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From “0day Hacks NetworkChuck (OSINT)” by NetworkChuck

How an OSINT investigator decoys and tracks predators

A decoy profile, one question, and a hacker who says the work must stay legal.

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Key points

In the demo, a decoy profile posing as a minor on a hookup app drew a message from a man within seconds, and the speaker says the same pattern can be repeated on any platform. 0:00
The speaker stopped vigilante decoy work and now says child-crime work should run only with law enforcement or an NGO from the start, because outside actions can discredit a case and lead to weaker convictions. 56:03
The correct response to a suspicious profile is to report its URL to the platform and to proper authorities, not to confront the person. 50:01
Data brokers relist personal information whenever a phone number or address changes, so a one-time removal does not last and an ongoing removal service is needed. 67:22
Sentinel Foundation receives about 500 emails from people wanting its intern programme, and the speaker estimates only about 10 look like real candidates, so a specific, proven application matters. 80:18

Things to look at closely

Teen-chat decoy profile — A chat window shows a profile card and a message reading 'Hey, whats up>' from a user using a decoy.
Platform compliance table — A GitHub README table lists websites with register or login and check or cross marks.
PimEyes verification page — A browser shows a security verification page for pimeyes.com.

The lesson, part by part

Cold open: a decoy chat — A decoy profile posing as a minor gets a fast reply from a man who wants to meet a child. The speaker warns that the video includes sensitive content and that parents of young children should consider leaving the room. 0:00
Introductions and faith background — Chuck introduces Ryan, a cybersecurity figure he has known in passing, and they discuss why beginner content matters. Chuck explains that his security work started in child-crime and anti-trafficking areas. 0:58
How Ryan started hacking — Ryan describes his work with law enforcement, NGOs and Sentinel Foundation, and his goal of protecting children. The segment also covers a prayer and Ryan's church life. 3:51
Illness, faith and selling the business — Ryan describes an unexplained illness, a turn toward prayer, and the sale of his rehab facilities. He then recounts finding flaws in a medical-records vendor's platform during a paid demo. 7:10
Zen Charts, lawsuit and first company — Ryan's defacement led to a consulting role, and a lawsuit and later sale of the sued company gave him financial support. This money helped launch the cybersecurity company pentester.com. 10:30
Predator catching, Dustin and church — Ryan began identifying people for predator catchers, working with Dustin Lampro. A church visit with Dustin left Ryan feeling something had changed, which he links to his sense of purpose. 13:50
Ryan's life path and sponsor messages — Ryan recounts his path from addiction to business success and says he is grateful and believes in God. Chuck mentions that Ryan ran an attack on him and sponsor offers about privacy tools follow. 17:10
Discovering the forum and the decoy demo — Ryan explains how he found a child-abuse forum through a backdoor and why authorities and media did not act. He then begins a live decoy test on a teen chat site. 20:30
Early hacking and the forum discovery — Ryan describes his early phone-phreaking mentors and the message that led him to act against a forum. He planned a denial-of-service attack at first before finding the backdoor. 24:10
Reporting failures and limiting exposure — Ryan explains the site's operator and why reports went nowhere, and he describes choosing to export only database text. He says he was infuriated that a child had to be hurt before action came. 27:50
Teen chat test and the scale of abuse — Ryan sets up a decoy profile on a teen chat site and finds a 14-year-old present. He argues the scale of the problem is large and points to a public survey, though he does not give its figures. 31:30
Parenting, sleepovers and child safety — The speaker urges parents to be cautious about who they trust alone with children and describes his own family's sleepover rules. He says seeing the problem first-hand shows child safety is not a conspiracy. 35:10
Hookup app geolocation and decoy risks — The speaker explains how a hookup app requires no verification and shows nearby users, including people in the same hotel. He argues that strangers contact each other too easily on such apps. 38:50
Decoy reply and deleted messages — A decoy receives a message from a stranger within seconds, and the sender later suggests moving to text off the app. The speaker says the deletion may signal suspicion or real intent, and that vigilante work is not effective enough. 42:34
Scale estimates and confrontation risks — Ryan says a short test suggests many people would respond, and he describes official reports that went nowhere. He explains past confrontations, his acceptance of personal risk, and why he considers his anger a motive. 46:18
Man's reply and advice against vigilantism — A man in the decoy chat says he is open to trading photos and is 20 years old. Ryan advises against vigilante work and says reporting through platforms and law enforcement is the right step. 50:02
Legal risks and working with police — Ryan explains why he stopped vigilante work and now works only with law enforcement, citing legal risks such as fruit of the poisonous tree. He describes sentencing disparities and the improved relationship with police. 53:46
Reverse face search and data removal — Ryan demonstrates a reverse face search through Pentester and explains that it is meant for your own identity. The segment covers why data removal must be repeated, since data brokers relist information. 57:30
The 764 network and its harms — Ryan describes the 764 network, a nihilist group that grooms vulnerable children and pushes them toward self-harm. He says he has focused on the group for close to two years and points viewers to a long podcast for proof. 61:04
Live OSINT on Chuck and data removal — Ryan runs OSINT on Chuck using his name, finding phone numbers, addresses and relatives through data brokers. The segment ends with a pitch for a paid removal service and free scan. 64:38
OSINT Pilot and what OSINT means — Ryan describes OSINT Pilot, a law-enforcement tool that combines about 40 tools into one report, and Chuck says his own exposure was worse than expected. The segment then asks what OSINT actually is. 68:12
Defining OSINT and parallel reconstruction — OSINT is defined as using public information, illustrated with a misspelled public traffic record. The segment explains parallel reconstruction and how an NGO liaison begins a case through a federal agency. 71:47
Legal risks and how to help officially — Ryan explains that civilians can commit federal crimes by possessing images, and that passive OSINT is safer than active decoying. He advises contacting Sentinel Foundation to join its intern programme. 75:21
Joining Sentinel and the need for help — Ryan describes the Sentinel intern process, the high number of applicants and the drop-out rate. He closes by saying cyber security professionals should join the effort against child crime. 78:55

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