Session Examines How to Sniff Out Security Threats on Social Media

• By Christina Miralla
• Mar 21, 2012

It’s always intriguing to attend security exhibitions and learn a wealth of new information thanks to a handful of education sessions. Next week is no different. With the social media revolution on the rise, the communication outlet brings about new discussions that will be addressed at this year’s ISC West Conference. As an active participant in the land of social media, one education session immediately caught my attention since it is dedicated to social media threat investigation.

Security industry professionals are tweeting their much anticipated arrival in Las Vegas next week -- including myself -- but what threats could they be facing by exposing such information? We all think: What harm could there be in posting information online with the right privacy settings? Well, a wealth of revealing information about any subject can be found through online, social media activity with a little snooping. On Wednesday, March 28, an education session discusses threat level investigation on social media channels.

The one-hour education session is aimed at threat assessment professionals, who can learn the intentions, violence capability and mental status of a subject through their online postings and social media messages and how to use that information to determine the likelihood and severity of a potential threat.

Two speakers will lead the social media investigation discussion, University of Massachusetts, Boston Detective Paul Parlon and Director of Investigations for Cyber Investigation Services LLC Bruce Anderson. Taking reach life cases, the two will breakdown the investigation and illustrate factors and elements to investigate online and demonstrate the tools and manner of researching potential threats on the web.

While I may not work as a threat assessment professional, this information is pertinent to the security industry. By the end of the session, attendees should be able to: Recognize opportunity for data collection on potential threats through online activity; identify means of searching and gaining access to a subject's online activity; and develop the ability to monitor a subject’s state of mind and intentions through their online activity.

The session is aimed at end-users and IT professionals and starts at 10:15 a.m.