Cybercrime: A Black Market Price List From The Dark Web
Blockchain analytics capabilities such as those provided by Elliptic also make it far harder for market operators to benefit from their proceeds – with law enforcement investigators and exchanges using such tools to identify and trace these funds . Other markets touted in dark web forums like Archetyp and Incognito, meanwhile, have only a few thousand or just a few hundred listings. All of that suggests AlphaBay may already be the most popular market for dark web vendors to list their wares for sale. Cryptocurrency is commonly used on darknet markets due to its perceived anonymity and its ease and efficiency for transferring funds across international borders. Infinity Forum will target NATO and Western countries with its ideological aims throughout the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Understanding the Darknet Black Market
However, as long as these actors are not apprehended, the market seems to be able to heal itself and adapt. Apart from mixers and cashout services that assume new identities, new mixing services, such as “Sinbad”, used by North Korea’s Lazarus Group, also appear. Due to the concerted law enforcement action (and successive sanctions) against Hydra, cryptocurrency cash-out services are often wary of running under the same name as they did on the now-defunct market. However, they are still interested in regaining their former clientele. Thus Flashpoint analysts have observed several cash-out services and their users stating that the service in question had been present on Hydra, typically in a positive context. L; 5,030 on Mega; 4,849 on Solaris; 4,313 on Blacksprut; and 2,095 on Kraken, which was a late addition to the competition.
The darknet black market serves as a shadowy corner of the internet, renowned for facilitating the exchange of illegal goods and services. This underground segment exists beyond the reach of traditional search engines, often requiring specific software, configurations, or authorization to access.
Hidden services can operate while keeping the physical location of the server hidden, which makes tracking and shutting them down considerably more challenging. Sellers predominantly request payments in the form of bitcoin, with rare exceptions accepting other cryptocurrency. That makes the payments harder to track and protects the sellers’ anonymity.
Even Stealer as a service (SaaS), one of the most recent cyber attack vectors, has taken its place in black markets. However, the most striking ones regarding cybercrime in terms of numbers are DDoS for hire services, RDP accesses, and credentials. In terms of value, data such as VIP credentials and databases stand out. Darknet markets are dark web black markets that sell illegal goods and frequently accept cryptocurrencies as payment. Although some products available for purchase are legal, illicit goods such as drugs, stolen information, and weapons are common in these markets.
What is the Darknet?
The darknet refers to a part of the internet that is not indexed by standard search engines such as Google or Bing. It is often accessed through anonymizing software, the most popular being Tor (The Onion Router). Users have the ability to maintain their privacy while navigating this hidden web.
Darknet markets are one of the most notorious parts of the dark web, where illegal goods and services are traded. These marketplaces have been around since the inception of the dark web, and they are still thriving today. As such, the digital goods section of many marketplaces includes Adobe PDF files guides, lifetime website memberships and subscriptions, and digitized programming books with little to no value to a sophisticated nation state cyber actor. Most of these are innocuous instructions for the most novice to the underground criminal operations, such as carding, identity fraud, basic social engineering, and technical ‘hacking’ manuals covering basic network penetration. Just like traditional e-commerce sites, darknet markets provide a platform for vendors to connect with potential buyers to facilitate transactions.
The vendors openly advertised their drugs on Hydra, typically including photographs and a description of the controlled substance. Buyers rated the sellers and their products on a five-star rating system, and the vendors’ ratings and reviews were prominently displayed on the Hydra site. In addition to drugs, which include prescription pharmaceuticals as well as illegal drugs, darknet markets offer a wide range of products and services. Some markets refuse to sell weapons or poisons, but many list stolen information, illegal services like hacking for hire, pornographic content, and more. Although the dark web was once considered to be a relatively safe haven for those selling and buying drugs, international operations like Dark HunTor have seen regular arrests of suspects and speedy closure of marketplaces.
Key Features of the Darknet Black Market
- Anonymity: Vendors and buyers often utilize privacy tools to mask their identities.
- Cryptocurrency Payments: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are typically used for transactions, which increases anonymity.
- Variety of Offerings: The market caters to a range of illegal goods and services including drugs, weapons, counterfeit items, personal data, and hacking services.
- Decentralized Structure: Many darknet markets operate independently, making it difficult for law enforcement to shut them down.
Just in 2021, the total black market transactions added $2.1B to the crypto market volume. After the Hydra servers were shut down, most Hydra users organized in the RuTor forum. But they soon suspected law enforcement might launch a hunt with Hydra clones. The initial fear of users came with the capture of Hydra’s co-founder, Dmitry Pavlov. They suspected that internal correspondence and transactions might also have leaked.
Popular Darknet Black Markets
Several prominent platforms have emerged within the darknet black market, each with distinct characteristics. Some notable examples include:
- Silk Road: The original and most famous darknet marketplace, which operated until it was shut down by law enforcement in 2013.
- Dream Market: A popular platform that emerged after Silk Road, offering a wide array of products.
- Empire Market: Known for its extensive selection and user-friendly interface, it once attracted many buyers and sellers before disappearing.
- White House Market: A well-regarded market noted for its focus on vendor longevity and community governance.
Risks and Regulations
Engaging with the darknet black market carries substantial risks:
- Legal Consequences: Participating in illicit activities can lead to significant legal penalties.
- Scams: The anonymity of the darknet often allows fraudulent schemes to thrive, putting buyers at risk.
- Exposure to Malware: Many sites are laden with malware, which can compromise users’ devices and data.
- Personal Safety: Engaging in illegal transactions can result in real-world dangers, including violence and theft.
- “The takedowns have certainly not discouraged the vendors but it’s still not totally clear if it has put off the buyers,” said Alan Woodward.
- Established in 2019, Versus quickly gained a reputation for a user-friendly UI and intuitive search options.
- The forum brings together many Russian hacker groups and the cyber underground world.
- The importance of weight, value, potency, purity, and price of drug products was highlighted by previous darknet studies as well (Bancroft & Reid, 2016; Munksgaard et al., 2022).
- Companies must implement strong data security measures, employ encryption, and monitor for data breaches to protect customer and employee information.
- Zero-days are mostly thought to be used for corporate espionage, or for specific targets whose only entry is through a zero-day.
FAQs about the Darknet Black Market
1. How can I access the darknet?
Accessing the darknet typically requires specific software such as the Tor browser, which helps anonymize your internet activity.
2. Is everything on the darknet black market illegal?
While a significant portion of the content is illegal, the darknet also hosts legal forums and websites, though these are less well-known.
3. Can law enforcement track darknet users?
While the darknet provides a layer of anonymity, authorities have developed tools and techniques to trace criminal activity, so users still face risks.
4. How do transactions work on the darknet black market?
Transactions typically involve the use of cryptocurrencies, which provide increased anonymity compared to traditional payment methods.
Conclusion
The darknet black market represents a complex and dangerous facet of the internet. While it provides avenues for buying and selling illicit goods and services, the associated risks—both legal and personal—are substantial. Understanding this hidden marketplace can help individuals make informed decisions regarding their online activities.
