Investigating Cryptocurrencies

Investigate crimes involving cryptocurrencies and other blockchain technologies

Bitcoin has traditionally been the payment system of choice for a criminal trading on the Dark Web, and now many other blockchain cryptocurrencies are entering the mainstream as traders are accepting them from low-end investors putting their money into the market. Worse still, the blockchain can even be used to hide information and covert messaging, unknown to most investigators.

Investigating Cryptocurrencies is the first book to help corporate, law enforcement, and other investigators understand the technical concepts and the techniques for investigating crimes utilizing the blockchain and related digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

• Understand blockchain and transaction technologies 
• Set up and run cryptocurrency accounts
• Build information about specific addresses
• Access raw data on blockchain ledgers
• Identify users of cryptocurrencies
• Extracting cryptocurrency data from live and imaged computers
• Following the money

With nearly $150 billion in cryptocurrency circulating and $3 billion changing hands daily, crimes committed with or paid for with digital cash are a serious business. Luckily, Investigating Cryptocurrencies Forensics shows you how to detect it and, more importantly, stop it in its tracks.

Table of Contents

Part I Understanding the Technology

Chapter 1 What Is a Cryptocurrency?

Chapter 2 The Hard Bit

Chapter 3 Understanding the Blockchain

Chapter 4 Transactions

Chapter 5 Mining

Chapter 6 Wallets

Chapter 7 Contracts and Tokens

Part II Carrying Out Investigations

Chapter 8 Detecting the Use of Cryptocurrencies

Chapter 9 Analysis of Recovered Addresses and Wallets

Chapter 10 Following the Money

Chapter 11 Visualization Systems

Chapter 12 Finding Your Suspect

Chapter 13 Sniffing Cryptocurrency Traffic

Chapter 14 Seizing Coins

Chapter 15 Putting It All Together

About the Author

Nick Furneaux is a cyber security and forensics consultant specializing in the prevention and investigation of cybercrime including social engineering exploits. He has worked for law enforcement and corporate organizations throughout Europe, the US, and Asia. Nick is a frequent conference speaker including appearances at F3 (First Forensic Forum), ACPO Hi Tech Crime conference, European Network Forensics and Security Conference, and many others.