$ blackout --recon --target [VENDOR]
SINGLE VENDOR INVESTIGATION

VENDORS LIE.
WE PROVE IT.

Full forensic investigation of any vendor—what they actually do vs. what they claim. Court-ready evidence in 72 hours.

Before you sign. Before you renew. Before you sue.

WHAT WE ACTUALLY FIND

That vendor's privacy policy claims they "never sell data to third parties" and "only collect data with explicit consent."

Our investigation found 14 undisclosed data recipients, including three ad networks, syncing your customers' PII within 200ms of page load—before the consent banner even rendered.

Their SOC2 didn't catch it. Their DPA didn't disclose it. Now it's your liability.

WHAT_WE'VE_FOUND

Real findings from real investigations. This is what vendors don't want you to see.

VENDOR CLAIM
ACTUAL BEHAVIOR

"No tracking before consent"

7 network calls initiated before consent banner rendered

"Data never leaves the EU"

PII transmitted to 3 US-based endpoints within 150ms

"No third-party sharing"

Browser sync with 14 undisclosed processors including ad networks

"Respects user opt-out"

Tracking continues post-rejection via fingerprinting fallback

Source: BLACKOUT forensic investigations // Anonymized findings from actual engagements

DEFEAT DEVICE DETECTION

They know when they're being watched.

A defeat device is code specifically designed to detect compliance auditors, legal discovery tools, and researchers—then behave differently for them than for real users.

// Actual regex from vendor code:
/headless|phantom|selenium|webdriver|puppeteer|playwright|monitor|checker|validator|analyzer/i

We found 42 such patterns in a single vendor. If your audit tools didn't trigger these flags, you never saw what the vendor actually does.

THE_RECEIPTS

This isn't theoretical. We've done the work. Here's the proof.

Our methodology exposed 42 defeat device patterns in a single investigation, triggered an industry-wide disclosure review for a company distributing surveillance tools to 5,000+ customer sites, and built the forensic infrastructure that security researchers and privacy counsel now rely on.

350ms
Pre-consent liability gap documented
16,500+
Sites exposed in single finding
62 sec
CEO blocked us after disclosure

WHO_ITS_FOR

PROCUREMENT

You're 2 weeks from signing a $200K/year contract. The vendor's security questionnaire came back clean. Their SOC2 looks fine. But something feels off.

Know what you're actually buying before the ink dries.

LEGAL

You're 60 days from trial. Opposing counsel just requested evidence of what your data processors did with PII. You need forensic documentation that proves exactly what happened in the browser—with chain of custody.

Evidence that holds up in court.

M&A

The target looks clean on paper. But their website runs 47 third-party scripts you've never heard of. What's hiding in their GTM layer?

Know the risk before you acquire it.

SECURITY

Your team flagged a vendor but can't explain why. The vendor claims they're 'GDPR compliant' and 'privacy-first.' You need technical proof, not marketing claims.

Answers IT can't find on their own.

HOW_IT_WORKS

01

You submit the request

Vendor name, your use case, what you're trying to learn. We confirm scope within 4 hours.

02

We investigate

Full forensic scan: scripts, cookies, network behavior, consent handling, data flows, third-party connections, defeat device detection, claims vs. observed reality.

03

You get the dossier

Complete evidence package delivered within 72 hours. HAR files, deobfuscated code, network captures, screenshots, chain of custody documentation.

04

We answer questions

30-minute readout call (optional) + 14 days of follow-up support included.

YOUR_ENGAGEMENT

You're not buying a report—you're commissioning intelligence work.

Dedicated Analyst

A named analyst assigned to your case. Direct communication channel throughout the engagement.

Custom Threat Model

Vendor-specific risk analysis mapped to the Four Horsemen framework. What they do, how they do it, what it means for your business.

Data Flow Mapping

Where data actually goes. Every endpoint, every third party, every downstream processor. The full graph.

Subprocessor Audit

Disclosed vs. observed processors. Who they say they share with vs. who actually receives your data.

Code Deobfuscation

What's hiding in those blob URLs and minified scripts? We reverse it and document the behavior.

Defeat Device Analysis

Does the vendor behave differently when observed? We detect audit evasion patterns your tools can't see.

DELIVERABLES_BY_ROLE

Actionable intelligence formatted for your team.

SECURITY

  • IOCs for blocking (domains, endpoints, scripts)
  • Attack surface map
  • Network behavior patterns

REVOPS

  • Signal degradation analysis
  • Attribution impact assessment
  • Data leakage quantification

LEGAL / GRC

  • Claims vs. Reality report
  • Compliance gap analysis
  • Evidence with timestamps + chain of custody

PROCUREMENT

  • Leverage points for negotiation
  • Risk summary for contract terms
  • DPA/subprocessor verification

DELIVERY_FORMAT

Everything you need for legal, compliance, or the board.

Executive Briefing (PDF)

2-3 page summary for leadership. Key findings, risk assessment, recommended actions.

Technical Dossier (PDF)

Full findings with evidence. Code analysis, network behavior, consent audit, defeat device documentation.

Raw Data Package (JSON)

Machine-readable IOCs. Import directly into your security tools, SIEMs, or block lists.

HAR Archives

Timestamped network captures. Full HTTP traffic for forensic replay and verification.

Screenshots

Timestamped visual evidence. Consent states, network panels, behavior documentation.

PRICING

One-time engagements. No subscription required. Volume discounts available.

SINGLE
$1,500
per vendor

One vendor deep-dive investigation

20% OFF
5-PACK
$6,000
$1,200/vendor
Save $1,500

Evaluating a shortlist

33% OFF
10-PACK
$10,000
$1,000/vendor
Save $5,000

Stack segment audit

STACK AUDIT
Custom
20+ vendors

Full GTM stack investigation

EVERY ENGAGEMENT INCLUDES:
  • Dedicated analyst assigned to your case
  • Full forensic investigation
  • Court-ready evidence package
  • Executive summary + technical dossier
  • 30-min readout call (optional)
  • 14 days follow-up support
ADD-ONS:
  • 24-hour rush delivery — +$500

vs. the alternative:

Law firm doing this work$15,000–$30,000
Average CCPA penalty (per violation)$7,500
Average GDPR fine (2023)€4.2M
That vendor contract you're evaluating$200K+/year

The intelligence costs less than the first month of the tool you're evaluating.

72-Hour Delivery Guarantee

Full evidence package delivered within 72 hours of scope confirmation, or your money back.

FAQ

What if the vendor isn't in your database?

That's the point. We investigate any vendor—whether we've profiled them before or not. You're commissioning original intelligence.

How do you investigate without access to my systems?

Same way an attacker or shady vendor would: from the outside. Controlled browser sessions, public endpoints, observable behavior. No agents, no credentials, no access to your infrastructure.

What's the turnaround?

72 hours from scope confirmation. 24-hour rush available for +$500.

What format is the deliverable?

PDF report with executive summary + technical appendix. Evidence files (HAR, screenshots, deobfuscated code) delivered separately. Everything you need for legal, compliance, or the board.

Can I use this in litigation?

The evidence package is designed to be court-ready. Chain of custody documented, timestamps verified, methodology defensible. We've built this for exactly that purpose.

What about defeat devices?

We specifically test for audit evasion. If a vendor behaves differently when they think they're being observed, we'll find it and document it. Most compliance tools can't detect this. We can.

What if I need more than one vendor?

Bundle pricing available ($1,200/vendor for additional vendors in the same engagement). If you need ongoing coverage, we'll talk about INTEL or EVIDENCE subscriptions—but no pressure.

Know before you sign.

One vendor. One price. 72 hours.

Most RECON customers end up subscribing once they see the depth. This is the fastest way to experience what BLACKOUT actually does.

See subscription plans