Introduction: In digital-extortion cases, identifying the perpetrator requires a delicate balance between credential-recovery techniques and infrastructure analysis. Below we outline a typical operational scenario at Detective Hacker, the tactics used to access the extortionist’s mailbox, and the precautions needed to maintain the chain of custody.
Technique | Mode of operation | Entry vector | Risks |
---|---|---|---|
Spear phishing | A “support” email impersonates the provider to steal the password. | Email with link to a cloned site (evilginx, Gophish) | Fake URL flagged by filters; prosecutable for impersonation. |
Social engineering + SIM swap | The attacker duplicates the SIM and receives the 2FA SMS to reset the account. | Call to the mobile operator with leaked data | Forgery crime; 1–2 h window before lockout. |
Password spraying / credential stuffing | Leaked credentials from previous breaches are tested. | Bots (Hydra, Burp Intruder) from a distributed network | Account lockout due to mass logins; IP blacklisted. |
Remote-access malware (RAT) | A trojan is installed on the extortionist’s PC/phone. | Malicious attachment, browser exploit | Infecting without a court warrant is a serious offense. |
Cloud misconfiguration | The extortionist forwards copies to an S3/Bucket without permissions. | OSINT, Shodan, bucket_finder | Only valid if the repo is public; otherwise, unauthorized access. |
SHA-256
on WORM media.Block Public Access
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