| Terrorist groups and criminals are now interconnected via the Internet, using avenues such as social media, peer to peer networking, and other online methods for preparing for and coordinating attacks as well as bragging about future or previous exploits. This digital footprint created by these actors can be captured and analyzed by law enforcement agencies and intelligence analysts, but with so much data to sort through it can be a daunting task to create timely and actionable intelligence from this mass influx of data. To analyze this data in an efficient manner, a single platform that is capable of analyzing "big data" should be utilized.;The purpose of this research was to analyze the application of Splunk big data analytics within the intelligence gathering process as it applies to law enforcement and intelligence agencies. What are the various relevant data sources used by the intelligence community today that can be assimilated into the Splunk analytics engine? How can Splunk assist with the "information overload" problem that often occurs within the intelligence community? How can Splunk help eliminate human mindsets and biases that can affect the intelligence collection process? These research questions are addressed through data sheets demonstrating the capabilities of Splunk, as well as walking through practical case studies and how Splunk would be applicable and provide the best solution. Keywords: Cybersecurity, Professor Christopher Riddell, intelligence analysis. |
