Episode 34 — Leverage WHOIS and registration breadcrumbs smartly
WHOIS records and registration metadata provide vital "human breadcrumbs" that can link digital infrastructure to the actual individuals or organizations behind an attack. This episode explores how to leverage registrant names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses to uncover clusters of adversary activity, even when privacy services are used. We discuss the impact of GDPR (GDPR) on WHOIS data and the alternative methods for finding registration history, such as "reverse WHOIS" lookups on specific email domains or name servers. In a GCTI context, you must demonstrate the ability to identify "lazy" registration habits where an actor reuses a single email address to register dozens of malicious domains over several years. Troubleshooting involves recognizing "false flag" registration data that an adversary might use to mislead analysts and complicate attribution efforts. By smartly leveraging these breadcrumbs, you can peel back the layers of anonymity and identify the persistent operational habits that define a specific threat actor. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.
