Difference between revisions of "Dark Web"

Revision as of 21:28, 26 March 2018

The Dark Web is a sector of the World Wide Web that requires specific software to access and utilize. Typically run with the software package and network structure Tor, the Dark Web allows users to visit websites that are not crawled, or indexed, by search engines such as Google. Using multiple levels of servers to route user information through and advanced encryption technology, users on the Dark Web can usually keep all of their activity hidden and anonymous. The Dark Web has fallen under scrutiny for hosting several illegal platforms such as the Silk Road, which allowed users to buy and sell goods that were often illegal such as drugs, guns, and other services. Furthermore, multiple ethical issues have arisen over the fact that the Dark Web has the ability to allow those in terrorist organizations to individual pedophiles a chance to plan out and execute illegal acts.

History

The Dark Web has origins that can be traced all the way back to 1969,^[1] when a Pentagon-funded program was able to transmit simple messages over secretive networks known collectively as ARPANET. Following these early attempts to transmit and store secretive data, there were also plans in the 1980’s and 90s to collect illegal data and keep them in safe havens, most notably in the Caribbean.^[2]

However, it was not until 2002 that a more suitable format was developed for accessing the deeper reaches of the World Wide Web. Worked on since the mid-90s, an open-source software was released to the public under the name “Tor.” Developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory^[3], it is still unclear why the U.S. government decided to release the project to the public.

How Tor Works

Based on the concept of Onion Routing^[4], Tor makes a user anonymous on the Internet by encrypting data going in and out of one’s IP address and subsequently routing this encrypted information through multiple servers.^[5] Once the data reaches the last layer of Tor servers, any sort of tracking or surveillance software traces the source of the content to this exit point, not the individual user. Thus, much like an onion, these multiple layers allow an identity to be hidden on the Internet as it cannot be easily traced.

Bitcoin’s Role in the Dark Web

As a virtual source of currency, Bitcoin runs the majority of deals and transactions on the Dark Web. For reference, illegal drug sales often reach close to or over $100 million a year, and Bitcoin is almost exclusively used for all of these sales.^[6] Services such as Bitcoin Laundries, allow users on the Dark Web to send Bitcoin transactions to a 3rd party who then in turn send the same amount to the buyer, thus making it almost completely impossible to track the original buyer.

Illegal Activity on the Dark Web

Due to the extent of its anonymity capabilities, the Dark Web is notorious for hosting illegal activities and trades.

Drug trafficking is one of the largest markets on the Dark Web. Before it was shut down in 2013,^[7] the Silk Road had nearly $1.2 billion in total sales. ^[8] Users are able to buy, sell, and ship product around the world without fear of being traced. One large-scale effect the dark web has created is the impact it has had on the Afghanistan opium trade, which now uses the anonymity provided to ship their product around the world.^[9]

Arms trafficking is another large-scale operation that has exploded in the popularity through the Dark Web. With 59.9% of all Dark Web arms trafficking coming from the U.S, ^[10] it is a major issue for gun enforcement agencies around the world. Users are able to buy weapons ranging from pistols to explosives. Almost every type of weapon is able to be found on the Dark Web.

Furthermore, the Dark Web hosts services such as counterfeit passports and IDs, social networks only created to share and distribute child pornography, and even hitmen available for hire.^[11] Almost any known illegal activity can be found on the Dark Web for a price.

Whistleblowers and the Dark Web

However, it also allows more popular sites to survive and remain on the web even when faced by national security threats. For instance, the popular whistleblowing site Wikileaks, which aims to release classified government documents to the public, has survived due to the Dark Web.^[12] Facebook is another example of a technological giant who makes use of the Tor database to allow its user to remain anonymous and avoid surveillance. ^[13]

It can be argued that Tor and the Dark Web itself is a powerful tool that can help combat government surveillance and keep the possibility of total government control nearly impossible. Responsible usage of services like Tor can create a safe online space for users where they do not have to worry about their data being mined, sold, or bought by large-scale corporations.

Ethical Concerns With the Dark Web

With over 57% of sites on Tor dedicated for criminal and illegal activity,^[14] there is no question that the presence of the Dark Web is extremely controversial in society today. While on one hand it promotes anonymity and privacy, it also allows high-level criminals and organizations to engage in criminal activity with ease. However, there does not seem to be a solution in sight for stopping this activity. As long as Tor remains in place, there is not much government agencies can do to slow this surge of crime.

The issue of privacy vs. legality is the strongest argument built upon the formation of the Dark Web. If any sort of agency were to somehow gain access to Tor services, the entire operation would not be able to protect itself from surveillance and would ultimately become useless. For now, law enforcement can only hope for slip-ups and blunders which have allowed them to catch criminals in the past, such as arresting Silk Road founder Ross William Ulbricht in 2013.

References

1. ↑ http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/09/the-darknet-a-short-history/
2. ↑ http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/09/the-darknet-a-short-history/
3. ↑ https://www.expressvpn.com/internet-privacy/tor/history/
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion_routing
5. ↑ https://fossbytes.com/everything-tor-tor-tor-works/
6. ↑ http://www.iflscience.com/technology/what-dark-web/
7. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/10/02/end-of-the-silk-road-fbi-busts-the-webs-biggest-anonymous-drug-black-market/#384f88f05b4f
8. ↑ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/25/silk-road-bitcoins-seized/3196437/
9. ↑ http://www.cleveland.com/world/index.ssf/2009/10/old_silk_road_is_now_heroin_ro.html
10. ↑ https://gizmodo.com/most-guns-sold-on-the-dark-web-originate-from-the-unite-1797094500
11. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2454735/The-disturbing-world-Deep-Web-contract-killers-drug-dealers-ply-trade-internet.html
12. ↑ https://www.truthfinder.com/infomania/technology/deep-web-search/
13. ↑ https://www.truthfinder.com/infomania/technology/deep-web-search/
14. ↑ https://globalnews.ca/news/3461998/how-the-dark-web-is-used-to-sell-illegal-drugs-like-fentanyl/