Hacks, Leaks, and Revelations The Art of Analyzing Hacked and Leaked Data

by Lee, Micah

• ISBN13: 9781718503120
• ISBN10: 1718503121
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2023-08-29
• Publisher: No Starch Press

Summary

Data-science investigations have brought journalism into the 21st century, and—guided by The Intercept’s infosec expert Micah Lee— this book is your blueprint for uncovering hidden secrets in hacked datasets.

Unlock the internet’s treasure trove of public interest data with Hacks, Leaks, and Revelations by Micah Lee, an investigative reporter and security engineer. This hands-on guide blends real-world techniques for researching large datasets with lessons on coding, data authentication, and digital security. All of this is spiced up with gripping stories from the front lines of investigative journalism.

Dive into exposed datasets from a wide array of sources: the FBI, the DHS, police intelligence agencies, extremist groups like the Oath Keepers, and even a Russian ransomware gang. Lee’s own in-depth case studies on disinformation-peddling pandemic profiteers and neo-Nazi chatrooms serve as blueprints for your research.

Gain practical skills in searching massive troves of data for keywords like “antifa” and pinpointing documents with newsworthy revelations. Get a crash course in Python to automate the analysis of millions of files.

You will also learn how to:

• Master encrypted messaging to safely communicate with whistleblowers.
• Secure datasets over encrypted channels using Signal, Tor Browser, OnionShare, and SecureDrop.
• Harvest data from the BlueLeaks collection of internal memos, financial records, and more from over 200 state, local, and federal agencies.
• Probe leaked email archives about offshore detention centers and the Heritage Foundation.
• Analyze metadata from videos of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, sourced from the Parler social network.

We live in an age where hacking and whistleblowing can unearth secrets that alter history. Hacks, Leaks, and Revelations is your toolkit for uncovering new stories and hidden truths. Crack open your laptop, plug in a hard drive, and get ready to change history.

Author Biography

Micah Lee is the Director of Information Security at First Look Media, The Intercept's parent company. He got his start in investigative journalism in 2013 when he helped secure communication between Edward Snowden and journalists.  Lee is an advisor to the transparency collective Distributed Denial of Secrets, a co-founder of Freedom of the Press Foundation, and  a Tor Project core contributor, and previously worked for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He develops open source security and privacy tools like OnionShare and Dangerzone.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Sources and Datasets
Chapter 1: TBD
Chapter 2: Protecting Sources and Yourself
Chapter 3: Acquiring Datasets
Part 2: Tools of the Trade
Chapter 4: The Command Line Interface
Chapter 5: Exploring Datasets in the Terminal
Chapter 6: Docker, Aleph, and Making Datasets Searchable
Chapter 7: Reading Other People's Emails
Part 3: Writing Code
Chapter 8: An Introduction to Python
Chapter 9: Working with Data in Python
Part 3: Structured Data
Chapter 10: BlueLeaks, Black Lives Matter, and the CSV File Format
Chapter 11: BlueLeaks Explorer
Chapter 12: Parler, the Insurrection of January 6, and the JSON File Format
Chapter 13: Epik Fail, Extremism Research, and SQL Databases
Part 5: Case Studies
Chapter 14: Pandemic Profiteers and COVID-19 Disinformation
Chapter 15: Neo-Nazis and Their Chat Rooms
Appendixes
Appendix A: Using the Windows Subsystem for Linux
Appendix B: Scraping the Web