How Big Data Broke up Carderprofit

The recent arrests in the Carderprofit scheme have government agencies buzzing about the benefits of Big Data mining provided by companies like BrightPlanet. Without the proper tools and deep web intelligence necessary to infiltrate this organization, these hackers would still be at large today.

Setting the Trap

Two years ago, the FBI developed an undercover forum aimed at “carding” crimes. That is, using online connections to collect, exploit and traffic stolen bank cards, credit cards and other financial data from unsuspecting victims. The forum, Carderprofit, was actually a front for a long-term FBI sting operation. Users who joined the forum were tracked by IP address and login information in order to collect personal information about the users.

Over time, the FBI was able to collect evidence against 26 members of the forum indicating their participation in the buying and selling of stolen credit cards, as well as purchases made with the illegally obtained cards. The false forum asked new users for registration data such as valid email address and requesting a registration fee. This information was then used to trace users back to their point of origin.

Using the Evidence

As the FBI gathered information regarding the stolen account numbers, that data was fed back to the issuing banks. By the time Carderprofit was prepared enough to move forward with arrests, over 411,000 cards had been tracked from among 47 separate companies, educational institutions, and governmental organizations. In the end, 25 arrests were made, including the alleged core member of a notorious hacking group, UGNazi. This group has recently claimed responsibility for security breaches among several online businesses.

Carderprofit is only the most recent example of online counterfeiting, hacking and fraud attempts taken by Internet users around the world. The only way to collect evidence which can bring these malicious hackers to justice is through Deep Web intelligence and Big Data mining.

Tools for Big Data Mining

BrightPlanet has the tools needed to comb social media platforms, forum boards and other hidden corners of the web in order to find relevant, detailed intelligence in real-time.

BrightPlanet’s Deep Web Harvester utilizes patented technology which allows access to data which standard searches simply can’t reach.
Collected information is presented in a form which is ready for immediate analysis via customized queries.
The Deep Web Harvester can either be used as a standalone web-based interface, or may be installed behind your firewall for use as a custom enterprise solution with the OpenPlanet® Enterprise Platform.

Together, these tools provide unparalleled analytical capabilities, perfect for mining the Deep Web for Big Data.

The evidence collected in the Carderprofit scheme is just one example of how Big Data can work for governmental agencies to help build an airtight case in any field, from community gangs to online hackers and even drug cartels. BrightPlanet is able to harvest, organize, analyze and store all the intelligence data required to prosecute. BrightPlanet is also a member if the IJIS Institute, a national nonprofit which is dedicated at connecting industry with governmental agencies in order to promote information sharing across all communities of law enforcement. The tools and goals of BrightPlanet are perfectly aligned with government’s need to effectively harness the power of Big Data.