S.U.S. You're SUS!—Identifying influencer hackers on dark web social networks. (April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paracha, Anum Atique; Arshad, Junaid; Khan, Muhammad Mubashir
• Is Part Of: Computers & electrical engineering. Volume 107(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04
• Subjects: Dark web -- Threat intelligence -- Social Network Analysis -- Semantic analysis -- Linear regression -- Feature engineering; Computer engineering -- Periodicals; Electrical engineering -- Periodicals; Electrical engineering -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Ordinateurs -- Conception et construction -- Périodiques; Électrotechnique -- Périodiques; Électrotechnique -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Computer engineering; Electrical engineering; Electrical engineering -- Data processing; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 621.302854
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compeleceng.2023.108627
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-7906

Abstract

Abstract: Dark web is an obscured part of the Internet, specifically used for sharing exploits, data breaches, and other means of cybercrime. Dark web forums provide opportunities to share such data and exploits and assign user reputation and credibility through participation in discussions and sharing data, exploits, and hacks. Such activities can help develop metrics to enable identification of influential mal-actors facilitating efficient and effective defense against emerging cyber threats, particularly zero-day exploits. This paper proposes an AI-inspired framework to identify influencers on dark web social networks (INSPECT) through intelligent analysis of user-profiles, interactions, and other activities. INSPECT framework leverages Feature Engineering, Social Network Analysis, Semantic Analysis, and K-means clustering and calculates an influencer score representing the users' significance within these forums. INSPECT has been evaluated using CrimeBB dataset comprising user profiles and activities within dark web forums to assess its effectiveness in identifying influential users on the dark web forums.