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Make no mistake, threats are almost always hidden behind layers of anonymity, and depending on the sophistication of the bad actor, the more complex the act of reveal becomes. Individuals plotting real-world harm, coordinating cyberattacks, or leaking sensitive information rarely use their true identities online. Instead, they operate through pseudonymous profiles, obscure forums, and encrypted messaging apps. As a result, identity resolution stands as one of the most critical steps in proactive risk mitigation.
What is Identity Resolution?
Identity resolution is the process of uncovering threat actors by connecting online footprints, such as usernames, emails, posts, and behavioral patterns, to actual people. Instead of investigating an online persona, you can take your actions further by now focusing on the real-world actor, their patterns, associates, and most importantly, their location, and therefore producing actionable intelligence.
Take a look at the incident that occurred at a major oil and gas company a few years ago. While using a third-party OSINT tool (Liferaft), the intelligence team received alerts of online posts threatening to kill their CEO and another top executive.
By using Liferaft, the team was able to quickly identify the threat actor’s Reddit account and connected social footprint. They also discovered bomb threats and additional threats of violence towards members of the oil and gas industry.
All of the above define identity resolution and the subsequent actions.
How Does the Process of Identity Resolution Work?
Identity resolution combines advanced technology with investigative expertise. Because the sources from which to investigate are varied, utilizing OSINT tools that not only allow you to pull in data (intelligence) but also enable you to initiate investigations within the platform are crucial.
If looking for a holistic ‘intelligence to investigative’ tool, you want to ensure it checks these boxes:
Data Aggregation
Collecting digital traces from a vast array of sources like social media, forums, blogs, the dark web, and breach databases.
Behavioral Analysis
Examining posting times, language patterns, emojis, and other signature quirks that can tie multiple aliases together.
Entity Correlation
Using machine learning to connect similar usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, or images across platforms.
Geolocation & Metadata
Drawing on geotagged content and metadata to pinpoint where a persona operates, down to a specific city, building or exact address.
Human Insight
Experienced analysts look for clues that automated tools might miss, piecing together seemingly innocuous details to build a holistic profile. The platform you select must be easy to use and intuitive.
Why is Identity Resolution Crucial for Security?
Proactive identity resolution lets organizations take a more preventative position. When online indicators are closely monitored but never tied to real-world individuals, security teams end up responding only once threats have escalated or damage is done. Instead, resolving identities early gives security professionals the ability to intervene before issues worsen, whether that means alerting at-risk individuals or engaging law enforcement with precise, actionable threat intelligence.
This ability to connect digital personas to real people also transforms the effectiveness of investigations. In critical situations, such as a disgruntled employee leaking confidential information or activists plotting disruptions, knowing who is behind suspicious activity accelerates both incident mitigation and accountability.
Beyond direct threats, identity resolution plays a pivotal role in protecting an organization’s brand and assets. Malicious actors increasingly impersonate executives or key personnel online to carry out phishing attacks, scams, or damage reputations. With identity resolution, you can not only unmask these impostors, but also shut them down!