IT Forensics · OSINT

Analysing disinformation campaigns using OSINT – Conducting a forensic investigation into coordinated disinformation

Co-ordinated disinformation campaigns targeting companies or individuals often leave behind patterns that are visible to the public, such as content published at roughly the same time and worded in a similar way across multiple accounts.

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In the context of existing reputation or crisis situations, we carry out a structured analysis of publicly available content to identify such discernible patterns.

Why LanCologne?

Since its foundation, LanCologne has specialised in professional IT forensics. Our staff have decades of experience in the field of information technology and assist companies, solicitors, private individuals and, on a regular basis, the courts in the technical investigation of complex digital matters.

Our OSINT investigations are always carried out as a complementary component to existing IT forensic, legal or internal corporate enquiries. Every step of the investigation and every piece of digital evidence found is documented and, where technically possible, archived to ensure traceability even if the original online content is subsequently altered or deleted.

Our services

We investigate publicly available content relating to a relevant organisation or individual for identifiable patterns of coordination and document the results in a manner that is forensically verifiable.

Typical areas of application

Analysis of discernible coordination patterns in negative mentions
Supplementing reputation and crisis investigations
Support in planning a targeted campaign
Documentation for disputes relating to press law
Judicial and non-judicial expert reports
Collaboration with solicitors and communications departments

This is how a disinformation campaign analysis is carried out

Publicly accessible content is analysed using Maltego and SpiderFoot to identify temporal clusters, recurring phrases and links between relevant accounts; any discernible patterns are documented.

Why is the analysis of disinformation campaigns relevant from a forensic perspective?

Documented evidence of a coordinated approach can be crucial to the legal and communications response of an affected company.

The forensically verifiable documentation of the accounts and content involved also provides support in the event of any legal proceedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the authorship of a campaign be established beyond doubt?+
Only to a limited extent via publicly available information; we communicate the existing limitations of our investigations transparently.
Is a distinction made between genuine users and automated accounts?+
Insofar as this is possible on the basis of publicly discernible characteristics, yes; it is not always possible to distinguish between them beyond any doubt.
Is this analysis combined with reputation monitoring?+
Yes, the two methods often complement each other as part of a comprehensive examination.

LanCologne – IT Forensics OSINT Cologne

Do you require a professional OSINT investigation into „Analysing disinformation campaigns using OSINT"? LanCologne can assist you with the transparent, documented analysis of publicly available digital sources to complement your IT forensic, legal or internal corporate enquiries.

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