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Bitcoin investigations training

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(@thepm)
Posts: 253
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Does anybody know if there is a practical Bitcoin investigation training available on the market?

I don't want a webinar, but a real training explaining the basics of Bitcoin / cryptocurrencies, analyzing wallets, tracing transactions, tools available, case scenario, playing around with wallet client applications, hands-on exercices with analysis tools, etc.

I saw that the UNODC started a train-the-trainer program earlier this year (https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2017/May/unodc-launches-training-to-tackle-money-laundering-and-bitcoin-banking-fraud.html). There is no information on if/how can we attend such training.

Thanks

 
Posted : 14/11/2017 4:27 pm
(@tinybrain)
Posts: 354
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You may contact https://www.issworldtraining.com/. They provide 'seminars' in Washington DC and recently had a Bitcon related training.

 
Posted : 15/11/2017 1:30 am
hcso1510
(@hcso1510)
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PM,
I would echo TB's post and suggest you start with ISS. Personally I'm tired of just hearing about Mt. Gox, Miners, Satoshi's and Pirate Bay.

A couple of years ago I spoke with a guy at a tech conference who was teaching on the subject. I told him what I needed to know is hypothetically lets say a guy comes in claiming he purchased a car for x amount of Bitcoin, but he didn't get it. How do I turn available information into actionable intel and catch the suspect? At the conclusion of the class I downloaded two wallets that had major differences. The instructor then gave me $1.00 in Bitcoin and we sent it back and forth to each other a few times.

Lots of folks doing the high top presentations, but if you're looking for a deep dive that may be more difficult to find.

 
Posted : 15/11/2017 4:10 am
(@thepm)
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Yesterday, I attended the ISS webinar on "Bitcoin 101". It was only an hour and a half and the investigation part was only an overview.

I contacted the speaker as ISS about the seminar. I'll post some infos if I get a reply.

I also found a "Cryptocurrency Investigator" training in the UK from a company called Blue Lights Digital (https://bluelightsdigital.com/project/cryptocurrency-investigator/) . There isn't much info about the training so I contacted the company and requested additional information.

 
Posted : 15/11/2017 2:55 pm
(@deft9080)
Posts: 6
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Yesterday, I attended the ISS webinar on "Bitcoin 101". It was only an hour and a half and the investigation part was only an overview.

I contacted the speaker as ISS about the seminar. I'll post some infos if I get a reply.

I also found a "Cryptocurrency Investigator" training in the UK from a company called Blue Lights Digital (https://bluelightsdigital.com/project/cryptocurrency-investigator/) . There isn't much info about the training so I contacted the company and requested additional information.

May be this link helpful u

https://www.cybersecuritytrainingcourses.com/course-details/1079/bitcoin-detective-investigating-cryptocurrencies-tracing-bitcoin/?kw=bitcoin

Thank you
rosh

 
Posted : 15/11/2017 4:41 pm
keydet89
(@keydet89)
Posts: 3568
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Does anybody know if there is a practical Bitcoin investigation training available on the market?

Can you elaborate as to what you mean by "Bitcoin investigation training"?

 
Posted : 15/11/2017 5:46 pm
(@thepm)
Posts: 253
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Topic starter
 

Can you elaborate as to what you mean by "Bitcoin investigation training"?

Basically, I want to learn about the general concepts of Bitcoin and crypto currencies, how can we trace transactions, people involved in the transactions and find the money. If we seize some material from a suspect, what kind of traces should we be looking for (ex wallets), what tools are available for analysis, etc.

Of course, the best would be able to do some internal R&D and figure this out ourselves, but with the case load and time constraints, I think a good training would be more efficient.

 
Posted : 15/11/2017 5:57 pm
jaclaz
(@jaclaz)
Posts: 5133
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I told him what I needed to know is hypothetically lets say a guy comes in claiming he purchased a car for x amount of Bitcoin, but he didn't get it. How do I turn available information into actionable intel and catch the suspect?

Excuse me (and sorry if I bring the matter slightly off-topic) but I don't understand the (hypothetical) example.

Was it to
1) identify the counterpart selling the car?
2) prove that a given amount of bitcoins was actually transferred from the purchaser to the seller?
3) something else (that is totally escaping me)

I mean, given that the identity of the seller is known (unless the purchaser just sent a substantial amount of bitcoins to the account of a perfect stranger over the internet) and once proven that the bitcoin transaction actually took place, what (coming from the analysis of the blockchain) is proving
1) that the receiving wallet actually "belongs" to the seller
2) that the transaction was made for the sale of a car (and not for the sale of something else or as a gift, or *whatever*)

jaclaz

 
Posted : 15/11/2017 8:15 pm
hcso1510
(@hcso1510)
Posts: 303
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jaclaz,

I probably didn't describe what I meant all that well. My understanding of Bitcoin is that it was largely, or at least in part, created as a vehicle to combat big banks and banking fees. I've also been told that the original intent was not to necessarily be an avenue for clandestine purchases.

I have not done this myself, but I have been told that you can download a fairly large file that will contain every Bitcoin transaction ever made? If I were to do so what would I find. The wallet number of the individuals involved in the transaction, or the wallets public key? Lets say I had a wallet number, or a public key? How do I trace that information back to an individual? As I mentioned in my OP I once downloaded two Bitcoin wallets. The registration of one of the wallets requested my banking information while the other did not.

So If I were to be working a case involving a case involving Bitcoin I know that there would likely be additional information like phone numbers, email addresses and IP's. Those things can all be faked through various means. In those cases I either have a good idea of how to trace it back to an individual, or I know where to go to ask questions. Bitcoin on the other hand seems to be much different. I get that Bitcoins history is important, but how/if you can trace a transaction back to an individual is training that is lacking.

 
Posted : 16/11/2017 12:18 am
jaclaz
(@jaclaz)
Posts: 5133
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jaclaz,

I probably didn't describe what I meant all that well. My understanding of Bitcoin is that it was largely, or at least in part, created as a vehicle to combat big banks and banking fees. I've also been told that the original intent was not to necessarily be an avenue for clandestine purchases.

Sure ) , the "impression" that Bitcoin is used only for "evil" scopes is very similar to the "impression" that torrents and Tor are only used for the same "evil" scopes.

But I was trying to say something different, in a "normal" sale/purchase of a car between privates there is normally (not always)
1) an advertisement (public, on apaper on on a site) by the seller stating that he is going to sell a car for a given price
2) some correspondence between the seller and the purchaser, including usually photos of the car
3) a visit (in person) of either the purchaser to the place where the car is or a visit of the seller (with the car) to the place where the purchaser leaves, hopefully with some third party witnessing it.
4) an agreement between the parts about the price, the delivery date and place, etc. (often verbal, but again hopefully in written form)
5) a payment (that could be also entirely untraceable, like cash)
6) the filling of some official documentation (of course depending on the actual country this may be easier or more complicated official)

All in all step #5, if done in cash, is the least traceable step but also the less relevant from a legal standpoint, as I see it.

I mean I can go and claim that I gave Mr. X US$ 10,000 in cash for his car, and he never delivered it, but that would be just my word against his without some proof of all (or most of) the other steps mentioned.

In the case of a Bitcoin payment, given that somehow (and AFAIK is not at all easy, if possible at all) that you can prove is that a transaction for US$ 10,000 between me and Mr.X[1] actually happened (let's say that I have a fotocopy of each and every Benjamin and the same banknotes are *somehow* found in possession of Mr.X[2]), you essentially have nothing connecting it with the sale of the car.

Mr.X may well state that I owed him US$ 10,000 that he lent me earlier, that it was a liberally given donation, that it was in exchange for sexual favours 😯
http//www.imdb.com/title/tt0195685/quotes/qt0266023
, *whatever*.

jaclaz

[1] the blockchain obviously can trace the transaction, but only from "wallet #1" to "wallet #2" (actually there is no real *need* of a wallet, it may be a simple bitcoin address, i.e. only a public key), linking wallet/address #2 to a person, and prove it is an altogether different thing, and then - assuming that I am saying the truth and that Mr.X is actually a crook or a swindler - the actual bitcoins would have likely gone through one or more "mixer(s)" or however transferred to other addresses.
[2] the legal means to be able to perform this search will vary from country to country

 
Posted : 16/11/2017 11:24 am
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