Null Singapore Security Meetup - July

I had the opportunity to present at Null Singapore, a monthly security meetup group here. The last time i presented was about Vulnerability Assessment on SCADA systems but this time, due to a career change (or upgrade), i presented about my exploration into the deep web.

The deep web as most (or some) know it as the part of the internet not indexed by typical search engines like Google or Yahoo. It is a part of the internet where sources say most of the stuffs reside. According to an article, google managed to index up to only 4% of the world wide web...so where are the rest? The answer: Deep Web. 

My journey to the deep web wasn't a fun one. Instead, the deeper i go, the weirder i found. From selling of drugs, abuse of humans, selling of weapons, hackers for hire, assassins for hire and much much more. It is alarming to see the so called criminal activity that resides in there and due to the anonymity of the connection to each site, it is very hard to be monitored, tracked or charged by law enforcers.

In this presentation, i presented about the things i found in the deepweb. You can download the slides here. http://www.slideshare.net/FadliBSidek/red-riding-hood-in-the-deep-dark-woods

Dias presenting about Bitcoin and its role in privacy

Randen presenting about the security newsbytes

Myself presenting about the Deepweb

The Dark Net (book) - A brief review

Already completed reading 'The Dark Net'. Apparently, the title is kinda misleading because it's not entirely about the Darknet or the Deepweb instead the term 'Dark' here refers to the online behavior of us using the internet behind the curtains of anonymity.. questions and discussions are raised in this book such as are we more civilized knowing we are anonymous online? Do we have split or different personalities knowing no one will know you which result on your darkest desires being potentially explored under a faceless face? From businessmen searching for illegal pornography, college girls seeking extra money by caming to /b/ tards seeking glory by humiliating and crucifying others online. This book is a good read for those who wants to know the psychological aspects of online behavior.

Some points from the book worth sharing:

The Dark Net. Introduction: Liberty of Death, page 5.

"For some, the dark net refers to the encrypted world of Tor Hidden Services, where users cannot be traced, and cannot be identified. For others it is those sites not indexed by conventional search engines. It has also become a catchall term for the myriad shocking, disturbing, and controversial corners of the net - the realm of imagined criminals and lurking predators."

"The dark net, for me, describes an idea more than a particular place: internet underworlds set apart yet connected to the internet we inhabit, worlds of freedom and anonymity, where users say and do what they like, often uncensored, unregulated, and outside of society's norms. It is dark because we rarely see these parts of digital life, save the occasional flash of a hysterical news report or shocking statistic."

The Dark Net. Introduction: Liberty of Death, page 7.

"By exploring and comparing these worlds, i also hoped to answer a difficult question: do the features of anonymity and connectivity free the darker sides of our nature? And if so, how?"

"Are our "digital" identities distinct from our "real" ones -  and what does that mean? Are we prone to behave in particular ways when we sit behind a screen? What are the limits of free expression in a world where every idea is a click away?"