Layer 8 Podcast

For this episode, we welcome our friend Twig. Twig is a member of IBM’s X-Force Red and a social engineer. She tells us about a lock identification tool that she created and presented at Shellcon. She also takes us through a vishing engagement and the various strategies that she uses.

For this episode, we're joined by Siobhan Kelleher, also known as @Secure_Coffee. Siobhan's day job is in higher ed but she got introduced to OSINT by joining in to a Trace Labs Capture the Flag competition at the 2019 Layer 8 Conference. She has worked in sales, so she's also always had a knack for social engineering, plus it appears to run in her family. Let's hear from Siobhan about the strategies and many tools that she has learned to use during her OSINT investigations. 

The main organizers of the Collegiate SECTF include Temple University's CARE Lab of Professor Aunshul Rege, Rachel Bleiman and Katorah Williams, plus Patrick Laverty from Layer 8 Conference. In this episode, the team discusses the origins of the SECTF, how it works, who can compete, as well as the impressions of the competition by graduate students Rachel and Katorah. If you are a college student and would like to compete in this tournament, this is a can't miss episode!

For this episode, we speak with Michele Stuart of JAG Investigations. Michele is a social engineer and OSINT investigator. She also offers training on her strategies and techniques. Michele tells us about the OSINT tools that she used when she first got started in the field, which was before searching on the internet became common. She also tells us how she talked her way into a Super Bowl party and also ended up selling raffle tickets at a holiday party!

For this episode, we speak with three social engineers who are also hobbyists in the art of magic. Magic is often about deception, distraction and sleight of hand techniques. We'll talk with Lee, Richard and Chris about how they got started learning these techniques, as well as some of the psychology needed to make people believe the tricks and find the overlaps with social engineering. 

What is the dark net, the dark web, the clear web and the differences between them? For this episode, we'll hear some fun stories from Levitannin, an OSINT researcher and Innocent Lives Foundation volunteer. Are Red Rooms real? And what are some of the places to look for some of the rumored illicit information that is on these layers of the internet? Join Levi today and find out all this, plus even more!

If you enjoyed this episode or any others here, please donate to the Innocent Lives Foundation. 

From October 2nd to 4th, six teams competed in the first ever Collegiate Social Engineering Capture the Flag competition at Temple University. They were tested on their ability to perform OSINT, create a phishing email and even make phone calls to gain information. This episode speaks with the creator of the competition, Professor Aunshul Rege and the winner of the competition, a one-woman team from Noroff University College in Norway, Ragnhild "Bridget" Sageng. We also have one of the judges with us, our long time friend and all around great person, TinkerSec!

Stay tuned for announcements about the second annual competition, coming soon!

For this episode, we welcome our friend Tokyo. Tokyo is a member of Team Searchlight community, and is the author of many blog posts on OSINT investigations. Today, Tokyo shows us the steps, methodology and tools that can be used to trace a single online review all the way to the person who left it. 

For this episode, we hear from Stefanie LaHart. Stefanie is an expert social media strategist and podcaster who has competed in the Defcon social engineering capture the flag competition twice! She tells us how she got into the competition as someone who was unfamiliar with the terms social engineering and OSINT, showed up to the competition without much of a strategy and figured it out on the spot. She also tells us about what happened when a person from her competition target was in the audience, listening to her vishing calls.

For this episode, we welcome BOsintBlanc. He loves to use OSINT tools and loves to help others with their OSINT skills. But there's one thing that he'd love to see everyone do before using tools. That is to develop a solid methodology and mindset around the OSINT process. In this episode, he talks about how he got started in OSINT and other tips and tricks to refining your own methodology. Also, he asks that you consider making a donation to the National Child Protection Task Force, where he volunteers.