Matthew RosenquistFounder & CISO Advisor, Cybersecurity Insights · CISO, Cybersecurity Strategist, & Industry Advisor

Anti Money Laundering Detection Tool on the Dark Web

23 Aug 2021 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

2:06

In this commentary, the speaker highlights a newly surfaced dark‑web service called AntiAnalysis, which repackages the long‑standing AML bot to let users check whether their cryptocurrency holdings and transactions are linked to known criminal activity. Citing Brian Krebs’s reporting, the speaker explains that while criminals can use the tool to gauge if they are likely to be detected, the same capability offers law‑enforcement, security researchers, regulators, and digital forensics teams a benchmark to assess and improve their anti‑money‑laundering (AML) techniques. The discussion emphasizes the value of practical intelligence—knowing the limits of current investigative methods—as a catalyst for evolving AML defenses, and it praises Krebs as a leading cybersecurity investigator.

Chapters

As reported by Brian Krebs, a new dark web service is marketing to cybercriminals who are curious to see how their various cryptocurrency holdings and transactions may be linked to known criminal activity. The tool, AntiAnalysis, which appears to be a repackaging of the AML bot, which has been around since 2019, can give insights to criminals to understand if their digital money laundering efforts will be flagged as illicit. This is a good tool because it is also beneficial for law enforcement. Tools like this can be used in many different ways. Such a tool can obviously be used by criminals to understand if they might be above the radar and likely to be detected by authorities, But like so many tools in the world of cybersecurity, it can also be used by security, regulatory, and enforcement authorities who work to stop cybercrime and pursue money laundering criminals. The tool equally provides insights to the good guys. Knowing that your investigative and digital forensics techniques are insufficient, is really the first step to improving them. Such practical intelligence will drive anti-money laundering authorities to stay current and keep pace with the techniques of the ever-evolving attackers. This tool, as odd as it may sound, provides a great benchmark opportunity for security regulators and investigators to measure their effect. Effectiveness. Thanks again to Brian Krebs, who without a doubt is the best cybersecurity investigator on the planet. If you aren't following him or periodically looking at his website, you should be. Thanks, Brian. Keep doing what you do.