Digital HUMINT - Sockpuppets & OPSEC

This course introduces intelligence professionals and security analysts to the principles of Digital HUMINT, with a focus on sockpuppet creation and operational security. Participants will learn how to build credible false personas for intelligence operations, apply technical and behavioral OPSEC measures to protect operator identity, and practice these skills through real-world darkweb scenarios involving both high-level and low-level threat actors.

What You'll Learn

• Define Digital HUMINT and explain how it differs from technical intelligence disciplines.
• Describe the role of sockpuppets in digital intelligence operations and what distinguishes them from anonymous accounts.
• Build a credible sockpuppet persona — including backstory, communication style, digital presence, and behavioral consistency.
• Distinguish between technical and mental OPSEC, and apply both to protect operator identity during active operations.
• Implement technical OPSEC measures including environment isolation, VPN usage, metadata cleaning, and browser fingerprint blocking.
• Analyze real-world threat actor profiles to select the appropriate persona and approach for a HUMINT engagement.