Thread by @lhfang

That anime cartoon avi anon in your DM group could actually be a spy.

I have a new investigation of "threat intel" firms -- contractors hired by corporations and the gov, including the FBI, to infiltrate private forums on sites like Reddit, Discord, WhatsApp & Telegram.

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I talked to leading firms in the industry, including ZeroFox, DarkOwl, Searchlight Cyber, Flashpoint, & CyberInt. Several firms told me they create online personas that spend years building credibility & contacts to gain access to invite-only chat groups.

Here's a marketing video from CyberInt, a threat intel firm based in Israel w/ global clients.

“I prefer to detect threat actors when they are young or starting out at 14 or 15. That's when I start observing and documenting their malicious activities."

The threat intel industry focuses largely on cyber criminals, especially hackers, but also advertises services monitoring left & right-wing domestic activists. The push to penetrate private online spaces has grown since the so-called Discord Leaks. nbcnews.com/politics/natio…

There’s many more details and quotes in my reported piece published today.

Private Spies Hired by the FBI and Corporate Firms Infiltrate Discord, Reddit, WhatsApp.

leefang.com/p/private-spie…