Dark Web

Source:  NIE

Context: A 35-year-old engineer from Kerala, was arrested for operating as a Level-4 darknet vendor, allegedly selling LSD and ketamine online using the dark web and cryptocurrency platforms.

About Dark Web:

• What is the Dark Web?
  • The dark web refers to a concealed part of the internet not indexed by standard search engines and accessible only through special browsers like Tor, offering anonymity and encryption.
• How Does It Work?

• • Access Tool: Requires downloading the Tor browser (The Onion Router)
  • Routing Process: Routes user traffic through multiple random nodes, encrypting data at every layer
  • Website Domain: Uses “.onion” addresses, hidden from traditional search engines
  • Decentralisation: No central authority, making regulation and surveillance extremely difficult

• Key Features:

• • Anonymity and Encryption:
    • Conceals IP addresses and browsing activity
    • Ensures users and hosts remain untraceable
  • Marketplace Ecosystem: Includes legal and illegal marketplaces, forums, data dumps, and whistleblowing platforms
  • Censorship Resistance:
    • Offers access to uncensored information in authoritarian regimes
    • Used by journalists, activists, and whistleblowers for secure communication
  • Cybercrime Risks:
    • Facilitates illegal trade in drugs, weapons, hacking services, and stolen data
    • Difficult for law enforcement to track due to layered encryption

• What is a Level-4 Vendor on the Dark Web?

• • A grading system used within darknet marketplaces to rank vendors
  • Based on factors such as:
    • Potency and variety of drugs sold
    • Customer service quality
    • Reliability and delivery success rate
  • Level-4 represents a high-tier trusted seller with a significant customer base and strong reputation.
  • Edison was reportedly India’s only Level-4 vendor, indicating large-scale operations.