Trying to Understand Meta-Data & Targeting Individuals

 

River Winter Scene (photo by V.A. McMillan, 2024)

How exactly do you explain meta-data…you know those little tags attached to all those electronic devices that travel on the interwebs. Some meta-data is created by your internet service provider (ISP) and others get attached to your computer, phone, or tablet by online merchants who want to ensure that you receive quality services…those cookie things. Well, today we will try to get a grip on meta-data and how you can be targeted even if you do not login or have a profile on a specific website.

This is a slide deck I created to try to explain this topic to myself. I guess this will be a thought exercise type blog post.

Before we delve too deep into this subject, let me disclose that targeting of individuals is not necessarily nefarious. Occasionally the algorithms get it right, and you receive targeted advertisements for things you actually need at the time you need them. Of course, becoming the subject of a targeting does not always mean a positive experience…spam, phishing, hacking, or becoming persona non-grata (PNG)…wait, I am getting ahead of myself.

Let us look at how the intelligence community gathers and maps data, then we will explore a few means of generating meta-data, and how that can be exploited by others. Next slide, please…

Intelligence…Intel…INT…the gathering of information for the purposes of gaining an understanding of a situation, event, incident, group, purchasing habits, or connections between groups. There are many disciplines inside the intelligence world that are colloquially referred to their different INTs. HUMINT is human intelligence…that would be the James Bond type spying on people. COMINT & SIGINT would be communications intelligence and signals intelligence, that is conducted by the NSA in the US or the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) in Canuckistan. If it travels over the airwaves, through a CAT5/CAT6 cable, or via Wi-Fi, you can bet your last dollar that it is being monitored and possibly recorded for future retrieval.

The image on this slide is a screenshot captured from A Thousand Pieces Documentary (2023) still available on Rumble (https://rumble.com/a-thousand-pieces-documentary.html), which succinctly explains many of the common INTs. This is important because humans are creatures of habit…we leave breadcrumbs everywhere we go that can be followed back to our nests. So, knowing what type of breadcrumbs can be followed may assist in reducing our footprints across the electromagnetic spectrum and in the physical world. Enough spy vs spy for the moment. Next slide…

Back to meta-data. We need to understand the term – node. In a network, any location which receives or transmit data is a node. This can be a phone, laptop, motion sensor, CCTV camera, or a person. Depends on the network being described or monitored.

For the purposes of our discussion each node will be associated with an individual and it can include their phone, their laptop, tablet, or swipe/prox access card (credit card, debit card). In the diagram on the slide, you will notice some nodes are smaller, some are coloured, and there are lines connecting nodes in their network. These are very simplified to show the interconnectedness of the networks in our lives. In the real world these connections and networks would be more numerous and more complex to map the actual transference of information.

Each network has the same-coloured lines of communication. If two-colours exchange between nodes, then two streams of information are being transmitted. What is not shown on these network maps is the direction of information sharing. If a node is coloured, they are an influencer, with at least four-connections inside their network. An influencer implies some sort of hierarchical structure, whether it exists or not. Marketers like roping in influencers…if they (influencers) will buy the product being sold by the marketer, they (marketer) know that by peer pressure or influence others in the group will also buy. This is a reason why targeting ads are so important to sellers and marketers. There is another important node on the map…the bridge node, who connects multiple networks. This person is also an important target for marketers. Through a bridge node, a marketer could find another influencer. There is one more important node, but we will get to that soon…

Yes, this is the same network map; however, we are now going to identify what we're mapping. This is an email network map…who is included is not even important at this stage. From this map of email patterns we see some interesting developments, first the orange cell is a centrally controlled network. Individual nodes all communicate through the influencer node. Also note, that the only external email connection is also going through the influencer node.

The red cell and the blue cell are both tightly connected networks but lack a central influencer. This could mean that these networks are highly co-operative or collaborative, but it also could indicate a lack of leadership – good or bad. The red cell would also have a tighter control over who makes contact with outsiders, at least via email. The blue cell seems to limit external connections but has more than one external connection to gather information.

The blue and green cells share similar characteristics, except the green cell is larger and has an influencer but not centrally controlled. Which brings us to the yellow cell…according to email traffic patterns it looks like there are two newer nodes. The newest node only has contact with the influencer and one other yellow node. We also notice this newest node has a very unique signature; they are the only node with connections to all networks on the map. This could be an information broker, a plant, a spy, a mole, an infiltrator, or an agent provocateur. This one node is both very powerful and very dangerous. Information seems to be flowing in only one direction, that is to the node…at least by email.

On this slide we see a social media network map. As can be expected, the influencers are active across multiple platforms. There are also some other nodes connected to social media. So, the marketer who connects with an influencer on social media may only be aware of a limited network of connections, if the marketer could also see the email network map, they would know these influencers have a large sphere of influence and are worthy of pursuit. Next, we will review the network map for text messages…

Here we see that the cells in these networks are more connected than was previously known. From the network connections between nodes, especially outside the cells we see that they are using the same device to connect inside their network. So, far we have been concerned about protecting our identity from marketers trying to exploit our networks to the marketers’ benefit/profit. There are other threats on this electronic battlefield. Pesky spammers, profit if they can secure your email list or contact list from your phone. Hackers using ransomware can be more harmful - either by extorting a ransom or more likely by denying you access to your device or data. Unfortunately, not all hackers are living in the basement of their parent’s home addicted to Cheetos, Jolt, and Mario Cart. Some are agents of the state, and if they have decided you are interesting things are about to change…

While meta-data does not connect a name to a node, it does not need to…the mapped connections is far wider reaching than one might expect. If you have somehow shown up on the radar of the state, they have far more resource to discover all the nodes on the map. It only takes one piece to back track to a specific node. Cookies implanted in your computer device by well meaning marketers, are like any other tracking device, they positively identify the target. Cleared your cache memory recently?? Yah, me either…

If you become a target, the digital mapping will now be compared across multiple sources, this will either disengage their interest or intensify it. Remember, they only need one piece in the real world to back track to their actual target. You could be seen as the weak link and easily coerced by their state wielding power to cough up those in your network. However, before contact is made, HUMINT may be employed to ensure they are targeting the correct node. Like the digital, in the real world we all leave breadcrumbs of our daily activities…we have patterns. We shop for groceries in Town A or CITY B. We refuel at Station A but never Station C. We get coffee at 0600 every Saturday. Go for a beer with the boys on Friday night. The girls have a winefest on Saturday afternoons will playing Bridge or Canasta. Each event/location/time is a node. When being surveilled someone(s) are watching and plotting your physical network map. Each of these nodes might intersect with the network of another target. Depending how much interest you have attracted, the resources dedicated to hunting you can be overwhelming. Or maybe that is just the movies…

When HUMINT and the meta-data is mapped and overlayed…if the patterns match, a digital fingerprint is confirmed. If no match, they might let their fish go back to the pond. Otherwise…

If you have attracted the wrong attention and they seem convinced you are their target you will become PNG – Persona Non-Grata, that’s right you are now an unwanted person. Now life gets real. Credit cards and debit cards and bank accounts can be frozen by the state. APBs (all points bulletins) for your arrest and detention could be sent to all police services. Oh, yah, that passport might get flagged…so flights, roads, rails, or waterways might become the ways they capture you. Do you have an I.N.C.H. Plan?? Right, I have not written a blog post about this yet. INCH = I’m Never Coming Home. The most extreme evacuation plan ever. It means evacuating who you are and who you were…forever. Activating your INCH Plan means immediately walking away from the life you have lived up until now. You go on the run…if you became PNG would you have somewhere to go?? No, you cannot go to your buddy’s place, they will be waiting for you there. No, you cannot go to your relative’s place…not even the relative three provinces away. You cannot go anywhere you are known or were known. You must become anonymous, the true greyman.

If you have really pissed off the state, they will label you as such. As Enemy of the State, staying in your own country will be risky if not downright dangerous. You stay on the run but know that if captured you will spend your time in the crowbar hotel. If they really, really don’t like you…you will be taking a nap in the Kirk Garden with a stone head rest.

Of course, this is an extreme tangent of why you need to be aware of meta-data and how meta-data can really screw up your plans. What could prevent going down this rabbit hole????

I am sure the state would not come hunting you just because you visited that one questionable website…well, probably not. You said it was only once, right??

I would not identify a problem without offering up a strategy to mitigate this type of situation.

First get situationally aware. I have shared on the blog previously on developing situational awareness. (https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2018/03/safe-level-one-lesson-plan-part-1-of-5.html Part One of Five Parts.) You need to be aware of what is going on around you – in the physical world and online. The times, they are a changing…things that were non-issues in the past have become lightning rods with this new world order. Speaking your mind, is almost a crime…freedom of expression is no longer free.

Next if you suspect you are networking with folks who others might hold a grudge against, protect yourself and this network by being very conscious of your behaviour, locations, types of communications, and who might be watching. Separate means of communications for each network. Be mindful of what you post on social media.

Behave like you are always being monitored – digitally and physically. Whenever possible behave above reproach. When confronted with a dilemma, always try to select the option with the highest moral fibre.

Groups and networks are encouraged to vet members. Why is this new node trying to connect to the network right now? For your benefit or theirs?

From an electronic protection point-of-view…keep your virus protection up-to-date, same with operating system updates. Use a VPN to shield you from malevolent watching eyes. Clear your cache memory of cookies…daily. Determine the best payment method for your online lifestyle and understand this could have negative results.

From a physical protection point-of-view…understand you and your data are valuable to someone. Determine is reward points are worth losing your identity? Credit cards and debit cards allow others to track how you spend your money. If at some point, someone does not like what you purchase, you could receive negative attention.

Finally, make a determined effort to break your patterns, from time-to-time. Become unpredictable!!

 

Until next time…ponder how things are connected!

 

Mountainman.