The anonymity offered, although not always delivered by dark web networks means the seller has a perception of being relatively safe. The buyer, meanwhile, has to move out of the shadows to profit from their purchases. The risk of getting caught and the considerable legal consequences this brings makes these dark web sites a buyer’s market, hence the low pricing. Darkweb is a center part of these types of illegal activities and due to this anonymization features of the dark web cybercriminal can host an escalating number of malicious services and activities, and new major marketplaces will inevitably arise. To head up these dark crimes security professionals and LEA must keep eyes on the activities and try to develop more advanced monitoring and detecting tools to cope up in the nearer future.
The operation targeting Hydra was a collaborative initiative joined by the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. This action was enhanced by international cooperation with the German Federal Criminal Police, who today shut down Hydra servers in Germany and seized $25 million worth of bitcoin. This section elaborates on the methodology used to identify opioid trading information in the anonymous market and forums. Specifically, we collected approximately 248,359 unique listings and 1,138,961 unique forum traces (ie, threads of posts) from 10 anonymous online marketplaces and 6 forums. We then identified 311 opioid keywords and jargons to recognize 28,106 listings and 13,508 forum traces related to underground opioid trading activities.
Understanding the Market Dark Web
When the Silk Road was in operation, you could search for it on Tor and get redirected to a signup screen requiring a username and password. That year, Ulbricht was arrested and charged with money laundering, computer hacking, conspiracy to traffic narcotics, and attempting to have at least five people killed because they threatened to reveal the truth behind the Silk Road. These attacks are sometimes launched by competing markets in order to try to gain market share. Dream Market was forced to shut down in the face of DDOS extortion in 2019, with the attacker demanding a $400,000 ransom. It seized 50.8 million euros ($53.4 million) in cash and virtual currencies, 850 kilograms of drugs, and 117 firearms were seized in a series of raids in several countries.
As observed in our data set, the top 3 marketplaces with the most opioid listings are Agora, Evolution, and Apollon. The general volatility of darknet markets has led to calls for further decentralization of transactions to protect both buyers and vendors. If cryptocurrency is held in a customer account on a darknet platform, it’s always at risk if a site shuts down. AlphaBay’s quick growth—or regrowth—has been fueled in part by what Gray calls “the Great Cyber Resignation.” At least 10 dark web markets have dropped offline for various reasons in the last 18 months. Others, like Dark0de and World Market, are believed to have pulled “exit scams,” disappearing suddenly with their users’ money.
Buying drugs by post offers too many advantages to drug users for them to simply stop. All buying and selling on Dream (the largest, longest-running and most-used dark net market) had been halted. Most vendors and users have, however, been able to access the site and withdraw funds. But when it shuts for good at the end of the month, it will mark the closure of hundreds of thousands of listings generating millions of dollars in trade each week. Because these dark web marketplaces attract, by their very nature, the criminal element of society, the items on offer reflect this.
We also considered transactions of all users who interacted with one of these marketplaces (dark marketplace’s “nearest neighbours”) after their first interaction with a dark marketplace. A direct edge represents a transaction occurring either between the dark marketplace and one of its nearest neighbours, or between two nearest neighbours, or between the nearest neighbour and some “other node”. We excluded Bitcoin trading exchanges from our list of nearest neighbours since we focus on the users’ direct interaction with the dark marketplace. After removing transactions to/from Bitcoin trading exchanges, the dataset contains \(\sim 133\) million transactions among over 38 million distinct users.
To better understand the potential bundling relationship of opioid suppliers across different marketplaces, we calculated the Jaccard similarity coefficient between the suppliers in different marketplaces (Figure 6). We found that 182 opioid supplier IDs appeared in both the marketplaces Evolution and Agora from January 2014 to July 2015. In particular, we observed that 84 opioid supplier IDs synchronized similar product listings in both marketplaces at the same time. This might be because the suppliers tend to promote their products across various marketplaces and to increase sales. Overdoses from opioids, a class of drugs that includes both prescription pain relievers and illegal narcotics, account for more deaths in the United States than traffic deaths or suicides. Overdose deaths involving heroin began increasing in 2000 with a dramatic change in pace, and as of 2014, 61% of drug overdoses involved some type of opioid, inclusive of heroin [1].
The market dark web refers to a segment of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines, requiring specific software to access. This hidden realm serves various purposes, but one of the most notorious aspects is its role in facilitating illegal transactions.
What is the Dark Web?
The dark web constitutes a part of the deep web, where websites operate anonymously under different protocols. It is often accessed using tools like Tor, which encrypt and reroute internet traffic to protect users’ identities.
Features of the Market Dark Web
- Anonymous Transactions: Use of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin facilitates untraceable payments.
- Variety of Goods and Services: Ranging from illicit drugs and counterfeit products to hacking services and stolen data.
- Forums and Communication: User interactions occur in forums where individuals can exchange information and reviews about different vendors.
- Security Risks: Engaging in transactions here poses risks like scams, malware, and legal consequences.
Going Dark
Types of Markets on the Dark Web
Within the market dark web, there are various types of markets, each with its own focus:
- Drug Markets: These are the most common, offering a wide range of narcotics and controlled substances.
- Fraud and Identity Theft: Markets selling personal information, credit card details, and forged identification.
- Hacking Services: Platforms where users can hire hackers for DDoS attacks, exploit kits, and other services.
- Counterfeit Goods: From replica fashion items to counterfeit currency.
Accessing the Market Dark Web
To access the market dark web, users typically follow these steps:
- Download Tor Browser: This is the most common method for accessing the dark web.
- Use VPN: A Virtual Private Network adds another layer of anonymity.
- Navigate to Hidden Services: Specific URLs ending in .onion are unique to the dark web.
Legal Implications
Engaging in activities on the market dark web can lead to serious legal ramifications.
- Criminal Charges: Participation in illegal transactions can result in prosecution.
- Law Enforcement Surveillance: Authorities monitor dark web activities using various strategies.
- Long-Term Consequences: A criminal record can have lasting effects on personal and professional lives.
FAQs About the Market Dark Web
Q: Is everything on the dark web illegal?
A: No, while many activities and goods are illegal, there are also legal uses for the dark web, such as privacy protection and free speech.
Q: How do I stay safe on the dark web?
- Much like cash out vendors, drop services are used for money laundering illegally earned funds.
- As long as you do not buy/sell illegal products on these dark web sites, it’s not illegal simply to visit them.
- To understand how it works, we describe an opioid transaction’s operational steps on the anonymous online marketplaces and forums.
A: Using strong VPNs, not sharing personal information, and avoiding suspicious links can enhance safety.
Q: Can I be tracked on the dark web?
A: While the dark web offers anonymity, users can still be tracked through various methods; hence extreme caution is advisable.
The market dark web is a complex and often dangerous environment that appeals to various users for different reasons. Understanding its intricacies is crucial for anyone considering exploring this hidden aspect of the internet.
