Audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Strategy and Efforts to Disrupt Illegal Dark Web Activities

21-014 Dark Web Cover.pdf 1 OIG Final Audit Report - FBI Dark Web - Public Version (Redactions APPLIED) 12-14.pdf -1 (U) INTRODUCTION 5 (U) FBI Dark Web Responsibilities 7 (U) OIG Audit Approach 8 (U) AUDIT RESULTS 9 (U) FBI’s Dark Web Approach 9 (U) Hi-Tech OC Unit’s Formalized Dark Web Strategy 11 (U) The Hi-Tech OC Unit’s UCOs Can Better Focus on the Targeting of Opioid Vendors 13 (U) Three Operational Units did not Maintain Formalized Dark Web Strategies 16 (U) Child Exploitation Operational Unit 16 (U) Investigative Unit 20 (U) Major Cyber Crimes Unit 22 (U) Ambiguous Investigative Responsibilities 23 (U) Summary of the Benefits of Developing a Coordinated FBI-wide Dark Web Approach 26 (U) Tool Development and Acquisition Concerns 27 (U) Operational Technology Division’s Diminishing Role Developing Tools Useful to Dark Web Investigations 28 (U) Decentralized Tool Development and Acquisition 30 (U) Improved Coordination of the Use of Existing Investigative Tools 33 (U//LES) Enhanced Process to More Efficiently Use the Existing Tor-Related Tools 34 (U) Centralization of Dark Web Training Resources 35 (U) Dark Web Cryptocurrency Support 36 (U) Deconfliction of Investigative Data 38 (U) CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 40 (U) APPENDIX 1 42 (U) OBJECTIVE, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY 42 (U) APPENDIX 2 47 (U) ACRONYMS 47 (U) APPENDIX 3 48 (U) GLOSSARY 48 (U) APPENDIX 4 50 (U) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 50 RESPONSE TO THE DRAFT REPORT 50 (U) OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ANALYSIS AND SUMMARY OF ACTIONS NECESSARY TO CLOSE THE REPORT 55