Experts reveal how ISIS is using the dark web to stay undetected

2015-11-19

The original story can be found here.

 

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Terrorists are finding new ways to use social media to stay under the radar while they are planning major attacks, according to forensic security experts.

Investigators believe ISIS uses the dark web to hide their messages from national intelligence by using encrypted messaging. They communicate over everything from apps to gaming platforms. Experts the way they’re going about it makes it a challenge.

“There are so many ways to communicate it is hard to analyze all of them,” said Frank Breitinger, Cyber Security & Forensic Security expert with the University of New Haven.

Breitinger said it is difficult to track terrorists who don’t leave a trail.

“They might send one or two e-mails and then switch the channel, then send one or two e-mails and then go to What’s App, send to or three messages, then go back to Facebook,” said Breitinger.

There is also the perfect encryption used to hide the location using a foreign IP address VPN or Virtual Private Network makes it look like you’re in another country.

“I could create a secret tunnel to Germany and then browse the internet from there. From an outside perspective it would look like I’m in Germany and browsing the internet from there,” said Breitinger.

Breitinger said in order to track the terrorists authorities need to get ahead of the technology they are using.

“They have information, they have the knowledge so even if we try to create applications that have security mechanisms for the FBI or the NSA to read this communication they might simply come us with their own applications,” said Breitinger.