship with Russia, having fled the country in 2014 after refusing (in his own telling) to share data from VK—another hugely popular social network that he founded—with the Russian government. He sold his stake in VK and eventually moved to Dubai, where he has largely been based since and where Telegram is now located. 

But the geopolitical implications of Durov’s arrest go beyond his citizenships. Countries around the world, particularly in Europe, have been grappling with how to regulate social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, attempting to draw the line between free expression and illegal content. Governments in many cases have also sought to break through the end-to-end encryption provided by messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal to protect user privacy, citing a need to police potentially illegal content. 

Telegram sits at the intersection of both of those debates. It allows users to exchange private messages (though its encryption is somewhat weaker than other messengers) while also letting them create public broadcast channels that function more like social networks, albeit with far less content moderation. 

“In a lot of use cases around the world, especially where we see the use of Telegram in conflict zones and for broader public messaging, it very much hedges more toward a social media app than a point-to-point communications app,” said Graham Brookie, vice president for technology programs at the Atlantic Council and senior director of the Digital Forensic Research Lab. “Telegram has very intentionally taken a very, very light touch to what the rest of the industry would refer to as trust and safety or content moderation,” he added. 

That combination of privacy and lax oversight has made the platform a haven for bad actors, including cyber criminals, drug dealers, and even terrorist groups such as the Islamic State. 

France appears to be taking issue with multiple aspects of Telegram’s model, calling out the illegal activity and content available on the platform in its statement on Monday detailing the charges against the “unnamed” person that Durov is being questioned about, which include three charges related to “cryptology” and the provision of encryption services. 

But the broad nature of the charges and the lack of detail from the French government leave room for the case to be distorted in the public eye, according to Brookie. “We’re in this dangerous gray area where a lot of projection can be put onto whatever the reason [is] for his apprehension in France,” he said. 

Durov’s arrest and the conversation around it could create misconceptions about encryption and hurt activists and dissidents around the world who rely on encrypted messaging for safety, said Mallory Knodel, a researcher at New York University who studies cryptography. “These kinds of violations could happen on any platform … and these alleged crimes are not related to whether the service is encrypted,” she said. “I do worry about this sort of perception of encrypted applications as being a place that enables these kinds of crimes to be committed.” 

And despite the proliferation of harmful content on Telegram and what she terms a lack of “duty of care” for vulnerable users on the part of its leadership, Knodel said arresting a technology executive for content shared on their platform sets another dangerous precedent. 

“Arresting a CEO is a harsh measure in any country,” she said. “It’s definitely an extreme measure, and it feels like it’s intended to send a message.”

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Booklist on "Red Team Blues"

I've published more than 20 books, and I still get nervous in the few months leading up to a new book's release. It's one thing for my agent, my editor and my wife to like one of my novels - but what about the rest of the world? Will the book soar, or bomb? I've had books do both, and the latter is No Fun. Scarifying, even.

My next novel is Red Team Blues, which Tor Books and Head of Zeus will publish on April 25. It is a significant departure for me in many ways: it's a heist novel about cryptocurrency, grifters and crime bosses, the first book in a trilogy that runs in reverse chronological order (!):

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865847/red-team-blues

The hero of RTB is Marty Hench, a forensic accountant and digital pioneer. Marty got his start when he discovered spreadsheets as an MIT undergrad. He got so deep into the world of Visicalc and Lotus 1-2-3 that he dropped out of university, moved to Silicon Valley, and pitted his ability to find money with spreadsheets against people who use spreadsheets to hide money.

RTB opens with Marty on the verge of retirement, when he is roped in for one last job - a favor to a friend who has built a new cryptocurrency that is in danger of imploding thanks to some stolen keys. If Marty can recover the keys, his customary 25% commission will come out to more than a quarter of a billion dollars. How could he say no?

I wrote this book in a white-hot fury of the sort that I underwent in 2006, when I wrote Little Brother in eight weeks flat. Red Team Blues took six weeks. It's good. I sent it to my Patrick Nielsen Hayden, my editor. The next day, I got this email:

That.

Was.

A! Fucking! Ride! Whoa!

That night, I rolled over in bed to find my wife wide awake at 2AM, staring at her phone. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Finishing your book," she said. "I had to find out how it ended."

I loved writing this book, and after I finished it, I found that Marty Hench was still living in my mind. How could I keep writing about him, though? Red Team Blues is his final adventure. Then, one day, it hit me: now that I knew how Marty's career ended, I could write about how it started.

I could write prequels - as many as I chose - retelling the storied career of Martin Hench, the scambusting forensic accountant of Silicon Valley. I pitched my editor on two prequels - one a midcareer adventure, the other his origin story - and my editor bought 'em. For the first time in decades, in dozens of books, I'm writing a trilogy.

It's nearly done. I finished the second book, "The Bezzle" - about private prisons and financial corruption - late last year. I'm 80%+ through the final one, "Picks and Shovels," AKA Marty's origin story, a caper involving an early eighties PC-selling pyramid scheme run by a Mormon bishop, a Catholic priest and an orthodox rabbi, who run their affinity scam through a company called "Three Wise Men Computers."

But for all that I love these books, love writing these books, I am still nervous. Butterflies-in-stomach. I got some reassurance in December, when the New Yorker's Chris Byrd said some extraordinarily kind things about RTB when he profiled me:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/cory-doctorow-wants-you-to-know-what-computers-can-and-cant-do

Despite that, though, I continued to have vicious pangs of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, superstitious dread, haunting memories of the mentors and writers I admired as a young man whose careers were snatched away by changing industry trends, market shifts, or just a bad beat. I love this book. Would other people? I'm not a crime writer. Ugh.

Then, this week, my publicist Laura Etzkorn at Tor sent me the first trade review for RTB, Booklist's starred notice, by David Pitt:

Well, talk about timely. In the wake of the late-2022 collapse of cryptocurrency comes this novel about a forensic accountant who’s hired to work a case involving electronic theft of cryptocurrency. The guy’s name is Martin Hench; he’s in his late sixties, with decades of experience, and he thinks he’s seen it all. Until now. Doctorow, author of such novels as The Rapture of the Nerds (2012) Homeland (2013), and Pirate Cinema (2012), is a leading force in cyberpunk fiction, and here he mixes cyberpunk with traditional private eye motifs (if Martin Hench feels a bit like Philip Marlowe or even Jim Rockford, that’s probably not a coincidence).

Doctorow's novels are always feasts for the imagination and the intellect, and this one is no exception: it’s jam-packed with cutting-edge ideas about cybersecurity and crypto, and its near-future world is lovingly detailed and completely believable. Another winner from an sf wizard who has always proved himself adept at blending genres for both adults and teens.

To quote a certain editor of my acquaintance:

That.

Was.

A! Fucking! Ride!

Whoa!

Maybe this writing thing is gonna work out after all.

ETA: Well, this is pretty great. Shortly after I hit publish on this, Library Journal published its review of Red Team Blues, by Andrea Dyba:

Cyber detective, forensic accountant—whatever his title, 67-year-old Marty Hench is one of those rare people who tries to prevent financial crimes. He’s spent his whole career as a member of the Red Team, as an attacker, one who always has the advantage. Now ready for retirement, he’s living it up in California and trying to decide what he wants to do when he grows up when he’s hired by an old friend. Danny Lazer, the founder of the new crypto titan Trustlesscoin, needs Marty to recover stolen cryptographic keys and prevent the type of financial crisis that people lose their lives over. Marty delves into the shady underside of the private equity world, where he’s caught between warring international crime syndicates. The sincere and intelligent writing has a noir feel to it, enhanced by Marty’s dry humor. There’s a sense of satisfaction as this unassuming retired man dishes out comeuppance.

VERDICT  This absorbing and ruthless cyberpunk thriller from Doctorow (Attack Surface) tackles modern concerns involving cryptocurrency, security, and the daunting omnipotence of technology. Great for fans of Charles Stross.              

https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/red-team-blues-1794647

[Image ID: Will Stahle's cover for the Tor Books edition of 'Red Team Blues.']

[codeandcanvas]

After privating all of my posts here (I am never deleting anything, not completely, that is), I have chanced upon the capital C graphic design Community here on Tumblr, which I have instantly joined to built rapport and connection with other graphic designers and graphic design students here on Tumblr (at least with the ones who are also interested in building together and in public, lol).

You can find the community here: https://www.tumblr.com/communities/graphic-design

And since I have said before that I want to do weekly round‑ups to look at what I was doing the last seven days, this post doubles (or triples?) as that, as a fauxrst post (false first post, I like those), as well as creating something (a)new.

The last week I was building an’ changing a few things on my website, drawing inspiration from all sorts of people, all sorts of places, all sorts of nets.

I have added a couple of new pages to my WordPress‑based website, and moved around navigational links.

There is of course the page with the design links to websites and podcasts you can use in your RSS feed readers of choice, provided you do a little bit of digging (if you need some help with that, you can write me any way you like, and we’ll look into it together)

The new stuff I put in the footer, following inspiration from Scott Boms website.

I have a page for friends now (currently made up of my teachers, tutors, and professors, mostly), a page for what I am doing now, called Now (which is a really cool idea, and it fits neatly between the very thin substance of a status post, and a long form post like this one, both in size, as well as now‑ness; you can find out more about that here: https://nownownow.com/about)

But what I think is the most important addition to my website, is the page about tools, “Werkzeuge” in German.

Here I could finally dump all of my graphic design hacker tools, at least that is how I think of them.

My system consists of two pillars: new information, and how it is being stored. I believe that everyone rolls their own tools after a while. I would just love it if somebody would find some use for mine, if only to build something better from that.

The two RSS feeds linked to from the footer are neat: you have the usual feed for the whole site, but I also provided an RSS feed of my custom status updates, which you can see on Home.

These status updates are my own, most recent solution to my issues with posting, well, status updates on my socials:

you know, issues like

am I posting the same status update to every net I have an account for,

will I automate and schedule the same content everywhere and be a boring, cold machine, and

do I want to burn myself out coming up thesaurus’d variants of the same post for every net?

So now there are two ways to check (three, really) in what mess I’ve gotten myself into recently: you can check my Now page, you can look at my Statuses, or you can check it out using your own, third way.

As for my study schedule, I am glad that summer is over, because I clearly cannot function during summer. I hope with cooler days ahead, I can keep a cooler head while practicing the art of not judging what I do or don’t do. I might have gotten my degree, but I want to learn so much more.

Started reading Creative Code by John Maeda and sort of forensically/archeologically recreating the years during which it was written and printed, because these past twenty years have basically muddied the tracks quite a bit, so to speak. It is a good read.

And I think I have covered the whole week now, broadly enough.

I need to figure out which hashtags should go with this post. I need to look at the top posts for each tag I think could fit, and then consider what being in the top means for each tag I am looking at.

Eh, let’s go through this together:

huge tags first (>1 million followers)

#drawing

6.1M followers

1.3K recent posts

#artwork

3M followers

1.3K recent posts

#illustration

16M followers

962 recent posts

#digital painting

1.6M followers

157 recent posts

#digital art

5.5M followers

3.5K recent posts

#sketch

4.8M followers

662 recent posts

#traditional art

1.2M followers

448 recent posts

#graphic design

5.8M followers

this one doesn’t even show a recent posts count at all? But it feels extremely dead if you look at recent posts under that tag.

We’ll figure this out together. If it is graphic design, then I will tag it as such. If it is something else, then I will not tag it as graphic design. I think that this is a solid foundation towards connecting.

So, what is this post?

It is about my website, it is about studying, about me being a graphic designer, and about software I use. Also, it is about creative coding, generative art, a book, and that I use WordPress.

So I wonder which tags I will use? I prefer low counts when it comes to hashtags. Five sounds reasonable, nice for chunking, too,

So there. I might not be a student anymore, but that means that I have just proven to have the discipline to get my degree, so studyblr fits.

Hi everyone! Hello world.

[cyberpunkonline]

Cyberpunk Careers Unraveled: Charting Your Path in the Neon Realm

Listen up, neon nightwalkers! The future isn't just digital rain and holographic adverts. It's a chaotic blend of byte and blade. If you think mastering the digital dance is enough, you're in for a shock. Here's a deep dive into the iconic roles of the cyber realm, and—plot twist—how they're not as fictional as they seem.

Jobs in the Cyberpunk Landscape: Console Cowboy (aka Hacker):

As seen in: "The Matrix", "Neuromancer" Description: Within the matrix's dizzying expanse, Console Cowboys ride the data streams. They're not just about breaking codes; they create and reshape digital realities. Whether you're battling AI agents or plunging into corporate servers, it’s a dance of dexterity and danger. Skills: Advanced coding, cybernetic interfacing, digital counterintelligence. Combat Specialist:

As seen in: "Ghost in the Shell", "Altered Carbon" Description: These aren’t your average brutes. Combat Specialists combine martial prowess with tech enhancements. Be it thermoptic camouflage or neurally-linked firearms, they are a synthesis of flesh and tech, primed for any skirmish. Skills: Martial arts, tactical combat, weapon proficiency, quick reflexes. Replicant Retirer (aka Blade Runner):

As seen in: "Blade Runner" Description: A grim role blending detective work with the task of 'retiring' renegade replicants. Their job isn't just chase and capture; it’s a psychological game, differentiating human from humanoid. Skills: Investigation, marksmanship, empathy testing, android tech familiarity. Street Samurai:

As seen in: "Shadowrun" Description: Revering ancient traditions while embracing cyber enhancements, Street Samurais tread the fine line between honor and efficiency. Their code binds them, but their tech defines them. Skills: Swordsmanship, cybernetic combat enhancements, honor codes. Cynical Journalist:

As seen in: "Transmetropolitan" Description: In a world overflowing with misinformation, Cynical Journalists are the antidote. Braving corrupt megacorps and perilous streets, they're on a relentless quest for the unvarnished truth. Skills: Investigative research, resilience, tech-savvy reporting, media tools mastery. Modern Equivalents: A Glimpse of Today's Roles: For the Console Cowboy: Today’s ethical hackers and cybersecurity experts are the guardians of our digital frontier. They probe systems, shore up defenses, and ensure the nefarious netrunners are kept at bay.

For the Combat Specialist: Modern martial arts instructors, stunt coordinators, and even private security personnel embody this spirit. They’re trained to react, defend, and when necessary, go on the offensive.

For the Replicant Retirer: Look no further than forensic investigators or criminal profilers. These experts dissect evidence, track down leads, and ensure justice in a world filled with ambiguities.

For the VR and AR Enthusiasts: The realm of AR and VR development is expanding. Developers and architects shape immersive worlds, blurring the lines between tangible and digital.

For the Fearless Journalist: Today's investigative journalists mirror their cyberpunk counterparts. They dive into the dark recesses of society, shining a light on hidden truths.

For the Augmentation Junkies: Bioengineers and prosthetics designers are crafting the future. From bionic limbs to neural enhancements, they’re making sci-fi a reality.

Neon Nights & Silvered Days… Whether you're a chrome junkie or a data diva, the streets of tomorrow are echoing today. The neon-soaked horizon of our dreams is morphing into our reality. So, gear up, futurepreneurs; destiny's waiting, and she's decked out in LEDs.

Cyber out,

- Raz

[privateinvestigatorsuniverse]

All essential things about the private investigation companies

You can have the exact map of your life because it's completely unpredictable. You write it in the other way, but it's already scripted. Likewise, you will need to find out when you will face the real problem. And when you are in that soup, you can try hard to get rid of that. But every time, the deal may seem like it could be more suitable for you. Suppose you are being cheated by someone or got false acquisition or scammed. In that case, only private investigation companies can save you. So let's see what they do.

Investigation of personal matters

Private investigation companies have the expertise of headhunting through personal matters. They delve deeper to find out the flaws. In order to prepare a full proof evidentiary document, they research their own way. They try to find out what areas need detailed monitoring. But as it is a personal matter, they try to keep it fully confidential.

Investigation of the corporate sector

The corporate investigation concludes everything from research on consumers, businesses and stakeholders. The investigation companies use their ultimate skill and expertise to discover the flaws. While they are in the process of getting information on these, they try to carry out things in an extraordinary way. To be precise, they try to adhere to legitimate rules without violating laws. Consecutively the investigation companies also get reports on acquiring the employee details. For that, they do extensive background screening of the employees to find the exact point.

Multitasking jobs

The above said are the two areas in which they use their expertise. But yes, the experts know about doing multitasking jobs. You will often see that they are dealing with identity fraud, insurance claims etc.

Final say

It is always a wise move when you decide to hire a private detective. Private Investigator services have the right tools and knowledge to carry out investigations easily.

[beardedmrbean]

Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the 28-year-old trans artist killed by police after opening fire on a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, covered her clothes in handwritten messages before her deadly assault in late March, according to an autopsy report.

The report acknowledges that Hale identified as a trans male but officially lists her as female. She was carrying a knife inscribed with her chosen name, Aiden, according to the autopsy.

Months after police released bodycam video that showed responding officers take down the shooter in the middle of the assault at the Covenant School, Hale's cause and manner of death were unsurprisingly determined to be homicide by gunshot wounds. She also had bruises and abrasions and "minor" blunt force trauma.

NASHVILLE KILLER AUDREY HALE SLEPT WITH JOURNALS ON SCHOOL SHOOTINGS UNDER BED, COURT DOCS REVEAL

However, the report included new details about the attack — including the revelation that Hale's clothes were covered in handwritten notes, drawings and numbers. The report also noted that Hale wore a plastic anklet inscribed with "508407."

It's unclear what was written on her clothes, and the revelation comes as the city faces public records lawsuits to demand the release of Hale's manifesto and other writings, which were recovered at the crime scene and at her parents' home.

Read the autopsy report (Mobile users go here)

The killer slept with journals on other school shootings under her bed, Fox News Digital has previously reported, and police recovered dozens of notebooks and drawings, including two "memoirs" and a hand-drawn map of the Covenant School.

That's where Hale barged in on March 27 and opened fire on helpless students and staff members, killing three adults and three children.

Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake has said that Hale suffered from an unspecified emotional disorder and that the controversial manifesto had been shared with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia.

The child victims were all 9 years old: Hallie Scruggs, the daughter of the school church's pastor; Evelyn Dieckhaus; and William Kinney. The adults included 60-year-old Head of School Katherine Koonce, and custodian Michael Hill and substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, both 61.

The forensic pathologist also found a scar across Hale's forehead but none on her wrists. The toxicology report came back negative for the presence of drugs and alcohol.

The autopsy was conducted by Dr. Emily Dennison on March 28.

Hale was 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighed around 120 pounds.

One bullet passed through both lungs and Hale's spine, right to left, back to front and slightly downward, passing through an arm on its way out, according to the report. A second bullet went through the shooter's head, back to front, right to left and upward. A third struck Hale in the femur, fragmented and came out in two places, also traveling right to left.

[investigatesc]

Business Name: Stillinger Investigations, Inc.

Street Address: 170 Meeting Street

City: Charleston

State: South Carolina (SC)

Zip Code: 29401

Country: United States

Business Phone: (843) 212-1338

Business Email: info@investigatesc.com

Website: https://investigatesc.com/private-investigator-charleston-sc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stillinger-Investigations/502016376477690

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stillinger-investigations/about/

GMB Site: https://stillingerinvestigationsinc-privateinvestigator.business.site/

Business Description: Stillinger Investigations is the Best Private Investigator in Charleston SC! Brian Stillinger is the owner of one of the most prominent private Investigators companies in South Carolina.

Google My Business CID URL: https://www.google.com/maps?cid=10261181566017651201

Business Hours: Sunday 24 Hours Monday 24 Hours Tuesday 24 Hours Wednesday 24 Hours Thursday 24 Hours Friday 24 Hours Saturday 24 Hours

Services: Adultery/Infidelity Investigations,Child Custody Investigations,Cohabitation Investigations,Counter Measure Sweeps,Covert Camera Systems,Criminal Defense,Database Research,Digital Forensics,Fraud Investigations,GPS Tracking,Process Service

Keywords: private investigator near me,Private investigator,private investigators,Private Investigator Charleston SC,Stillinger Investigations, Inc.

Business/Company Establishment Year: 1991

Owner Name: Brian Stillinger

Location:

Service Areas:

[mariacallous]

When the Egyptian government shut down the internet in 2011 to give itself cover to crush a popular protest movement, it was Nora Younis who got the word out. Younis, then a journalist with daily newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, found a working internet connection at the InterContinental Cairo Semiramis Hotel that overlooked Tahrir Square, the heart of the protests. From the balcony, she filmed as protesters were shot and run down with armored vehicles, posting the footage to the newspaper’s website, where it was picked up by global media.

In 2016, with Egypt having slid back into the authoritarianism that prompted the uprising, Younis launched her own media platform, Al-Manassa, which combined citizen journalism with investigative reporting. The following year, Almanassa.com suddenly disappeared from the Egyptian internet, along with a handful of other independent publications. It was still available overseas, but domestic users couldn’t see it. Younis’ team moved their site to a new domain. That, too, was rapidly blocked, so they moved again and were blocked again. After three years and more than a dozen migrations to new domains and subdomains, they asked for help from the Swedish digital forensics nonprofit Qurium, which figured out how the blocks were being implemented—using a network management tool provided by a Canadian tech company called Sandvine.

Sandvine is well known in digital rights circles, but unlike leading villains of the spyware world such as NSO Group or Candiru, it’s often floated below the eyeline of lawmakers and regulators. The company, owned by the private equity group Francisco Partners, mainly sells above-board technology to internet service providers and telecom companies to help them run their networks. But it has often sold that technology to regimes that have abused it, using it to censor, shut down, and surveil activists, journalists, and political opponents.

On Monday, after years of lobbying from digital rights activists, the US Department of Commerce added Sandvine to its Entity List, effectively blacklisting it from doing business with American partners. The department said that the company’s technology was “used in mass-web monitoring and censorship” in Egypt, “contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.” Digital rights activists say it’s a major victory because it shows that companies can’t avoid responsibility when they sell potentially dangerous products to clients who are likely to abuse them.

“Better late than never,” Tord Lundström, Qurium’s technical director, says. “Sandvine is a shameless example of how technology is not neutral when seeking profit at all costs.”

”We are aware of the action announced by the US Commerce Department, and we’re working closely with government officials to understand, address, and resolve their concerns,” says Sandvine spokesperson Susana Schwartz. “Sandvine solutions help provide a reliable and safe internet, and we take allegations of misuse very seriously.”

Sandvine’s flagship product is deep packet inspection, or DPI, a common tool used by ISPs and telecom companies to monitor traffic and prioritize certain types of content. DPI lets network administrators see what’s in a packet of data flowing on the network in real time, so it can intercept or divert it. It can be used, for example, to give priority to traffic from streaming services over static web pages or downloads, so that users don’t see glitches in their streams. It has been used in some countries to filter out child sexual abuse images.

But the technology can also be used to divert traffic away from sites or social media platforms and into dead ends, effectively censoring them. It’s the main technology used by Roskomnadzor, the Russian state censor, to shut off or throttle sites the government has banned.

“On paper, it’s technology that has legitimate aims, but it can be abused on a mass scale if it’s given to the wrong hands,” says Marwa Fatafta, Middle East and North Africa policy and advocacy director at digital rights group Access Now, which has been lobbying the US government to take action against Sandvine. “If you’re selling your technology to repressive governments that you know have a dismal record of human rights, you know that your technology will end up being abused.”

This dual use has made authoritarian governments enthusiastic adopters of DPI. In 2017, according to Bloomberg and Qurium, Sandvine was among the tools used by the government in Azerbaijan to black out livestreaming services and social media sites during anti-corruption protests, and to later block access to a major opposition newspaper.

In 2018, the Canadian cybersecurity research center Citizen Lab found that Sandvine’s tools had been used to deploy “nation-state spyware” onto users’ devices in Syria and Turkey.

In 2020, Sandvine’s DPI tool was used to shut down the internet during anti-government protests in Belarus. The outcry that followed led to the company canceling its contract with the government in Minsk. However, Sandvine apparently continued to seek contracts in places that routinely censor the internet. In 2022, a Bloomberg investigation found that the company had been pursuing business in Russia, where the government has been rolling out a massive system of decentralized censorship, often using DPI. Sandvine has reportedly now largely pulled out of the Russian market after sanctions were imposed on the country following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In Egypt, Sandvine has provided a key tool in the government’s attempt to strangle independent voices, allegedly helping to block hundreds of sites, including Al-Manassa. The impact has been devastating for independent sites, Younis says. The constant disruption has cut them off from audiences and revenue streams, making it hard to sustain themselves financially. Many independent media outlets have shut down.

“This, of course, has definitely had a lot of impact on people’s awareness in access to information and their ability to hold officials accountable,” Younis says. “There are parliamentary elections, presidential elections—many times where maybe things would have been different if there was free access to information.”

The technical censorship is only part of the Egyptian government’s far broader crackdown on independent media and political opponents, which includes physical and legal intimidation. But Younis, like others, thought that the involvement of a Western tech company meant that she might have an avenue to seek redress. Two years ago, she started speaking with rights groups in Canada and the US to try to figure out whether she could sue Sandvine, which has never responded to any of her requests to speak. She was advised against it, on the grounds that she could open herself up to expensive counter-litigation. She lobbied Canadian diplomats, who were sympathetic but said they couldn’t help. “Their heart’s in the right place, but they say that the laws in Canada don’t work like that,” she says.

This speaks to the difficulty in regulating so-called dual-use technologies—tools whose danger depends on the context in which they’re deployed. In the US and European Union, lawmakers have begun to expand older restrictions covering dual-use technologies that could be used as, or to build, weapons to cover surveillance and censorship. But the process has been slow. NSO Group, whose Pegasus spyware has been implicated in the surveillance of hundreds of human rights activists, journalists, and politicians all over the world, was added to the Entity List only in late 2021, years after the scandal broke.

Victims of the censorship tools, including Younis, had little hope that Sandvine would be sanctioned, and Monday’s announcement took them by surprise. (Qurium’s Lundström’s first response via Signal on Tuesday morning was simply: “Oh fucking yeah.”)

Being added to the Entity List means that any American company that wants to work with Sandvine will need to seek a special license. “It is essentially a ban,” says Natalia Krapiva, tech legal counsel at Access Now. “There is a presumption that [licenses] will not be approved.”

That means Sandvine could struggle to access US technology services and infrastructure.

“It’s a big deal for companies to be going and asking for a license to do business with a company that the US government says represents a risk to our national security interests and foreign policy,” Krapiva says.

The Department of Commerce’s decision is, she adds, “hugely significant. It is a huge victory for all of us: civil society, victims of this technology, and the regimes that they were supplying into. … [Sandvine] could have stuck with sort of normal, civilian purposes. Instead, they chose to sell to dictators and facilitate censorship and repression. And so finally, they paid some price.”

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Tracers in the Dark

In Tracers in the Dark, Andy Greenberg traces the fascinating, horrifying, and complicated story of the battle over Bitcoin secrecy, as law enforcement agencies, tax authorities and private-sector sleuths seek to trace and attribute the cryptocurrency used in a variety of crimes, some relatively benign (selling weed online), some absolutely ghastly (selling videos of child sex abuse).

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/690603/tracers-in-the-dark-by-andy-greenberg/

Bitcoin’s early boosters touted its privacy protections as a game-changer, a way for people to exchange money with one another without anyone else being able to know about it. But the reality is a lot more complex. In a very important way, Bitcoin is the opposite of private: every transaction is indelibly inscribed upon the blockchain, linked to pseudonymous identifier.

In theory, if you are careful about not linking a wallet address to your real identity, then your transactions are not traceable to you.

In practice, this is really, really, really hard.

There are so many ways to slip up and expose your identity, and even if you maintain perfect operational security, other people might slip up and do it for you. This is a lesson that many cryptocurrency users learned the hard way, as Greenberg documents.

The de-anonymizers who sought to expose Bitcoin transactions had a major advantage: users of Bitcoin believed the hype and really thought that the blockchain provided them with a powerful — even invulnerable — degree of anonymity. They used cryptos to buy and sell a lot of illegal things, from fentanyl to murder for hire, over long timescales. That meant that they attracted the attention of law-enforcement agencies, who were able to use the eternal, indelible blockchain to backtrack their subjects’ every transaction to the very first days of cryptocurrency.

Like Greenberg’s previous book, Sandworm (a history of Russian state-backed malware operations in Ukraine), Tracers uses current events to conduct a master-class in the art and science of digital forensics, laying out the tactics and countertactics of a specific kind of cyberwarfare:

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2019-11-01/sandworm-andy-greenberg-cybersecurity

Starting with the infamous Silk Road takedown, and moving through other “dark market” seizures like AlphaBay, Greenberg draws on incredible first-person accounts, digital forensics, court documents and well-placed sources to spin out a tense, exciting technothriller. We meet dirty cops, snake-eyed drug-lords, and brilliant technologists and researchers who find devilishly creative strategies to hide or uncover.

Greenberg also provides a rare and non-sensationalistic deep dive into the unthinkable world of child sexual abuse material marketplaces. These are the darkest corners of the human psyche and the digital world, and Greenberg’s tick-tock depiction of the seizure of “Welcome to Video,” the largest such market ever, is chilling.

In the final section of the book, Greenberg considers the geopolitics of secret money. We hear a little (too little, honestly) from people presenting the human rights case for financial privacy. This is a complex issue and I’m deeply ambivalent about it myself, but it’s a subject worthy of its own book. This cursory treatment of human rights and finance is an inevitable artifact of the book’s structure: if you chronicle the adventures of cops hunting criminals, you won’t encounter the stories of oppressed people hiding from authoritarians.

But when it comes to other geopolitical questions — like the role of crypto in fueling state-backed ransomware from North Korea — Greenberg has a front-row seat, and his account of this aspect is top-notch.

Greenberg also gives some space to the claims of developers of more privacy-focused cryptocurrencies like Monero and Zcash, airing credible accounts of how these might correct the defects in Bitcoin’s privacy model — and credible critiques arguing that they, too, will fall before forensic investigators’ creative tactics.

Above all, this is a book about the attacker’s advantage, the idea that defenders win by making no mistakes, while attackers need only find one single exploitable lapse to attain victory. Greenberg’s account of the move/countermove dynamic of criminals and investigators are perfect illustrations of this phenomenon. The attackers — feds of various description — have many advantages, but above all, they are blessed not having to be perfect. They make all kinds of errors, and it doesn’t matter, because no one is hunting them. Meanwhile, their quarry — largely unsympathetic criminals destroying their victims’ lives without a shred of empathy — are haunted by minuscule errors in the distant past.

The attacker’s advantage, combined with the blockchain’s eternal and indelible memory, constitute a powerful argument against the possibility of using blockchains to attain financial privacy. We all slip up. The reason the feds catch their prey isn’t that they’re smarter — it’s that they don’t have to be. The feds don’t permanently inscribe their every error on an indelible public ledger. The defenders have chosen a defense that involves this tactic. They have, in other words, chosen a system of privacy for the infallible — a category that effectively doesn’t exist.

This makes for a pretty devastating critique of public ledgers as a tool of privacy. And also, you know, a cracking technothriller.

[auscovertinvestigations]

Benefits of Hiring Private Detective Sydney for Digital Forensics Cases

Free Consultation at 1800 553 788 In a world where digital footprints dominate, uncovering the secrets of the digital realm is crucial. Individuals and businesses navigating this intricate landscape often ponder: What perks come with hiring a private detective in Sydney for digital forensics?

Unveiling the Perks: Private Detective Sydney on the Case

Expertise Unmatched: When it comes to digital forensics, expertise reigns supreme. Private detective Sydney boasts extensive training and hands-on experience, adept at unraveling even the trickiest digital conundrums. Read more...  Read the full article

[aaltufaltu9]

top private detective in chandigarh 

Discover the Best Private Detective Agency in Chandigarh: Your Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to solving complex cases and uncovering the truth, finding the best  top private detective agency in Chandigarh is crucial. Whether you’re facing personal issues, corporate concerns, or legal disputes, enlisting the expertise of a top-rated detective can provide the clarity and answers you need. Chandigarh, known for its modern infrastructure and thriving business environment, is home to some of the most proficient private detectives in the region. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you choose the best detective agency in Chandigarh.

Why Choose the Best Private Detective Agency in Chandigarh?

Unmatched Expertise and Experience: The best private detective agencies in Chandigarh are known for their extensive experience and specialized knowledge. These agencies employ highly skilled investigators who have handled a wide range of cases, from matrimonial disputes and fraud investigations to corporate espionage. Their expertise ensures that they can approach each case with precision and deliver reliable results.

Comprehensive Range of Services: Top detective agencies offer a wide array of services designed to meet diverse investigative needs. These services include:

Matrimonial Investigations: Verifying the background and integrity of a spouse or prospective partner.

Corporate Investigations: Addressing issues like employee misconduct, corporate theft, and competitive intelligence.

Surveillance Operations: Conducting discreet surveillance to monitor activities and gather evidence.

Background Checks: Performing thorough checks on individuals for personal or professional purposes.

Fraud Investigations: Investigating financial fraud, embezzlement, and other deceptive practices.

The breadth of services offered ensures that top detective agencies in Chandigarh can address a variety of cases with expertise.

Advanced Technology and Techniques: Leading private detective agencies in Chandigarh utilize cutting-edge technology and advanced investigative techniques. This includes state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, digital forensics tools, and sophisticated data analysis software. By leveraging these technologies, they can gather and analyze evidence more effectively, providing clients with accurate and actionable insights.

Commitment to Confidentiality: Confidentiality is paramount in private investigations. The best agencies in Chandigarh understand this and ensure that all cases are handled with the utmost discretion. They implement stringent protocols to protect client privacy and ensure that sensitive information remains secure throughout the investigation process.

High Standards of Professionalism and Integrity: Top private detectives adhere to strict ethical standards and maintain high levels of professionalism. They follow legal guidelines and ethical practices, ensuring that their methods are both effective and respectful of individuals’ rights. This commitment to integrity fosters trust and ensures that investigations are conducted in a fair and lawful manner.

Client-Centric Approach: The best private detective agencies prioritize the needs and concerns of their clients. They take the time to understand each client’s specific requirements and tailor their investigative strategies accordingly. Clear communication, regular updates, and a transparent approach to case management are hallmarks of a client-focused agency.

Proven Track Record: When selecting a private detective agency, it’s important to consider their track record. Reputable agencies often have a history of successful cases and positive client testimonials. Researching past work and client feedback can provide valuable insights into the agency’s effectiveness and reliability.

How to Find the Best Private Detective Agency in Chandigarh

Conduct Thorough Research: Begin by researching private detective agencies in Chandigarh. Look for agencies with strong reputations and positive reviews. Online platforms, social media, and professional forums can offer valuable information about various agencies and their services.

Seek Recommendations: Personal recommendations can be a reliable source of information. Ask friends, family, or colleagues if they can recommend a reputable detective agency based on their own experiences.

Evaluate Services and Expertise: Assess the range of services offered by different agencies and ensure they match your specific needs. Consider their expertise in handling cases similar to yours and their overall experience in the field.

Verify Credentials: Check the credentials and qualifications of the private detectives. Ensure they are licensed and affiliated with professional organizations, which can indicate their commitment to ethical standards and ongoing professional development.

Arrange Consultations: Schedule consultations with potential agencies to discuss your case and gauge their approach. A professional detective should be able to provide clear information about their investigative methods, pricing, and expected outcomes.

Review Costs and Contracts: Understand the agency’s pricing structure and ensure it fits within your budget. Look for transparency in costs and a clear contract outlining the terms of service. Avoid agencies with hidden fees or unclear terms.

Conclusion

Choosing the best  top private detective agency in Chandigarh can significantly impact the outcome of your investigation. By considering factors such as expertise, service range, technology, confidentiality, professionalism, and client satisfaction, you can find a reputable agency that meets your needs. Whether you’re dealing with personal matters or business concerns, partnering with a top-rated private detective agency in Chandigarh ensures you receive the highest quality of investigative services and achieve the clarity you seek. Reach out to a leading agency today to start your journey toward resolving your case effectively and discreetly.