This book describes the methodologies and tools used to conduct social
cyber forensic analysis. By applying these methodologies and tools on
various events observed in the case studies contained within, their
effectiveness is highlighted. They blend computational social network
analysis and cyber forensic concepts and tools in order to identify and
study information competitors.
Through cyber forensic analysis, metadata associated with
propaganda-riddled websites are extracted. This metadata assists in
extracting social network information such as friends and followers
along with communication network information such as networks depicting
flows of information among the actors such as tweets, replies, retweets,
mentions, and hyperlinks. Through computational social network analysis,
the authors identify influential actors and powerful groups coordinating
the disinformation campaign. A blended social cyber forensic approach
allows them to study cross-media affiliations of the information
competitors. For instance, narratives are framed on blogs and YouTube
videos, and then Twitter and Reddit, for instance, will be used to
disseminate the message. Social cyber forensic methodologies enable
researchers to study the role of modern information and communication
technologies (ICTs) in the evolution of information campaign and
coordination.
In addition to the concepts and methodologies pertaining to social cyber
forensics, this book also offers a collection of resources for readers
including several datasets that were collected during case studies,
up-to-date reference and literature surveys in the domain, and a suite
of tools that students, researchers, and practitioners alike can
utilize. Most importantly, the book demands a dialogue between
information science researchers, public affairs officers, and policy
makers to prepare our society to deal with the lawless "wild west" of
modern social information systems triggering debates and studies on
cyber diplomacy.
