What do you think?
Rate this book
Grey Area: Dark Web Data Collection and the Future of OSINT
A compelling, first-hand account of the dark web, from its underground ecosystem, to the people responsible for committing data breaches and leaking data, 21st century's most consequential data breaches, the responses to those attacks, and the impact of dark web data and intelligence gathering and can have in the defense and security of our nation.
In Grey Area, veteran hacker and cybersecurity investigations expert Vinny Troia offers an unfiltered, first-person look into the evolving relationship between open-source intelligence (OSINT) and the dark web data ecosystem. Drawing from years of hands-on experience in digital forensics, dark web investigations, and adversarial engagement, Troia explores how publicly available and commercially available information—PAI and CAI—are rapidly becoming the backbone of modern intelligence operations, and how a human intelligence network of known cyber criminals helped identify and stop one of the largest data breaches in known history.
This book examines the legal, operational, and ethical dimensions of collecting and exploiting data from the darkest corners of the internet, including leaked databases, breached credentials, and hidden criminal networks. It breaks down how to discover, process, validate, and operationalize this data in real-world contexts—from attribution and threat actor profiling to national security use cases.
You'll explore the evolution of OSINT within the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community through exclusive, first-hand accounts from senior officials who helped define its path. You'll also learn how AI and automation tools are being used to validate data at scale, detect disinformation, and supercharge open-source investigations. The book also covers how data is stolen and what happens to it after the theft. Through his direct account as Reddington, Troia provides actual unedited conversations with the cyber criminals responsible for a hack targeting more than 160 companies, including his own interactions leading to the hack, the extortion negotiation and responses with each of the effected organizations, and how the hackers were ultimately brought to justice.
From discussions of the legal grey areas of data collection, ransom negotiations, and a first-hand perspectives of his interaction with well-known hackers, Grey Area is a compelling and honest account of the realities of the dark web, data theft, and ways in which the intelligence community should be leveraging these methods to help strengthen our national security.
Inside the
Blow-by-blow accounts of one of the largest data breaches in recorded history Interviews and commentary from high level officials at the CIA, ODNI, DIA, and DOD. Informed, insightful commentary on how cybersecurity professionals are using dark web open-source intelligence to strengthen national security, and our country's defenses against hackers and foreign adversaries. Revealing interviews with experienced hackers who explain a variety of approaches, philosophies, and strategies for combatting and recovering from data breaches Grey Area is essential reading for cybersecurity professionals, intelligence analysts, investigators, and policy leaders navigating the complex intersection of dark web data, national security, and open-source intelligence. Through real-world case studies and insider accounts, it delivers actionable insight into the future of data-driven investigations, threat attribution, and the expanding role of OSINT in modern intelligence operations.
In Grey Area, veteran hacker and cybersecurity investigations expert Vinny Troia offers an unfiltered, first-person look into the evolving relationship between open-source intelligence (OSINT) and the dark web data ecosystem. Drawing from years of hands-on experience in digital forensics, dark web investigations, and adversarial engagement, Troia explores how publicly available and commercially available information—PAI and CAI—are rapidly becoming the backbone of modern intelligence operations, and how a human intelligence network of known cyber criminals helped identify and stop one of the largest data breaches in known history.
This book examines the legal, operational, and ethical dimensions of collecting and exploiting data from the darkest corners of the internet, including leaked databases, breached credentials, and hidden criminal networks. It breaks down how to discover, process, validate, and operationalize this data in real-world contexts—from attribution and threat actor profiling to national security use cases.
You'll explore the evolution of OSINT within the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community through exclusive, first-hand accounts from senior officials who helped define its path. You'll also learn how AI and automation tools are being used to validate data at scale, detect disinformation, and supercharge open-source investigations. The book also covers how data is stolen and what happens to it after the theft. Through his direct account as Reddington, Troia provides actual unedited conversations with the cyber criminals responsible for a hack targeting more than 160 companies, including his own interactions leading to the hack, the extortion negotiation and responses with each of the effected organizations, and how the hackers were ultimately brought to justice.
From discussions of the legal grey areas of data collection, ransom negotiations, and a first-hand perspectives of his interaction with well-known hackers, Grey Area is a compelling and honest account of the realities of the dark web, data theft, and ways in which the intelligence community should be leveraging these methods to help strengthen our national security.
Inside the
Blow-by-blow accounts of one of the largest data breaches in recorded history Interviews and commentary from high level officials at the CIA, ODNI, DIA, and DOD. Informed, insightful commentary on how cybersecurity professionals are using dark web open-source intelligence to strengthen national security, and our country's defenses against hackers and foreign adversaries. Revealing interviews with experienced hackers who explain a variety of approaches, philosophies, and strategies for combatting and recovering from data breaches Grey Area is essential reading for cybersecurity professionals, intelligence analysts, investigators, and policy leaders navigating the complex intersection of dark web data, national security, and open-source intelligence. Through real-world case studies and insider accounts, it delivers actionable insight into the future of data-driven investigations, threat attribution, and the expanding role of OSINT in modern intelligence operations.
448 pages, Paperback
Published September 30, 2025
13 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 3, 2025
This book had its ups and downs for me. Parts of it were somewhat dry, discussing the theory and future of OSINT. But the parts that were interesting were *really* interesting. Reading about engaging on the dark web with threat actors and how Troia helped uncover the Snowflake breach was fascinating.
December 7, 2025
I am writing a review on this book since there are not many written reviews about it (although it is fairly recently released). I have a mix-bag feeling when it comes to the book overall (does not impact my rating, but leaves me a bit disappointed in the end) but can understand that I might not be the target audience (someone who is not technical and but also not completely unaware of the subject), nor maybe what I was looking for in its entirety but having mea culpa on it. Either way, credit must be given where credit is due: the book is well organized, divided and structured into several parts and tackle both OSINT as a discipline, practice and role within USA and worldwide, as well as, giving an history, brief overview and definitions and explanations on Dark Web and providing examples such as cases, and a few technical and/or operational details. I guess I was expecting more juicy details when it comes to actual OSINT methodology or workflow given the resources mentioned, or maybe had an embellished idea of the nuts and bolts of an OSINT operation, on what to look for or on how to operate in the Dark Web (in Part III).
It also felt very USA-centered, but of course, a lot of the cases, a lot of the work done towards OSINT, and a lot of the guest authors/writers have experience in Intelligence within their country (organizations, public sector, etc.) and the main author himself, working and operating within USA, so this is in part understandable. Having said that, this book came at a right time for me because it provided me a glimpse timeline overview of the last 8 years of some of the Dark Web main media cases or investigations (although some of them only being the ones the author partook in, but this is his book after all), also highlighting new emerging techniques, types of data and operators, hacking groups and threat actors in the scene, given that the last time I was deep (no pun intended) in this area has been almost 20 years, and the last time I paid close attention and followed the news regarding this subject, has been a little over 5 years.
The most interesting part of the book for me was surprisingly the second part, especially the takes and opinion pieces on OSINT in USA's national security vision and the future of this practice within Information Security and on a geopolitical and military scope. Another highlight of the book for me was to read through the Snowflake case, as that was one of the few breaches I had some context on given that I know some colleagues within the industry that worked at the company. Having that allied with the media reported details, I had some context on this incident but only digested bits and pieces, so it was nice to re-visit this case in a detailed and bulky fashion.
Overall, this was a nice Sunday read, a nice read to get back into OSINT, Dark Web, Information Security and in some ways, to remember a world that I have been away from for some time, but not forgotten... It is great to see books like these and resources, as well as professionals, writing content of this caliber.
It also felt very USA-centered, but of course, a lot of the cases, a lot of the work done towards OSINT, and a lot of the guest authors/writers have experience in Intelligence within their country (organizations, public sector, etc.) and the main author himself, working and operating within USA, so this is in part understandable. Having said that, this book came at a right time for me because it provided me a glimpse timeline overview of the last 8 years of some of the Dark Web main media cases or investigations (although some of them only being the ones the author partook in, but this is his book after all), also highlighting new emerging techniques, types of data and operators, hacking groups and threat actors in the scene, given that the last time I was deep (no pun intended) in this area has been almost 20 years, and the last time I paid close attention and followed the news regarding this subject, has been a little over 5 years.
The most interesting part of the book for me was surprisingly the second part, especially the takes and opinion pieces on OSINT in USA's national security vision and the future of this practice within Information Security and on a geopolitical and military scope. Another highlight of the book for me was to read through the Snowflake case, as that was one of the few breaches I had some context on given that I know some colleagues within the industry that worked at the company. Having that allied with the media reported details, I had some context on this incident but only digested bits and pieces, so it was nice to re-visit this case in a detailed and bulky fashion.
Overall, this was a nice Sunday read, a nice read to get back into OSINT, Dark Web, Information Security and in some ways, to remember a world that I have been away from for some time, but not forgotten... It is great to see books like these and resources, as well as professionals, writing content of this caliber.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews