At the 14th Illicit Network Workshop hosted by the University of Leiden, ITSTIME presented findings from its study: “Navigating Beyond the Digital Safe Haven: Mapping the Course of Salafi-Jihadi Online Movements Outside Rocket.Chat Through URL Social Network Analysis (SNA)”.

The study explores the online strategies of Salafi-Jihadi movements, with a focus on Rocket.Chat as a digital haven and primary launchpad. Using SNA, the study investigates URL-sharing within the TechHaven server to uncover how terrorist propaganda spreads across platforms and sustains its digital ecosystem. The URL-sharing flow within TechHaven illustrates the principles of the Multiplatform Communication Paradigm (MCP) and the Swarmcast 2.0 architecture. This framework ensures persistence and resilience through a distributed network.

The analysis of the pro-IS TechHaven server on Rocket.Chat reveals an interconnected network with 1,592 nodes and 89,992 edges, despite a low network density. This low density prioritises security over efficiency, enhancing the system’s resilience against external takedowns. Key domains such as chat.techhaven.to (Rocket.Chat) and t.me (Telegram) emerge as central nodes, aligning with the Swarmcast 2.0 model, which ensures adaptability and redundancy.

To see in high definition, click on the image and enlarge.