The Dark Side
From drug dealers to human trafficking to ecommerce, the encrypted network called the dark web has it all. However, the dark web was not always known for its nefarious and illegal activities. The dark web’s initial purpose was to establish an anonymous communication network, Guccione points out that ‘A lot of people use it in countries where there’s eavesdropping or where internet access is criminalized’ (Guccione). Now, with the dark web tailored to mostly criminals, countless illegal activities go unnoticed by law enforcement. Some examples, as mentioned by Guccione, include purchasing the login credentials for a $50,000 bank account for just $500, obtaining $3,000 worth of counterfeit bills for only $600, or purchasing the services of a hitman (Guccione). With such a dangerous influence on today’s society, the dark web is definitely a topic worth discussing. While law enforcements are working on cracking down on these dark web markets, the criminals on the dark web have continuously negatively impacted the economy by stealing bank logon credentials and being responsible for data breaches; the dark web has also caused significant societal damage, which ranges from escalating the opioid crisis to making identity theft easier.
The dark web is an encrypted network meant to anonymize your activities. This tool is used to “circumvent censorship, access blocked content, or maintain the privacy of sensitive communications or business plans” (Finklea). In fact, many journalists use this tool to keep their source’s identity unknown. For example, the New York Times has a secure lockbox on the dark web for anyone to anonymously send information (Collins). This has created a haven for anyone, including whistleblowers and activists, to share sensitive information without putting their life in danger. Although the dark web is plagued with criminals, many, like people in China where internet censorship is relatively strict, also visit the dark web for the anonymity and the ability to communicate and visit websites without their government’s knowledge.
Accessing this part of the internet is relatively easy. The most common method is downloading a special software called The Onion Router, or TOR for short, which was created by the U.S Naval Research Laboratory. This enables users to access “.onion” websites, which do not work on chrome. Next, you would need to download a virtually private network, or VPN for short, which allows you to browse the dark web with an extra layer of protection from hackers. Dark web links consist of random numbers and letters followed by “.onion,” http://6khhxwj7viwe5xjm.onion/?ai=552713 is the link to one of the more popular dark web spots, the “Dream Market,” where you can purchase anything from drugs to stolen data to counterfeit consumer goods. There is a plethora of websites like these, but the first to come was the infamous Silk Road. According to Ghappour, Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road, “was the target of a global manhunt that operated in the dark for nearly three years. In that time, the Silk Road attracted over 100,000 users who transacted over one million deals, generating an estimated $1.2 billion in global sales from vendors located in more than ten countries around the world” (Ghappour).
During the shutdown of the Silk Road and Ross Ulbricht being arrested, immense skepticism and outrage followed. His defense team argued that the Silk Road was merely an “economic experiment” and although Ulbricht was the creator of the Silk Road, he had handed the website off to someone else when it became too chaotic (Marinoff). Ross Ulbricht was simply the “fall guy” and the real criminal is still out there. In fact, the FBI also forcibly took Ulbricht’s laptop, without warrants, which leads to another discrepancy in the case. As Marinoff observed, this violation pushed Ulbricht and his attorneys to present the case in front of the Supreme Court, alleging that Ulbricht’s fourth and sixth amendments were infringed upon (Marinoff). This attempt to bring their case to the Supreme Court was met with support from various groups, such as Gun Owner of America, the National Lawyers Guild, and the Reason Foundation. However, all hope of freeing Ulbricht was lost when the Supreme Court rejected to hear his case. Many supported and still support Ulbricht’s side and argued that law enforcements have invaded his privacy. During the court hearing, Ulbricht made the statement, “‘I remember clearly why I created the Silk Road. I wanted to empower people to be able to make choices in their lives, for themselves and to have privacy and anonymity.’ which the judge then came to the realization that Ulbricht did not fit into the ‘typical criminal profile’” (Weiser). Many believed the double life sentence plus forty years and without parole was incredibly harsh given that Ulbricht’s crime was nonviolent, and that Ulbricht had an unfair trail compared to others with similar crimes. For example, Thomas White was convicted as Silk Road 2.0 creator and co-operator and only served a sentence of five years and four months. As of right now, the 35-year-old, Ross Ulbricht is still serving his sentence while close to a hundred organizations and figures show their support and work on freeing him (Free Ross). Petitions have been shared and #FreeRoss has gathered 150 thousand signatures and rising. Although Ulbricht is in prison, the shutdown of his site has only made the dark web grow in popularity.
After the FBI shut down the infamous Silk Road, many more similar market places arose from the Silk Road’s demise, including AlphaBay and Nucleus. These websites continue to be quite difficult for law enforcements to intervene since tools such as TOR mask the identities and the whereabouts of the founder. This has led researchers and security experts to constantly develop means by which certain hidden services or individuals could be identified or “deanonymized.” As law enforcements try their best to seize these websites, the dark web continues to plague the economy and society.
The dark web heavily affects the economy because of the unique items you can purchase. There are several things criminals can choose from, as stated by IT solutions, “Stolen information such as bank accounts, health records, driver’s licenses, Social Security numbers and birth certificates can be purchased here. Criminals can even buy a “wallet” with multiple forms of identification, handing over everything needed to create a new identity” (IT Solutions). This implies that identity theft is made easier with the dark web and once an account is compromised, purchases can be made, which the banks might reimburse, which in turn costs the banks a large sum of money. Several sources, including Experian, a consumer credit reporting company that collects and aggregates information on over one billion people, have confirmed that after a data breach, the information gathered there can easily be used to conduct identity theft, which is why such information is all over dark web market places since it’s the easiest and fastest way to make money (Stack).
These data breaches are also made possible through the dark web, where many hackers look to steal health care credentials. One of the many hackers reportedly stole information from four U.S healthcare organizations. According to McGee, this included data on approximately ten million individuals, which contained their names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and Social Security numbers (Mcgee). Healthcare information is incredibly easy to sell on the dark web as it can be sold over and over again, Mac McMillan, CEO of the security consultancy CynergisTek, writes “[this is what makes] healthcare information so valuable and at the same time so dangerous – it’s not perishable.” Having healthcare information stolen can prove to be quite painful. Norton Security explains how the thief can visit the doctor and receive care under your name, which in turn changes medical records and could later affect your current or future treatment (Norton Security).
The dark web uses cryptocurrency, mainly Bitcoin, since it provides an extra layer of anonymity to buyers and sellers. According to Newton-Small, by 2013, there was $2 billion worth of Bitcoins and the infamous Silk Road market’s total transactions reached about $1.2 billion worth of Bitcoin (Newton-Small). This has caused Bitcoin to have a somewhat bad reputation, which caught the attention of regulators, more importantly, the Senate Finance Community. From there, a Government Accountability Office report warns that virtual currencies, like Bitcoin can be abused as tax havens (Newton-Small). This proves to be problematic as 22 Bitcoin businesses received subpoenas, which in turn creates more skepticism around prospective Bitcoin businesses.
Speaking about businesses, the dark web also contributes to wholesale copyright infringements, from selling Hollywood blockbusters to Microsoft Office. According to Mccormick, studies show that software piracy costed businesses $34 billion worldwide just in 2005 (Mccormick). People could also purchase subscription services, like Try the World or Blue Apron for the extremely low price and one-time fee of $1-$10 (Stack). Hackers will provide the login credentials and make profit by charging people these one time fees. These services the dark web provides continue to cut profits for businesses, but consumers don’t mind as much as they’re able to reap in these benefits. On the other hand, the dark web has assumed a much bigger role in disrupting society.
The dark web heavily affects society due to the frightening experiences victims face. Identity theft is a nuisance and may take anywhere from one day to thousands of hours to recover from. Not only does this harm your bank accounts, but if this person commits a crime or opens new accounts under your identity, it can be a long process to correct public records and credit. Throughout this process, an individual can experience extreme emotional distress, since their lives can easily be completely ruined. For example, Shadel and Wertheimer brings to Joan’s story to light. After she got out of the military, she worked hard, paid her bills on time, and provided for her children. Then she received these delinquency notices saying that she was past due on several accounts that she didn’t even open. It turns out that her identity was stolen. For the next several years, she froze her credit and placed alerts on her accounts, it seemed the problem had gone away, but after reopening her account she received eight to ten alerts a day warning her that people have been trying to access her accounts. Eventually, Joan had to change her Social Security number since too many people off the dark web had been granted access to her identity (Shadel and Wertheimer). These instances are quite common for identity theft victims and unfortunately more and more data breaches are being conducted leading to more victims. However, there are three simple steps in preventing identity: freeze credit, closely monitor all accounts, and use a password manager (Shadel and Wertheimer). Also, having online access to bank accounts can prove to be effective as individuals are able to see what day to day purchases are being made. Unfortunately, only one in three individuals over the age of 65 have access to their bank accounts (Shadel and Wertheimer). This showcases the vulnerability elders face and how they may be easily exploitable by scammers.
In addition, the opioid crisis was escalated through dark web sales along with increased sales in fentanyl and similar products. This was made possible by postal services, as explained in a U.S Congress report that addressed the opioid crisis and the dark web, “products can be purchased and shipped to your door as though you were using Amazon” (United States Congress). However, these services are not to blame as they were mostly oblivious to these drug operations; as stated by the U.S Congress, “these drugs are highly potent and therefore can be shipped in very, very small quantities. Because they’re synthetic, they’re very, very hard to detect. And because they’re small they’re ordered at very low dollar figures that don’t really raise any of the suspicions or the alarms that we’ve set off through our banking system.” This proves to be problematic as people who couldn’t get their hands on these drugs before can now easily receive them through mail. From there, criminals can sell and distribute the drugs, which in turn destroys communities and lives. The opioid epidemic has accounted for 11.4 million patients misusing prescription opioids, which resulted in the deaths of 47,000 individuals (Public Affairs). Among the dead are two 13-year-olds, Grant Seaver and Ryan Ainsworth. Nathaniel Popper addresses how they received a synthetic opioid known as U-47700 or Pinky from a local teen that purchased it through the dark web (Popper). Although the dark web accounts for a relatively small proportion of the overall drug traffic, their role in the distribution of fatal synthetic drugs is much more frightening. Of the 47,000 deaths, 28,466 of them were due to individuals taking synthetic opioids (Public Affairs). According to Popper, one of the larger dark web markets, AlphaBay “had more than 21,000 listings for opioids and more than 4,100 for fentanyl and similar drugs, from dozens of dealers large and small” (Popper). These dealers are then able to sell fentanyl or these synthetic opioids by marketing them as less dangerous drugs like Xanax and Oxycodone, which was exactly what happened in Utah. Evidently these drugs have caused massive problems, which is communicated through stories from different communities. Popper showcases one of the many stories, ‘I was injecting slowly got 1/3rd of the hit in, next thing I know I wake up with 3 paramedics above me,’ a user named AgentOrange 007 wrote in a forum posting on AlphaBay. ‘If I hadn’t been found because I was making a loud snoring sound (tongue rolled back in my throat) I’d be dead no doubt’ (Popper). These near-death experiences were quite widespread on AlphaBay’s forum, but some weren’t as fortunate to live to tell another story.
To protect against the dark web, the most obvious solution would be to not use it at all, but sometimes individuals need to use the dark web to remain anonymous as they leak valuable information on the government or powerful organizations. People may also get curious or their desires could get the best of them. In addition, many journalists rely on the dark web for their information, as stated by Norton, there are publications on the dark web that believe it’s the only way to obtain and sustain a truly free press (Norton). Before anything else, being educated about the dangers of the dark web is the most important first step. Then, as mentioned before, a virtually private network is highly recommended for an extra layer of protection (Norton). It is also recommended to be comfortable and skilled in using VPNs since a single slip up could reveal an individual’s location. Next, downloading a strong security software is highly recommended to protect against viruses (Norton). Also, having a game plan is important, don’t stray from the task at hand or click random links (Patterson). Many of the advertisement are meant to be deceptive. Furthermore, a new email address should be made that is designated only for dark web activities since regular email accounts can easily be traced back to reveal personal information (Norton). In addition, webcams can be hacked into, so covering them with a small piece of paper or post–it will prevent hackers to see you (Norton). Finally, don’t download anything from untrusted websites as there will probably be viruses and malware.
Despite the dark web’s massive influence and effect on society, not much is known about it, and law enforcements have struggled to crackdown on these dark web markets. Ghappour highlights how “the infamous Silk Road was hosted on the dark web, a global network of computers that use a cryptographic protocol to communicate, enabling users to conduct transactions anonymously without revealing their location” (Ghappour). Users could only make payments in the digital currency Bitcoin, and transactions were run through a “series of dummy transaction[s]” to disguise the link between buyers and sellers. Through an anonymous network supplemented by poorly regulated cryptocurrencies that couldn’t be traced, law enforcements had to use new methods or find the smallest errors. After years of investigating the Silk Road, an IRS agent who solved the case, stumbled upon communications on a public website advertising the Silk Road just before its launch in 2011 (Ghappour) This singlehandedly brought the website down, but if it weren’t for this slight human error, the site might still be up today.
Luckily as law enforcements continue to understand the dark web, their tools in cracking down these dark web markets have also been improving. According to Ghappour, law enforcements have developed a type of malware that, once installed on the criminal’s computer, can commandeer the criminal’s computer (Ghappour). This malware can force the target computer to covertly upload files to a server controlled by law enforcement or instruct the computer’s camera or microphone to gather images and sound. This tool also grants law enforcements access to the websites the criminal controls (Ghappour). These tools and new means of cracking down on cybercriminals, is made possible through the recent changes to Supreme Court law, Rule 41, that states how law enforcements can employ ‘remote access’ searches on computers with a warrant issued by a magistrate judge (Grammel). This proves to be quite beneficial since there was an instance where a group of individuals, who were anonymized, operated a website that distributed child pornography and the warrants that law enforcements obtained from a judge was ruled invalid under the old Rule 41 (Grammel). Now, with the new additions to Rule 41, law enforcements can be authorized with a warrant to hack a criminal’s computer. From Rule 41 and through the use advanced tools and a better understanding of the dark web, law enforcements were able to seize two of the largest markets, AlphaBay and Hansa Market. However, like the Silk Road, this does not mark the end of these dangerous markets.
This Rule 41 may seem great on the surface, but many experts believe the future for this law cause more harm. One of the reasons Rule 41 is effective is that even if the criminal is overseas, law enforcements can still employ this rule (Grammel). From that, Google and law professor Ahmed Ghappour cautioned that this rule will spark ‘complex … geopolitical concerns’ (Grammel). Even with these new laws and techniques, the dark web’s future seems bright according to futurist speaker, Thomas Frey. He supports himself by giving nine predictions and backing them up with evidence. One of the predictions he gives is that the dark web customer base will grow exponentially, Frey writes “[…] the number of articles written, TV shows and documentaries produced, and headline-making court cases about the darknet has dramatically increased consumer interest” (Frey). From the media to reports of ‘normal people’ using the dark web, more and more people are becoming curious and interested.
The dark web continues to have several markets that influence society and the economy. From the innocent start of creating an anonymous communication network to a place that harbors criminals, the dark web has given cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin a bad reputation and has given businesses and banks hardship. Through the dark web’s unique and illegal items on their websites, the opioid crisis was escalated, business databases were breached, and people suffered immense emotional stress from having their identity stolen. As law enforcement tactics in cracking down on these markets improve, more and more markets are being closed, but the battle is far from over.
Bibliography
Collins, Jerri. “Why Do People Go on the Dark Web?” Lifewire, Lifewire, 11 Feb. 2019, www.lifewire.com/who-uses-dark-web-3481563.
“Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee.” Bank Information Security, www.bankinfosecurity.com/authors/marianne-kolbasuk-mcgee-i-626.
Finklea, Kristin. Dark Web. Congressional Research Service , 2017, fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf.
Frey, Thomas. “The Future of the Darknet: 9 Critically Important Predictions.” Futurist Speaker, 23 Jan. 2019, futuristspeaker.com/business-trends/the-future-of-the-darknet-9-critically-important-predictions/.
Ghappour, Ahmed. “Searching Places Unknown: Law Enforcement Jurisdiction on the Dark Web.” Stanford Law Review, vol. 69, no. 4, 2017, pp. 1075–1136.
Grammel, Shannon. “Tor No More? Supreme Court Approves New Exception to Warrant Rule.” The Stanford Daily, 17 May 2016, www.stanforddaily.com/2016/05/05/tor-no-more-supreme-court-approves-new-exception-to-warrant-rule/.
Guccione, Darren, et al. “What Is the Dark Web? How to Access It and What You’ll Find.” CSO Online, CSO, 11 Jan. 2019, www.csoonline.com/article/3249765/what-is-the-dark-web-how-to-access-it-and-what-youll-find.html.
“How to Safely Access the Deep and Dark Webs.” Official Site, us.norton.com/internetsecurity-how-to-how-can-i-access-the-deep-web.html.
Jay Newton-Small. “Why The Deep Web Has Washington Worried.” Time, Time, 31 Oct. 2013, swampland.time.com/2013/10/31/the-deep-web-has-washington-worried/.
Marinoff, Nick. “Ross Ulbricht Is Denied Prison Sentence Review by Supreme Court.” Bitcoin Magazine, Bitcoin Magazine, 29 June 2018, bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/ross-ulbricht-denied-prison-sentence-review-supreme-court/.
McCormick, Ty. “The Darknet: A Short History.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 9 Dec. 2013, foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/09/the-darknet-a-short-history/.
Patterson, Dan. “How to Safely Access and Navigate the Dark Web.” TechRepublic, www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-safely-access-and-navigate-the-dark-web/.
Popper, Nathaniel. “AlphaBay, Biggest Online Drug Bazaar, Goes Dark, and Questions Swirl.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 July 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/07/06/business/dealbook/alphabay-online-drug-bazaar-goes-dark.html.
Popper, Nathaniel. “Opioid Dealers Embrace the Dark Web to Send Deadly Drugs by Mail.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 June 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/06/10/business/dealbook/opioid-dark-web-drug-overdose.html.
Public Affairs. “What Is the U.S. Opioid Epidemic?” HHS.gov, Https://Plus.google.com/ HHS, www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/index.html.
Shadel, Doug, and Neil Wertheimer. “How the Dark Web Makes Identity Theft Easier.” AARP, 4 Sept. 2018, www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2018/what-is-the-dark-web.html.
Solutions, IT. “How the Dark Web Impacts Business | Philadelphia IT Company | IT Solutions Consulting | IT Managed Services (215) 886-7166.” IT Solutions, www.itsolutions-inc.com/news-and-training/article/how-the-dark-web-impacts-business/.
Stack, Brian. “Here’s How Much Your Personal Information Is Selling for on the Dark Web.” Experian, 11 Mar. 2019, www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/heres-how-much-your-personal-information-is-selling-for-on-the-dark-web/.
“The Official Site of the Ulbricht Family.” Free Ross, freeross.org/.
United States. Congress. Commission on Security Cooperation in Europe, author. The Opioid Crisis and the Dark Web: How Transnational Criminals Devastate U.S. Communities: March 28, 2018, Briefing of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. 2018
Weiser, Benjamin. “Ross Ulbricht, Creator of Silk Road Website, Is Sentenced to Life in Prison.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 May 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/nyregion/ross-ulbricht-creator-of-silk-road-website-is-sentenced-to-life-in-prison.html.
“15 Facts You Have to Know About Identity Theft.” LifeLock Official Site, Norton Security, www.lifelock.com/learn-identity-theft-resources-facts-you-have-to-know-about-identity-theft.html.
After doing research and reading my other group mates’ paper, I think that doing a movie about a drug or just an advertisement for a drug would be the most relevant. After taking the drug, it would provide an augmented reality where everything seems pleasant, aesthetically pleasing, Instagram worthy, and your best features come out. We would advertise it as a form of entertainment, rather than a drug. When we’re creating our website, we would include information about what the drug does, advertise and market it as a form of entertainment, provide a “if you’re addicted, get help.” We would also include how the government is controlling the production of this drug, so people can be tricked into thinking that the drug is reliable. We felt that a drug is relevant since people are addicted to the internet and their devices like how people are addicted to drugs. The idea is that the internet has slowly become more and more a part of us and this drug will serve as a product where the reality of the internet can be fully immersive.