Speaker 1: Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we're taking a deep
Speaker 1: dive into the world of digital security and investigative journalism,
Speaker 1: and we're going to be doing that through the lens
Speaker 1: of Michael Lee's book, Hacks, Leaks and Revelations. I've got
Speaker 1: to say, you shared some really fascinating excerpts with me,
Speaker 1: and I'm really excited to get into it. Yeah.
Speaker 2: It's really interesting how Lee kind of pulls back the
Speaker 2: curtain on this whole world of data leaks and how
Speaker 2: journalists can actually use cutting edge technology to get to
Speaker 2: the truth. You know, it's not just about looking at
Speaker 2: the raw data, it's about understanding like the context and
Speaker 2: you know, really importantly the potential impact on everyone.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it kind of feels like we're stepping into like
Speaker 1: a real life digital detective story. Yeah, you know, speaking
Speaker 1: of detectives, one of the things that really stood out
Speaker 1: to me was Lee's emphasis on data sensitivity. He makes
Speaker 1: the point that not all data sets are created equal,
Speaker 1: especially when you're dealing with information that could expose really
Speaker 1: powerful entities.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it definitely makes you think about like where we
Speaker 2: store our data. You know, Lee actually are is that
Speaker 2: everyday cloud services like Google Drive, which seem really convenient,
Speaker 2: might not be the best choice for investigations that are
Speaker 2: highly sensitive because they're vulnerable to legal requests. Right, So
Speaker 2: that means that you know, a company with a team
Speaker 2: of lawyers could potentially access your data.
Speaker 1: Okay, so no storing my top secret expose on Google Docs.
Speaker 1: Got it. But isn't the cloud supposed to be like
Speaker 1: super secure? Why would I need anything more than that?
Speaker 2: Well, that's a great question, and it is true that
Speaker 2: cloud providers do offer some security measures, but they are
Speaker 2: still subject to legal processes. So if you're investigating like
Speaker 2: a really powerful entity like a corporation, they might have
Speaker 2: the resources to compel those providers to hand over your data.
Speaker 2: And so for those cases, Lee really recommends taking extra
Speaker 2: precautions and using more robust solutions.
Speaker 1: That makes sense. So let's say we have taken those
Speaker 1: precautions and we've actually received elked data set. How can
Speaker 1: we be sure it's authentic? Can't anyone just like fabricate
Speaker 1: data these days? Oh?
Speaker 2: Absolutely? Verifying the authenticity of your sources is absolutely crucial,
Speaker 2: and Lee actually uses some pretty clever methods to confirm
Speaker 2: the legitimacy of the data sets he works with. For example,
Speaker 2: when he received the data set from America's Frontline Doctors,
Speaker 2: a group that's been known for promoting misinformation about COVID nineteen.
Speaker 2: He actually cross reference patient information with public posts on GAB.
Speaker 2: It was almost like a digital fingerprint that helped confirm
Speaker 2: the data's origin.
Speaker 1: Wow, so he was able to trace the data back
Speaker 1: to the source just using public information. That's really impressive.
Speaker 2: And another compelling example is how he verified a data
Speaker 2: set that was leaked from a private wiki leak's Twitter group.
Speaker 2: He did this by saving the HTML of a Twitter
Speaker 2: direct message conversation. So by doing that, by preserving it
Speaker 2: in its original form, he could prove that it was genuine.
Speaker 1: So it's all about finding those digital breadcrumbs that lead
Speaker 1: back to the source. But we can't forget about protecting
Speaker 1: ourselves and our sources too, right, What does Lee recommend
Speaker 1: for staying safe in this digital landscape?
Speaker 2: Well, strong passwords and two factor authentication. He says those
Speaker 2: are non negotiables. You know, imagine your work on a
Speaker 2: sensitive investigation. Maybe you're uncovering corruption, right, you're exposing wrongdoing.
Speaker 2: You need to protect yourself and the people who trust
Speaker 2: you with information. A password manager like key PASSXC is
Speaker 2: a great option. It's like a digital vault for your passwords.
Speaker 2: It can generate really strong, unique passwords and keep them
Speaker 2: safe even if your device is compromised.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I can see how that would be essential, especially
Speaker 1: when the stakes are so high. What about disc encryption?
Speaker 1: Is that something I should be considering?
Speaker 2: Disc encryption? Absolutely, it's another really crucial layer of protection.
Speaker 2: Think about it. If you lose your laptop or say
Speaker 2: it's confiscated, and your disc isn't encrypted, anyone with access
Speaker 2: can read all your data. Encryption basically scrambles that data.
Speaker 2: It makes it unreadable without the correct key. And Lee
Speaker 2: even provides like step by step instructions for enabling disc
Speaker 2: encryption on Windows, so you know it's not as daunting
Speaker 2: as it might sound.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm convinced disc encryption it is now shifting gears
Speaker 1: a little bit. You mentioned the book also delves into
Speaker 1: spearfishing and an election interference.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's where things get really interesting and honestly a
Speaker 2: little unsettling. Lee details a spearfishing attack that targeted election
Speaker 2: workers in North Carolina. And these weren't just your random
Speaker 2: like spam emails. They were very carefully crafted messages. Designed
Speaker 2: to trick specific individuals to reveal sensitive information. And this
Speaker 2: particular attack was only brought to light because of reality Winner,
Speaker 2: the whistleblower who leaked the classified documents exposing it.
Speaker 1: So this league had major real world consequences. It wasn't
Speaker 1: just about exposing like a security flaw, it was about
Speaker 1: uncovering a threat to democracy. I'm curious does Lee offer
Speaker 1: any ways to protect ourselves from these kinds of attacks?
Speaker 2: Well, he definitely highlights the importance of being aware of
Speaker 2: these fishing tactics and being really cautious about opening emails
Speaker 2: that look suspicious or clicking on links you don't recognize.
Speaker 2: But on broader level, this example really underscores the importance
Speaker 2: of robust cybersecurity measures, especially for critical infrastructure like collection systems.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it makes you wonder just how much we don't
Speaker 1: know about, right, It's almost like an iceberg what we
Speaker 1: see as just the tip. Now BitTorrent, Lee explains how
Speaker 1: this file sharing technology can be used to resist data sensorship.
Speaker 2: Yeah. BitTorrent is fascinating because it's decentralized, so instead of
Speaker 2: relying on a single server to host a file, it's
Speaker 2: distributed across a whole network of users, and this makes
Speaker 2: it really difficult to censor. Even if one user is
Speaker 2: shut down, others can still share the data. And it
Speaker 2: was actually used to distribute the blood Leaks data set,
Speaker 2: you know, that massive trove of law enforcement documents, making
Speaker 2: it accessible even when people try to censor it.
Speaker 1: That's incredible. It's like a digital hydra. You cut off
Speaker 1: one head and two more growback. Sounds like a powerful
Speaker 1: tool for whistleblowers and activists who want to bring information
Speaker 1: to light. But what about everyday communication with sources. Surely
Speaker 1: we're not using BitTorrent for that.
Speaker 2: Not exactly. For secure day to day communication, Lee strongly
Speaker 2: recommends Signal, encrypted messaging app that prioritizes user privacy and
Speaker 2: it uses end to end encryption, meaning that only the
Speaker 2: sender and the recipient can read those messages.
Speaker 1: Okay, I've heard of Signal, but can you explain how
Speaker 1: this encryption actually works? It sounds really complex.
Speaker 2: It's actually a pretty simple concept. Think about like sending
Speaker 2: a postcard through the mail right, anyone who handles it
Speaker 2: can read your message with end to end encryption. It's
Speaker 2: like you're sending that postcard in a locked box and
Speaker 2: only the recipient has the key to open it. Even
Speaker 2: signal itself can't access your messages.
Speaker 1: That's a great analogy. So it's like having a private
Speaker 1: conversation in a crowded room, but digitally. Does Lee mention
Speaker 1: any other tools for secure communication?
Speaker 2: He does. He also talks about tour which anonymizes your
Speaker 2: Internet traffic, onion share, which allows for secure file sharing,
Speaker 2: and PGP, which is an email encryption standard. It's like
Speaker 2: a whole arsenal of tools for protecting communication in the
Speaker 2: digital age.
Speaker 1: It sounds like staying ahead of surveillance is a full
Speaker 1: time job. But what happens when we're actually dealing with
Speaker 1: like massive data sets. Does Lee offer any guidance on
Speaker 1: how to manage those securely?
Speaker 2: Yeah, he suggests a few things, setting up like a
Speaker 2: tips page on your website to encourage submissions, using secure
Speaker 2: drop for anonymous communication, and setting up a cloud server
Speaker 2: specifically for data processing. You know, it's about creating a
Speaker 2: secure pipeline for receiving and analyzing information.
Speaker 1: Okay, so it's not just about getting the data, it's
Speaker 1: about having the infrastructure to handle it. And speaking of infrastructure,
Speaker 1: Lee's a big advocate for using the command line interface
Speaker 1: or CLI for navigating and manipulating this data. Why is that?
Speaker 2: The command line might seem kind of intimidating at first,
Speaker 2: but Lee argues that it's incredibly powerful and efficient. It's
Speaker 2: almost like speaking directly to your computer, giving it these
Speaker 2: precise instructions, you know, without all the graphical distractions. So
Speaker 2: like basic commands like to clear your screen, or PWD
Speaker 2: to see like where you are in the file system,
Speaker 2: and LS to list the files in a directory. Those
Speaker 2: are kind of the foundation of navigating the command line.
Speaker 1: It does sound like learning a new language. Are there
Speaker 1: other commands he recommends for working with data?
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, definitely. He goes through commands for like creating, deleting, moving,
Speaker 2: and copying files and directories, and even viewing the contents
Speaker 2: of files. All these commands can be combined to do
Speaker 2: these really powerful tasks.
Speaker 1: So it's about building up your vocabulary of commands to
Speaker 1: do increasingly complex tasks. But what about actually editing those files?
Speaker 1: Are we using the command line for that too?
Speaker 2: For that, we need text editors. Lee differentiates between what
Speaker 2: are called text files, which contain readable characters, and binary files,
Speaker 2: which are not meant to be read by humans. He
Speaker 2: recommends using visual Studio code. It's free and it's really user.
Speaker 1: Friendly, makes sense. I mean a lot of the data
Speaker 1: from leaks comes in text based format, so having a
Speaker 1: good text editor is essential, exactly.
Speaker 2: And because we often end up doing the same tasks
Speaker 2: over and over again when we're analyzing data, Lee introduces
Speaker 2: what's called shell scripting. And what this does is it
Speaker 2: allows you to automate those repetitive tasks. Yeah yeah, saving
Speaker 2: you time and effort.
Speaker 1: It's like having a digital assistant that takes scare of
Speaker 1: all the boring stuff so you can focus on the
Speaker 1: bigger picture. But what about when our own computers just
Speaker 1: aren't powerful enough to handle these massive data sets. What
Speaker 1: does Lise adjust?
Speaker 2: Then that's where cloud servers come in, and Lee specifically
Speaker 2: recommends a company called Digital Ocean. These servers can be
Speaker 2: much more powerful than your average laptop, and they offer
Speaker 2: a lot of advantages like scalability, remote access, and better
Speaker 2: bandwidth for large file transfers.
Speaker 1: So it's like upgrading your computer's brain and its Internet
Speaker 1: connection all at once for those heavy duty data crunching sessions.
Speaker 2: Yeah exactly. And Lee actually guides us through the process
Speaker 2: of setting up a server on digital Ocean, connecting to
Speaker 2: it securely using SSH, and even installing software updates. It's
Speaker 2: like a step by step guide that makes this world
Speaker 2: of cloud computing much less mysterious.
Speaker 1: This is all starting to feel very James Bond. You know,
Speaker 1: secret servers, remote access encrypted files. But how do we
Speaker 1: keep those servers organized and secure?
Speaker 2: Well, that's where Docker comes in. Docker allows you to
Speaker 2: isolate applications and their dependencies within these things called containers.
Speaker 2: They're like miniature virtual environments. This ensures that your applications
Speaker 2: run consistently no matter what operating system you're using, and
Speaker 2: it makes the whole process of setting up software a
Speaker 2: lot simpler.
Speaker 1: So it's like having tiny little compartments for your applications,
Speaker 1: keeping everything nice and tidy and preventing them from interfering
Speaker 1: with each other.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. And Lee doesn't just tell us what docer is.
Speaker 2: He actually shows us how to use it. He walks
Speaker 2: us through installing Docker, running containers, managing storage, even using
Speaker 2: Docker Compose, which is for more complex applications that use
Speaker 2: multiple containers.
Speaker 1: It sounds like we're getting a crash course in Docker.
Speaker 1: But once we have our data on that cloud server
Speaker 1: and it's safely tucked away in its Docker container. How
Speaker 1: do we actually start analyzing it?
Speaker 2: Well? For interactive data analysis and visualization, Lee recommends Jupiter Notebook.
Speaker 2: It's a very powerful tool that lets you write code,
Speaker 2: execute it, and see the results all in one place.
Speaker 1: So it's like a digital laboratory for experimenting with data exactly.
Speaker 2: And Lee explains how to run Jupiter Notebook inside of
Speaker 2: a Docker container so you can access it remotely from
Speaker 2: your own computer.
Speaker 1: It's all about bringing those data analysis tools to where
Speaker 1: the data lives. Now, what happens when you have a
Speaker 1: really huge data set and you want to make it searchable?
Speaker 1: Is there a tool for that?
Speaker 2: There is. It's called a LEFT, and it's an open
Speaker 2: source intelligence platform specifically for searching and analyzing large data sets.
Speaker 2: You can think of it like having your own personal Google,
Speaker 2: but for your data.
Speaker 1: That sounds incredibly useful. But how do we even begin
Speaker 1: to set something like that up?
Speaker 2: Well, don't worry. Lee walks us through the entire process,
Speaker 2: from setting up a LEFT using Docker Compose, to importing
Speaker 2: data sets and then exploring that data using ls web interface.
Speaker 1: Wow, it's amazing how many tools are available for investigative journalists.
Speaker 1: These days, it seems like you need a whole toolbox
Speaker 1: just to get started. But let's not forget that sometimes
Speaker 1: the most revealing information comes from the most I guess
Speaker 1: you could say mundane, like email dumps. What does Lee
Speaker 1: say about those?
Speaker 2: You're absolutely right. Email dumps might seem like a relic
Speaker 2: of the past, but they can still be incredibly valuable.
Speaker 2: Lee takes us into this world of leaked emails, explaining
Speaker 2: the common formats like EML and mbox, the structure of
Speaker 2: those messages, and even how to analyze them using tools
Speaker 2: like Thunderbird and Microsoft Outlook.
Speaker 1: Makes you wonder what secrets are hidden within those seemingly
Speaker 1: ordinary inboxes, doesn't it?
Speaker 2: It really does, And when you're dealing with a really
Speaker 2: large volume of emails, traditional email clients might not be enough,
Speaker 2: and that's where Python programming can really come in.
Speaker 1: Handy Ah, Python, I knew it would make an appearance.
Speaker 1: Why is Python so important for investigative journalism.
Speaker 2: Well, Python's incredibly versatile. It's used in a wide variety
Speaker 2: of applications, from web development to data science, and for
Speaker 2: investigative journalists, it's a really powerful tool for automating tasks,
Speaker 2: analyzing data and just generally extracting insights from these large
Speaker 2: data sets.
Speaker 1: So it's like our digital'ss army knife for working with data.
Speaker 2: Precisely, and Lee doesn't assume that you have any prior
Speaker 2: programming experience. He introduces the basics like variables, lists, strings,
Speaker 2: conditional statements, loops, functions. He even walks you through writing
Speaker 2: simple Python scripts for text manipulation, data extraction, and analysis.
Speaker 1: So even if you're a complete coding newbie, you can
Speaker 1: still follow along and learn the ropes. But what about
Speaker 1: people who are already familiar with Python? Is there anything
Speaker 1: for them in this book?
Speaker 2: Definitely? Lee dives into more advanced techniques too. He talks
Speaker 2: about modules, functions, and these data structures called dictionaries. For example,
Speaker 2: he covers using the click module for creating command line interfaces,
Speaker 2: the OS module for filesystem operations, and the CSV module
Speaker 2: for processing CSV files.
Speaker 1: So it's all about expanding your Python toolkit for more
Speaker 1: efficient and sophisticated data analysis. But before we get two
Speaker 1: carried away with Python, let's not forget about the humble spreadsheet,
Speaker 1: a mainstay of investigative journalism.
Speaker 2: Oh absolutely, Lee reminds us that CSV files, which are
Speaker 2: often used to store what we call structured data can
Speaker 2: be easily viewed and analyzed using spreadsheet software like Librofice, Calc,
Speaker 2: or Microsoft Excel.
Speaker 1: So it's all about choosing the right tool for the job,
Speaker 1: whether it's command line wizardry, Python scripting, or good old
Speaker 1: fashioned spreadsheet analysis. But it seems like Lee takes it
Speaker 1: a step further, right He actually guides readers through building
Speaker 1: a Blue Leaks Explore app using Python and these web
Speaker 1: development frameworks like Flask and Schololcamy.
Speaker 2: You're right, and this app provides a really user friendly
Speaker 2: interface for browsing and searching that massive Blue Leaks data set,
Speaker 2: even generating reports based on the data. It's a practical
Speaker 2: example of how Python can be used to unlock the
Speaker 2: secrets hidden within these leaks.
Speaker 1: Wow, it's like we're building our own digital command center
Speaker 1: for investigative journalism. But speaking of really interesting data sets,
Speaker 1: Lee also analyzes the Parlor data set, which contained millions
Speaker 1: of videos and metadata from that social media platform. What
Speaker 1: kind of insights was he able to get from that data.
Speaker 2: One of the most interesting things he did was actually
Speaker 2: use Python to extract GPS coordinates from that video metadata.
Speaker 1: GPS coordinates that's next level digital detective work.
Speaker 2: It is, and by extracting those coordinates, Lee was actually
Speaker 2: able to pinpoint the exact locations where those videos were filmed.
Speaker 2: And then he even converted that data into KML files,
Speaker 2: which can be viewed.
Speaker 1: In Google Earth, so he was basically able to put
Speaker 1: those parlor videos on a map exactly.
Speaker 2: This technique is incredibly powerful. Imagine being able to see
Speaker 2: where people were gathering during a protest or a rally.
Speaker 2: You could potentially even identify individuals who were present.
Speaker 1: It's like creating a digital breadcrumb trail. Now, Lee also
Speaker 1: investigated the Epic data breach. Didn't he what was so
Speaker 1: significant about that one?
Speaker 2: Well, the Epic data breach is really important because it
Speaker 2: involved SQL databases, which are basically a fundamental part of
Speaker 2: how many websites and online services store their data.
Speaker 1: SQL databases. Can you remind me what those are?
Speaker 2: Sure? Think of a database like a really organized collection
Speaker 2: of data. And SQL, which stands for a structured query language,
Speaker 2: is basically a special language that's used to interact with
Speaker 2: those databases. It's how you ask questions and get answers
Speaker 2: from that data.
Speaker 1: So it's like Python, but specifically for talking to databases.
Speaker 2: Right, and there are different types of SQL databases. Epic
Speaker 2: use something called Mysequel, which is a popular open source
Speaker 2: database system. And Lee explains all of this and even
Speaker 2: shows you how to use a free tool called Maria
Speaker 2: dB to explore that leaked EPIC data.
Speaker 1: So it's like he's giving us a crash course in
Speaker 1: SQL database management in a way.
Speaker 2: Yes, And by doing so, he's kind of empowering us
Speaker 2: to investigate these types of leaks ourselves. You know, we're
Speaker 2: not just passively reading about his findings. We're learning the
Speaker 2: skills to make our own discoveries.
Speaker 1: It's amazing how he takes these complex topics and breaks
Speaker 1: them down. But Lee also explored the AFLDS healthcare data leak,
Speaker 1: and this one actually involved patient records. What did he
Speaker 1: find there?
Speaker 2: Yeah, this leak was particular concerning because it contained really
Speaker 2: sensitive patient information like medical condition, treatments, even credit card details.
Speaker 2: Lee used Python to analyze this data, look for patterns,
Speaker 2: and create visualizations to support investigative reporting.
Speaker 1: It sounds like a story with very real world consequences,
Speaker 1: especially considering that AFLDS was promoting unproven medical treatments exactly.
Speaker 2: Lee's analysis really highlights the potential dangers of misinformation, especially
Speaker 2: when it comes to healthcare.
Speaker 1: It's a stark reminder that data breaches can have really
Speaker 1: serious implications that go far beyond just the digital world.
Speaker 1: But before we wrap up this part of our deep dive,
Speaker 1: I want to talk about one last data set, Discord chatlogs.
Speaker 1: I imagine those can provide a wealth of information, especially
Speaker 1: when it comes to investigating online groups in their activities.
Speaker 2: Absolutely leaked discord chat logs can be incredibly resealing, and
Speaker 2: Lee describes how these logs are structured. He uses tools
Speaker 2: to explore them, and even builds a custom web app
Speaker 2: for analyzing them.
Speaker 1: Wow, this is all so much to take in, and
Speaker 1: I know we're only scratching the surface of Mica Leese Hacks,
Speaker 1: Leeks and Revelations, But we'll have to continue our deep
Speaker 1: dive in part two. Stay tuned.
Speaker 2: One thing that really stood out to me in Hacks,
Speaker 2: Leaks and Revelations was how Michae Lee really emphasizes working
Speaker 2: with structured data, especially in spreadsheets.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it feels like we're getting like a master class
Speaker 1: in data analysis, but you know, without that stuffy classroom setting.
Speaker 1: And he even reminds us that sometimes the simplest tools
Speaker 1: can be the most effective.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, he really highlights how valuable CSV files are. They're
Speaker 2: basically spreadsheets without all the fancy formatting.
Speaker 1: So they're like the raw ingredients of a spreadsheet, just
Speaker 1: waiting to be analyzed exactly.
Speaker 2: And even though we have these powerful tools like Python
Speaker 2: and SQL databases, sometimes good old fashioned spreadsheets software is
Speaker 2: the best way to go for viewing and working with
Speaker 2: CSV files.
Speaker 1: It's like choosing the right tool for the job right.
Speaker 1: Sometimes you need a blender and sometimes you just need
Speaker 1: a good knife. But does he give any specific examples
Speaker 1: of how this works in practice?
Speaker 2: He does. He uses the Blue Leaks data set as
Speaker 2: an egis, and specifically he focuses on what are called
Speaker 2: Suspicious Activity Reports or sars from the Northern California Regional
Speaker 2: Intelligence Center SARS.
Speaker 1: That sounds intreasing. What kind of information do they contain?
Speaker 2: Stars are basically reports filed by law enforcement agencies about
Speaker 2: individuals or activities that they consider suspicious. They can include
Speaker 2: a wide range of information, from physical descriptions to observed
Speaker 2: behaviors to allege connections to criminal activity.
Speaker 1: Sounds like a window into the world of surveillance. What
Speaker 1: did Lee uncover from these reports.
Speaker 2: Well, he used Python to extract and format the data
Speaker 2: from the blue Leaks CSV file, making it easier to
Speaker 2: read and analyze, and then he showed how to search
Speaker 2: for specific keywords and uncover patterns in the data.
Speaker 1: So he's not just passively reading these stars, he's actively
Speaker 1: interrogating them using Python exactly.
Speaker 2: And this technique can be applied to other data sets
Speaker 2: as well. It's about using Python to transform that data
Speaker 2: into a more useful and insightful format.
Speaker 1: This is fascinating stuff. Did Lee analyze any other parts
Speaker 1: of the Blue Leak's data set?
Speaker 2: He did. He also looked at the bulk emails sent
Speaker 2: out by fusion centers.
Speaker 1: Fusion centers, Can you remind me what those are again?
Speaker 2: Sure? Fusion centers are basically intelligent sharing hubs that were
Speaker 2: created after the nine to eleven attacks to try to
Speaker 2: improve communication and collaboration between different law enforcement agencies. They
Speaker 2: often send out these bulk emails to local police officers
Speaker 2: with information about potential threats, suspicious activities, even upcoming training
Speaker 2: courses I see.
Speaker 1: So they play a crucial role in keeping everyone informed.
Speaker 1: But did Lee find anything noteworthy in these emails?
Speaker 2: He focused on a file called email builder dot csv,
Speaker 2: which contained the content of these bulk emails, and interestingly,
Speaker 2: he points out that the email bodies in the CSV
Speaker 2: file are actually htmail templates, meaning they contain these placeholders
Speaker 2: that are filled in with specific information when those emails
Speaker 2: are sent out.
Speaker 1: So it's like madlibs for law enforcement communication exactly.
Speaker 2: And to make these emails easier to read, he actually
Speaker 2: wrote a Python script that extracts the relevant information formats
Speaker 2: it properly using HTML tags and then saves it as
Speaker 2: an htmol file.
Speaker 1: So it's like we're reconstructing those bulk emails, bringing them
Speaker 1: back to life in their original format so we can
Speaker 1: get a clearer picture of what kind of information was
Speaker 1: being shared.
Speaker 2: That's right. And to make it even easier to explore
Speaker 2: the entire Blue Leak's data set, Lee guides us through
Speaker 2: building a web app using Python.
Speaker 1: Wait, we're building a web app. Now, this is getting serious?
Speaker 2: It is. He calls it the Blue Leaks Explorer, and
Speaker 2: it provides this really user friendly interface for browsing and
Speaker 2: searching that massive Blue Leaks data set. It's like having
Speaker 2: your own Google, but specifically for this data.
Speaker 1: That's incredible. Did he actually make this app available for
Speaker 1: others to use.
Speaker 2: He doesn't explicitly say that, but he does provide very
Speaker 2: detailed instructions, which suggests that he wants to empower others
Speaker 2: to build and use it. You know, it speaks to
Speaker 2: his commitment to transparency and collaboration.
Speaker 1: I love that he's giving people the tools to do
Speaker 1: their own investigating. It's so empowered. Now. You mentioned earlier
Speaker 1: that Lee also analyzed the Parlor data set. That's the
Speaker 1: social media platform that's popular among right wing users.
Speaker 2: Right, yes, that's right, and the data set contained millions
Speaker 2: of videos and metadata, and Lee was able to extract
Speaker 2: some really interesting insights from it, like what well. One
Speaker 2: of the most striking things he did was use Python
Speaker 2: to extract GPS coordinates from the video metadatas coordinates.
Speaker 1: That's some next level digital detective.
Speaker 2: Work, it is, And by extracting those coordinates, Lee was
Speaker 2: able to actually pinpoint the exact locations where those videos
Speaker 2: were filmed. And then he converted the data into KML files,
Speaker 2: which can be viewed in Google.
Speaker 1: Earth, so he was basically able to put those Parlor videos.
Speaker 2: On a map exactly. This technique is incredibly powerful. Imagine
Speaker 2: being able to see where people were gathering during a
Speaker 2: protest or a rally. You could even potentially identify individuals
Speaker 2: who were present.
Speaker 1: It's like creating a digital breadcrumb trail. Now. Lee also
Speaker 1: investigated the Epic data breach. Didn't he what was so
Speaker 1: significant about that one?
Speaker 2: Well, the Epic data breach is important because it involves
Speaker 2: SQL databases, which are basically a fundamental part of how
Speaker 2: many websites and online services actually store their data.
Speaker 1: SQL databases. Can you remind me what those are?
Speaker 2: Again? Sure? Think of a database like a really organized
Speaker 2: collection of data, and SQL, which stands for Structured Query Language,
Speaker 2: is basically a special language that's used to interact with
Speaker 2: those databases and how you ask questions and get answers
Speaker 2: from your data.
Speaker 1: So it's like Python, but specifically for talking to databases.
Speaker 2: Right, And there are different types of SQL databases. Epic
Speaker 2: used myseqel, which is a very popular open source database system.
Speaker 2: Lee explains all of this and even shows you how
Speaker 2: to use a free tool called Murray ADB to explore
Speaker 2: the leaked Epic data.
Speaker 1: So it's like he's giving us a crash course in
Speaker 1: SQL database management.
Speaker 2: In a way, he is, and by doing so he's
Speaker 2: kind of empowering us to investigate these types of leaks ourselves. Yeah,
Speaker 2: you know, we're not just passively reading about his findings.
Speaker 2: Where the skills to make our own discoveries.
Speaker 1: It's incredible how he takes these really complex concepts and
Speaker 1: breaks them down makes them so accessible. But Lee also
Speaker 1: explored the AFLDS healthcare data leak, and this one actually
Speaker 1: involved patient records. What did he find there?
Speaker 2: This leak was particularly concerning because it contains sensitive patient
Speaker 2: information like medical conditions, treatments, even credit card details. Lee
Speaker 2: used Python to analyze this data, identify patterns, and create
Speaker 2: visualizations to support investigative reporting.
Speaker 1: It sounds like a story with very real world consequences,
Speaker 1: especially given that AFLDS was promoting unproven medical treatments exactly.
Speaker 2: Lee's analysis really highlights the potential dangers of misinformation, especially
Speaker 2: in the context of healthcare.
Speaker 1: It's a stark reminder that data breaches can have serious
Speaker 1: implications that go far beyond just the digital world. But
Speaker 1: we've talked a lot about data analysis techniques. What about
Speaker 1: the ethical considerations of working with these data sets.
Speaker 2: That's a great question, and Lee is very mindful of
Speaker 2: the ethical implication of his work. He actually dedicates a
Speaker 2: whole chapter to discussing how to protect your sources and
Speaker 2: handle sensitive information responsibly.
Speaker 1: Can you give us an example of how he addresses
Speaker 1: these ethical concerns?
Speaker 2: Absolutely. One example that stood out to me was his
Speaker 2: investigation of the pony Power discord server. This group was
Speaker 2: engaged in doxing, which is the malicious act of publicly
Speaker 2: revealing someone's personal information.
Speaker 1: Online doxing can have devastating consequences. It's a form of
Speaker 1: online harassment that can lead to real world harm. What
Speaker 1: did Lee discover about this group?
Speaker 2: Well, he used his discord analysis app to go through
Speaker 2: the chat logs, searching for keywords, identifying key players, and
Speaker 2: really tracking their doxing campaigns. He uncovered personal information from
Speaker 2: over fifty individuals across fourteen states, including photographs, social media profiles,
Speaker 2: home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, driver's
Speaker 2: license numbers, vehicle information, places of employment, and even a
Speaker 2: social Security number.
Speaker 1: That's a horrifying amount of sensitive information. It's hard to
Speaker 1: imagine the potential damage that could be done with this
Speaker 1: data exactly.
Speaker 2: And Lee's reporting on this group, which was published in
Speaker 2: the Intercept, brought much needed attention to the dangers of
Speaker 2: online harassment and doxing. It wasn't just about exposing the perpetrators,
Speaker 2: but also about raising awareness and advocating for better protections
Speaker 2: for victims.
Speaker 1: It's inspiring to see how Lee uses his technical skills
Speaker 1: not only to uncover secrets, but also to protect those
Speaker 1: who are.
Speaker 2: Vulnerable absolutely, and his collaboration with Unicorn Riot on the
Speaker 2: discord Leaks project further demonstrates his commitment to making these
Speaker 2: tools and resources available.
Speaker 1: Discord Leaks has become an invaluable resource for journalists and
Speaker 1: researchers who are investigating online extremism and hate speech. But
Speaker 1: Lee doesn't stop there. He also tackles some of the
Speaker 1: technical challenges that Windows users might face when working with
Speaker 1: these large data sets. Specifically, he addresses the Windows Subsystem
Speaker 1: for Linux or WSL.
Speaker 2: That's right. WSL is a fantastic tool that allows Windows
Speaker 2: users to run a Linux environment right within Windows, and
Speaker 2: this is a huge advantage for data analysis because many
Speaker 2: of the powerful tools we've been discussing are actually designed
Speaker 2: for Linux.
Speaker 1: But it sounds like WSL can be a bit finicky,
Speaker 1: especially when dealing with large data sets.
Speaker 2: It can be one common issue is performance. Accessing files
Speaker 2: from a Windows drive within the WSL environment can be
Speaker 2: significantly slower than accessing files stored on the Linux file system,
Speaker 2: and Lee offers some practical solutions for improving that performance.
Speaker 1: So he's basically giving us a tune up guide for
Speaker 1: our WSL environment exactly.
Speaker 2: He wants to make sure everyone, regardless of their operating system,
Speaker 2: can use these powerful tools for good.
Speaker 1: It's amazing how much ground we've covered already and we're
Speaker 1: only halfway through the book. Mike Lee really does provide
Speaker 1: a wealth of information and practical guidance for anyone who's
Speaker 1: interested in data analysis and investigative journalism.
Speaker 2: I agree, and what's really inspiring is how he emphasizes
Speaker 2: the ethical dimensions of this work, always keeping in mind
Speaker 2: the potential impact on individuals and society as a whole.
Speaker 1: Well said, we'll continue our deep dive into hacks, Leaks
Speaker 1: and Revelations in Part three. Stay tuned for more insights
Speaker 1: into the world of data leaks and the tools that
Speaker 1: journalists use to unlock the truth. Welcome back to our
Speaker 1: deep dive into Mike Lee's hacks, Leaks and Revelations. We've
Speaker 1: already uncovered so many tools and techniques for investigating data weeks.
Speaker 1: What else has stood out to you as we've continued reading?
Speaker 2: You know, I was really struck by Lee's deep dive
Speaker 2: into email dumps.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2: They might seem like old news compared to today's world
Speaker 2: of instant messaging and social media and all that. Right,
Speaker 2: but email dumps can still be an absolute gold mine
Speaker 2: of information.
Speaker 1: That's true. I mean, emails are often used for more
Speaker 1: official communication, so it makes sense that they would contain
Speaker 1: a lot of sensitive information. But analyzing those emails it
Speaker 1: can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack,
Speaker 1: right exactly.
Speaker 2: But Lee doesn't shy away from that challenge at all.
Speaker 2: He really walks us through those common formats for email
Speaker 2: dumps like EML and mbox. He explains how these files
Speaker 2: are structured, and he shows us how to use those
Speaker 2: familiar tools like Thunderbird and Microsoft Outlook oh to make
Speaker 2: sense of it all.
Speaker 1: So it's like he's giving us a crash course in
Speaker 1: email archaeology.
Speaker 2: I like that analogy. He's teaching us how to sift
Speaker 2: through those digital ruins and extract those valuable insights. He
Speaker 2: even gives us practical tips for organizing and searching and
Speaker 2: analyzing large volumes of emails efficiently.
Speaker 1: It is fascinating how you can piece together narratives and
Speaker 1: uncover those hidden connections just by carefully examining email threads.
Speaker 2: Absolutely and when those email threads get too complex to
Speaker 2: manage with those traditional email clients, Lee shows us how
Speaker 2: to bring in our trusty friend Python.
Speaker 1: Ah, Python always there to save the day. What kind
Speaker 1: of Python magic does Lee use for analyzing these email dumps?
Speaker 2: Well, he gives us really clear examples of how to
Speaker 2: use Python to extract specific information from emails like sender addresses,
Speaker 2: recipient lists, dates, keywords. You know. Imagine having a digital
Speaker 2: assistant that could scan through mountains of emails and just
Speaker 2: pinpoint the most relevant information for your investigation.
Speaker 1: Oh, that would be amazing. It would save so much
Speaker 1: time and effort, freeing you up to really focus on
Speaker 1: the analysis and interpretation of the data. So it really
Speaker 1: seems like Lee is giving us a comprehensive toolkit for
Speaker 1: investigating data leaks, from understanding basic digital security practices to
Speaker 1: mastering those really powerful data analysis techniques.
Speaker 2: He really is. But what's even more impressive to me
Speaker 2: is his emphasis on the ethical considerations of working with
Speaker 2: the sensitive information. He's not just teaching us how to
Speaker 2: find the information, but also how to handle it responsibly.
Speaker 1: Can you give us a concrete example of how Lee
Speaker 1: kind of navigates these ethical considerations.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. One example that really resonated with me was his
Speaker 2: investigation of the pony Power discord server. This group was
Speaker 2: engaged in doxing, which is the malicious act of publicly
Speaker 2: revealing someone's personal information online right and doxing can have
Speaker 2: de stating consequences for the victims, exposing them to harassment, threats,
Speaker 2: and even real world violence.
Speaker 1: It's a terrifying thought that something as simple as an
Speaker 1: online post can lead to such serious harm. How did
Speaker 1: Lee approach this investigation while still being mindful of those
Speaker 1: ethical implications.
Speaker 2: Well, he used his discord analysis app to carefully examine
Speaker 2: those chat logs, and he was very meticulous about protecting
Speaker 2: the identities of those doxing victims while still uncovering the
Speaker 2: extent of the group's activities. He discovered that they had
Speaker 2: targeted over fifty individuals across fourteen states, collecting and sharing
Speaker 2: a really shocking amount of personal information.
Speaker 1: Wow, that's incredibly disturbing. What happened after Lee uncovered this
Speaker 1: information well.
Speaker 2: His investigation was published in The Intercept, and it brought
Speaker 2: much needed attention to the dangers of online harassment and doxing.
Speaker 2: His work didn't just expose the perpetrators, it also sparked
Speaker 2: a conversation about the need for better protections for victims
Speaker 2: of online abuse.
Speaker 1: It's inspiring to see how Lee uses his skills to
Speaker 1: fight for justice and to protect those who are vulnerable.
Speaker 1: It's not just about uncovering the truth, it's about using
Speaker 1: that truth to make a positive impact exactly.
Speaker 2: And it's not just about his own reporting either. His
Speaker 2: collaboration with Unicorn Riot on the discord Leaks project is
Speaker 2: a prime example of his commitment to making these investigative
Speaker 2: tools and techniques accessible to everyone.
Speaker 1: And discord Leaks has become an invaluable resource for journalists
Speaker 1: and researchers who are investigating online extremism and hate speech.
Speaker 1: It's a testament to the power of collaboration and those
Speaker 1: open source tools.
Speaker 2: It really is, and Lee's willingness to share his knowledge
Speaker 2: and expertise is truly commendable. He wants to empower others
Speaker 2: to conduct their own investigations and hold those in power
Speaker 2: accountable well.
Speaker 1: Micah Lee's Hacks, Leaks and Revelations has been a fascinating
Speaker 1: and thought provoking read. It's given us a glimpse into
Speaker 1: the world of data leaks, investigative journalism, and the power
Speaker 1: of these digital tools for uncovering the truth.
Speaker 2: I couldn't agree more. It's a must read for anyone
Speaker 2: who wants to done understand how data is shaping our
Speaker 2: world and how we can use it to make a difference.
Speaker 1: What a fantastic deep dive. A huge thank you to
Speaker 1: you are expert for sharing your insights and expertise with
Speaker 1: us today, and to our listeners, thank you for joining
Speaker 1: us on this journey. We hope you found it as
Speaker 1: enlightening as we did. Until next time, stay curious and
Speaker 1: keep exploring.