Anatomy of a Case Study
Case studies generally comprise of the following primary sections:
Overview
A high level overview of all the most relevant facts and information in the case.
About [Service]
The background of the exchange platform, service, or individuals involved, as it would have been seen or understood at the time of the events. This section should not mention anything about the scheme being a ponzi or specific vulnerabilities leading up to a hack, but should be written from the perspective of the available information at the time prior to the event.
Include:
- History of when and how the service was started.
- What problems does the company or service claim to solve?
- What marketing materials were used by the firm or business?
- Public warnings and announcements prior to the event.
- Audits performed, and excerpts that may have been included.
- Business registration documents shown (fake or legitimate).
- How were people recruited to participate?
Don't Include:
- Any wording which directly states or implies that the business is/was illegitimate, or that a vulnerability existed.
The Reality
This sections is included if a case involved deception or information that was unknown at the time.
What Happened
The specific events of the loss.
Immediate Reactions
How did the firm, platform, or individual deal with the events?
Ultimate Outcome
What was the end result? Was any investigation done? Were any individuals prosecuted? Was there a lawsuit? Were funds recovered? Was any tracing done?