How To Spot a Troll

 Be on the lookout for Trolls.

With the political season in full swing and a sprint towards the end with the final debate tonight, be on the lookout for political trolls. Trolling will still be active in many different forms after the election. 

Common troll actions online or off are similar in malicious nature and one sided. Do you really think a person who will knock you over for a cab be a pleasant person online? Someone cut you off on the road and give you the finger? Very thoughtful and caring and no doubt similar in their online persona.

How about someone following you walking all the way home filming all the way to your home address and network? That actually happened to me and in the last 50 yards I turned around and let the expletives fly.  Common little items you may notice in a person can be hidden and multiplied online.

You can be trolled online and not even know it.

Many social sites let you peruse account activity without becoming a member, albeit with restricted messaging privileges. Someone can be trolling you right now as you read this.

Is this a political action account?

Several accounts have been set up online on multiple platforms as political only accounts, meaning they only conduct self serving politics. Building followers some real and some fake along the way.

Can this action figure above be a real person or a person hiding with an ulterior motive?

Pattern analysis can define the account better than the person hiding behind the account. Patterns will reveal hashtag creations and associations that the person thinks they are masking with layers of malicious similarity. Lets get this person 10,000 followers, or attempts to attract others and link more fake accounts to show a social power and strength. 

Account layering is now becoming common practice as many bad actors attempt to gain leverage to sway and disinform. 

The new online version of the old game is now called whack a troll. They are seemingly everywhere. 

Join our cause...please.

This account became active just in time for the election.

Russia and Iran have interfered to date with this current election process, as per the FBI. 

Many more attempts are likely before and during the election. This election has been the most challenging to date and no doubt foreshadows more difficulties in upcoming elections. 

Old accounts that are now becoming active are another give away. Sole purpose accounts with fake groups and followers have been proliferating online for years. Some repackaged, others retooled but all share the common traits of sole purpose posting, tweeting and blogging to attain a political goal. 

Can there be hidden financial agendas as well?

What about other hidden agendas?

New FBI warning.

New dangerous versions of trolls have been appearing online with different dangerous motives. One deceptive troll tactic is to fake a common friendship or association. So and so from xyz group gave me your name. Trolls come with many hidden agendas and dangerous forms. 

The FBI has recently confirmed an alarming social trend in other dangerous trolling incidents.

The time is now to be informed abut the dangers and the many different varieties of trolls online. The troll can be after your ID, finances or family. You have every right to protect yourself. You also have the right to know who and what you are protecting yourself from. The person or entity behind the actual account attempting to cause harm.

Be careful and informed of the dangers. Monitor, educate and inform. The dangers online and off never take a break and are evolving at a rapid pace. Be proactive and not reactive. 

There are new avenues of danger possible at every click, text, email or post. 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is October. Stay safe and be cybersecurity aware everyday.

@AlvieriD

Analyst, Researcher and Tracker.