Fighting Terrorism on the Dark Web: New Tech to Fight Advanced Enemy Tactics

By Kris Osborn Warrior Maven Global Security

Private security firms are working with US law enforcement and intelligence professionals to integrate downloadable software products able to access, investigate and ultimately thwart criminal and terrorist activity on the Dark Web.

Described as exploited areas of the “deep web,” the part of the web not indexed by search engines, the “Dark Web” often affords bad actors an opportunity to engage in money laundering, human and drug trafficking, illegal business transactions and many other activities known to inhabit the dangerous nexus between transnational crime and terrorism.

Emerging technology can now synthesize elements of various available products such as a free software called TOR — a product designed to enable anonymous communication directing traffic through a network of more than 7,000 relays.

Growing concern in this area, including the fast-growing synergy between terrorist activity and recruiting and the Dark Web, continues to generate substantial security-minded activity throughout the international community.

As a result, a select group of global security firms are now supporting broad-sweeping industry, US government and United Nations efforts to close a troubling gap between the growing volume of dangerous activity on the dark web …. and the amount of technical expertise needed to fight it.

A 2012 report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on the internet and terrorism speaks to this concern, writing that “there is limited specialized training available on the legal and practical aspects of the investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases involving the use of the Internet.”

One particular application now being taught and implemented is a Dark Web Advanced Privacy Browsing technology engineered by Torres Advanced Enterprise Solutions, a global security firm; Torres, which supports the US Department of State, Department of Defense and allied efforts from various friendly partners, has provided law enforcement and counterterrorism authorities in Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil with cyber forensics systems with integrated downloadable software designed to track Dark Web activity.