Gralhix Exercise #008
The Curious Case of the Applauding Crowd
Exercise Challenge
The task involves analyzing a photograph from the Epoch Times, a Chinese newspaper. The image shows a large audience in a theater setting.
Questions to answer:
a) What was the audience applauding?
b) When was the photo taken?
c) What is the name of the venue?Exercise Difficulty:
- For beginners: a) Easy, b) Medium, c) Medium
- For experts: a) Easy, b) Easy, c) Easy
Solution Summary
a) The audience was applauding a performance of Shen Yun North America.
b) The photo was taken on January 7th, 2023.
c) The venue is Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Virginia.
I approached this challenge using a reverse Google Image search, focusing on the distinctive details in the upper right of the image. I then verified the information by cross-referencing posts on social media and the venue’s website.
Detailed Walkthrough
Step 1: Reverse Image Search
I began by focusing on the image of the audience in the theater. Using Google’s reverse image search, I found an exact match on a website.
Step 2: Identifying the Event
The matching image led me to a website that provided crucial details:
This website (https://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2023/1/13/206159.html) confirmed that the event was a performance by the Shen Yun Dance Company on January 7th, 2023, at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Virginia.
Step 3: Verification
To verify this information, I used Google’s advanced search operators to narrow the results by date.
shen yun norfolk before:2023–01–10 after:2023–01–05This search led me to an Instagram post from Hilton Hotels in Norfolk corroborating that Shen Yun performed at Chrysler Hall during this period.
Step 4: Additional Confirmation
For further verification, I cross-referenced images from Norfolk’s tourism promotion group:
These images substantiate that Shen Yun performed at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk on January 7th and 8th, 2023
Lessons Learned
1. The Art of ‘Enough’: In OSINT, knowing when you have sufficient evidence is crucial. It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole, but sometimes, the first solid match is all you need.
2. Time — the Cruelest Boss: Real-world OSINT often involves tight deadlines. Learning to manage your time effectively can make or break an investigation.
3. The Confidence Conundrum: While I’m confident in my findings, I couldn’t independently verify that the specific audience image was from the January 7th performance. It’s a reminder that in OSINT, precision in our conclusions is paramount.
An Additional Consideration
As I dug deeper into this investigation, I uncovered a complex web of relationships that added an extra layer of intrigue to our seemingly simple image analysis. The Epoch Times, the newspaper that published our original image, is affiliated with Falun Gong, a new religious movement. This connection opens up a fascinating tangle of relationships involving the Epoch Times, Falun Gong, and the governments of both the United States and China.
While not directly relevant to the specific questions asked, this relationship warrants additional vigilance in OSINT investigations involving these entities. It’s an important reminder that in Open Source Intelligence, every image, every source, every piece of information comes with its own story and potential biases. Our job, as investigators, is to navigate this complex landscape, always striving for truth and accuracy.
The Final Word
Using the Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 203 standards, I assess the solution as “likely” to “very likely” correct.
However, I cannot state it is “almost certain” due to the inability to corroborate that the specific audience image is from the January 7th performance. This level of precision is crucial, especially in investigations where establishing an individual’s presence at a particular event is the primary goal.
A Note of Gratitude
As we wrap this exercise up, I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to Gralhix, the mastermind behind these engaging and educational OSINT exercises. Her dedication to creating realistic scenarios has been instrumental in honing my skills and, I hope, in helping you develop yours.
For those eager to dive deeper into the world of OSINT, I highly recommend visiting Gralhix’s website at https://gralhix.com/. It’s a gold mine of resources, additional exercises, and invaluable insights from a true OSINT pro.
Remember, every OSINT investigation is a learning opportunity. Stay curious, remain skeptical, and never stop exploring. Until next time, happy investigating!
