Cybercrime Investigation

Cybercrime is an increasing threat to government agencies, the private sector (including financial services and healthcare sectors), and for individuals. However, sometimes it can be difficult to understand how cybercrime is investigated and how your team can help with an investigation. Fortunately, threat intelligence is a key part of the investigation of any crime. 

How Flare Assists your Team with Cybercrime Investigations 

How does Flare monitor threat intelligence for cybercrime investigations? 

Flare’s threat intelligence platform automates the process of scanning for threats. Flare monitors the clear & dark web — as well as prominent threat actor communities — continuously, sending your team alerts when your organization, employees’ names, domains, IP, or any other key information is posted where it should not be. This allows you to proactively discover leaked or stolen data or attacks that are still in the planning stages. 

Why use Flare to monitor threat intelligence? 

Security teams are living with constant noise from notifications, many of which aren’t relevant to your organization’s security at all. Flare automates the process of scanning for threat intelligence, seeking out information that specifically targets your organization, only notifying your team when relevant information is discovered. Flare is also able to provide context for every threat, translating notification from other languages, or translating technical information so that it’s more easily presented to stakeholders like law enforcement. 

What are the key benefits of the Flare threat intelligence platform? 

• Automated continuous monitoring: Using an automated solution gives you 24/7 coverage, so you will know as soon as your information appears where it should not be. 
• Relevant alerts: Flare rises above the noise by only delivering notifications when a threat is relevant to your security.
• A proactive security stance: By actively seeking out potential threats, you can catch breaches early and take steps to protect your data, systems, and networks.
• Visibility into the deep and dark web: Flare’s monitoring solution scans the deep, dark, and clear web to find leaks before an attack happens. 
• Unmatched data collection: Flare uses billions of data points to provide your team with information about your organization’s security stance, relevant threats, and the movement of threat actors between platforms. 
• Transparency: Flare lists every source so you know exactly where your threat intelligence data is coming from. 

Cybercrime Investigations: An Overview

What is a cybercrime investigation? 

A cybercrime investigation is the process of identifying, analyzing, and mitigating computer-based crime. Just as with traditional, in-person crimes, cybercrimes are investigated by trained, dedicated investigators using specialized tools and techniques to gather evidence from devices, applications, and platforms in order to bring cybercriminals to justice.

Who conducts cybercrime investigations? 

There are several types of cybercrime investigators. Many work for law enforcement agencies, but others work for the private sector: 

• Law enforcement: Criminal justice agents, such as police officers, prosecutors, and judges, are responsible for the prevention, mitigation, detection, investigation, prosecution, and punishment of cybercrime. The specific agencies responsible, however, vary by country.
• National security agencies: National security agencies, like the military, may be involved in cybercrime investigations. This is mostly the case if a nation state has been involved in a cyber attack, however.
• The private sector: Because private companies tend to own and manage the digital critical infrastructure, private businesses often are involved in the detection, prevention, mitigation, and investigation of cybercrime. Private businesses are often targets as well, and conduct their own internal investigations.

What are best practices in cybercrime investigations? 

Navigating the web for investigative purposes is a task that requires tactical strategies and careful execution.Understanding how to effectively utilize its resources is vital for every organization striving to enhance its cybersecurity.  Below are some best practices to adopt during investigations:

1. Regular surveillance and prompt action

Consistent and regular monitoring of dark web activities helps in identifying potential threats and breaches early. Once a threat is identified, prompt action should be taken to mitigate any potential harm. This could mean securing compromised accounts, addressing vulnerabilities, or strengthening security measures.

2. Collaboration and information sharing: Collaborating with other organizations and cybersecurity researchers can provide broader visibility into cyber threats. Sharing threat intelligence can help to uncover larger criminal networks, leading to more effective preventive measures.

3. Employee education and training: Employees often are the first line of defense against cyber risks. With regular training, employees can better understand the risks associated with the cyber-threat landscape and encourage safe online practices. An informed team can significantly reduce the chances of internal breaches.

Why are Cybercrime Investigations So Important Right Now? 

Why are cybercrime investigations so important in today’s digital landscape? 

Cybercrime is big business for criminals, so it’s not a surprise that criminals have been ramping up their efforts lately. Organizations are constantly under attack, fending off social engineering scams, ransomware, malware, DDoS attacks, and other types of attacks as they’re developed by bad actors. While many attacks are deflected, those that succeed need to be investigated, both internally and by criminal agencies. Strong threat intelligence is critical to supporting cybercrime investigations. 

How can your team help with a cybercrime investigation? 

When an outside organization steps in to investigate a crime, it may seem as though your team has to step back, but that’s not the case. Businesses are vital partners in cybercrime investigations. Your team can assist with a cybercrime investigation in several ways: 

• Preserving digital evidence
• Providing access to relevant data and system logs
• Providing all context around relevant security alerts and incidents
• Reporting suspicious activity promptly
• Maintaining strong cybersecurity practices that help identify potential threats

Cybercrime Investigations and Flare

The Flare Threat Exposure Management (TEM) solution empowers organizations to proactively detect, prioritize, and mitigate the types of exposures commonly exploited by threat actors. Our platform automatically scans the clear & dark web and prominent threat actor communities 24/7 to discover unknown events, prioritize risks, and deliver actionable intelligence you can use instantly to improve security. Flare’s threat intelligence can provide vital information for cybercrime investigations. 

Flare integrates into your security program in 30 minutes and often replaces several SaaS and open source tools. Learn more by signing up for our free trial.