Innovative filtering techniques and customized analytics tools

The VAST 2009 Challenge consisted of three heterogeneous synthetic data sets organized into separate mini-challenges with minimal correspondence information. The challenge task was the identification of a suspected data theft from cyber and real-world traces. The grand challenge required integrating the findings from the mini challenges into a plausible, consistent scenario. A mixture of linked, customized tools based on queryable models and rapid prototyping as well as generic analysis tools (developed in-house) helped us correctly solve all of the mini challenges. A collaborative analytic process was employed to reconstruct the scenario and to propose the correct steps for the reliable identification of the criminal organization based on activity traces of its members.