Module 1

Students are guided through many of the advanced search features of both popular and lesser-known search engines, and similar search portals.  Learn about:

• “Boolean” and “Enforced Term Operators”
• Meta search tools
• Web directories
• The Deep Web
• Browser options and configurations
• Differences between the internet and the World Wide Web

Students will be introduced to and will explore:

• Tools and techniques for searching people and corporations 

Module 2

Building on Module 1 skills, this second module introduces the principles of open source research and the intelligence analysis process.  Learn about:

• Guidelines for the critical analysis of internet-sourced information and dissemination of research results
• The structure of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
• How search engines index individual documents
• Tools for website scanning, downloading, and translating
• The Internet Archive and The Wayback Machine
• Identification of, and search for, IP addresses
• WHOIS lookups
• Online data storage tools (critical for the preservation and integrity of online-sourced materials and evidence)

Module 3

While delving into online environments that may be interactive, avoid detection by anticipating pitfalls and concealing your identity with:

• Use of proxy servers and Web-based anonymizing tools

Piece together a “big picture” from fragmented information gleaned from “user-generated content” sites, such as:

• Forums, discussion groups, blogs, and social networks

Understand the online “footprint” that is left behind when navigating through the Web.  Ensure online safety and security while while conducting online investigations, with:

• Desktop firewalls
• Browser security updates
• Spyware detection and removal utilities

Video demonstrations, case studies, and interactive practical exercises accelerate learning, along with the examination of Web server log files and temporary internet files.

Module 4

Focusing on the future of the Information Age, students will explore Web 2.0-3.0 technology, and take advantage of the attitudes and practices of the new generation of internet users.  Learn about:

• Email tracing, online chat, and instant messaging
• Online media
• Mobile communication technology, wireless internet access, and internet-specific crime trends
• Online gaming sites, where real and virtual currency is expended, creating a challenging area of engagement for the justice system
• Online auction sites and classifieds

Examine personal privacy and data security, in relation to:

• Identity theft – including phishing, pharming, blue-jacking, and others

Visualize digital networks (or digital fingerprints) with:

• Maltego

Use essential investigative aids, which provide a framework for all online investigations, including:

• TII’s “Online Investigator’s Checklist™”
• TII’s “Online Research Framework™”