How Drug Buyers And Illicit Users Migrated From Hydra To Other Darknet Markets
Understanding Darknet Markets
Vendors on these markets use clever marketing tactics to attract buyers, including offering free samples and discounts for bulk purchases. The rise of darknet markets has also led to the development of other criminal activities such as money laundering, cybercrime, and drug trafficking. This has resulted in an increase in law enforcement activities to try and curb the proliferation of these underground marketplaces. The data analysed here misses some bigger markets, such as the first Silkroad, Hydra, Empire, Hansa, Wall Street, and Sheep.
The darknet is a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by traditional search engines. It offers users a high degree of anonymity, often becoming a hub for illicit activities. Within this realm, various darknet markets serve as platforms for buying and selling illegal goods, ranging from drugs to counterfeit items.
The responses given by potential darknet market customers highlighted the role of delivery, vendor reliability, and anonymity-related trust factors in their risk perception. Based on these results, this study concluded that influencing the risk perception of potential darknet market customers regarding transaction and delivery could contribute to reducing the volume of the darknet drug trade. However, the effectiveness of the recommended regulatory measures, law enforcement interventions, and prevention methods among actual darknet market users is questionable and should be further examined by future research. Darknet markets have been around for over a decade, and their business model has evolved and adapted over time.
Current Landscape of Darknet Markets
You will find your typical drug selection but there is also a wide variety of other products such as credit card data, personal ID scans, counterfeit items, jewels and gold, software, carded items and many more. On Tuesday, Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt, or the Federal Criminal Police Office, took down the server infrastructure of Hydra, the world’s largest darknet marketplace. Hydra catered mainly to Russian-speaking buyers and sellers involved in the illicit trade of narcotics, including cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, heroin, and other illegal goods and information. The complaint and the indictment accuse Bill, also known as “Vend0r” and “KingdomOfficial,” of helping to set up and run Kingdom Market, which had over 25,000 active listings as of late last month. As it stands, DarkMarket and White House Market appear to be the largest darknet markets in the Western world with over 300,000 customer accounts each. White House Market saw a 40% increase in users between August 27 and September 28, following the exit scam of Icarus, and a further 8-10% increase between late September and October 20.
A popular question among users is, which darknet market are still up and functional? It’s essential to be aware of the active markets to navigate this hidden part of the web safely.
Currently, and from my perspective, Empire is the most popular darknet market but is frequently offline for periods, making it hard to access. White House Market is another popular market but requires you to use Monero instead of Bitcoin. To find out which darknet markets are currently popular, see Darknetlive.com or dark.fail. Whatever your role in infosec, you probably know by now that dark web marketplaces offer budding and expert hackers various tools, data, credentials, ransomware, and malware for sale, with payment usually made via cryptocurrency. It’s in this underground landscape of shady buyers and sellers where dark web threats often lurk undetected until it’s too late and you suffer a breach.
- In December of 2019, Hydra launched an ICO that raised $146 million to create a new darknet market called Eternos.
- This can be an issue if the service, such as Coinbase, requires users to use their real identity and to prove that the crypto funds are legal —neither of which a darknet actor would do.
- The dark web is the hidden collective of internet sites only accessible by a collective of websites and data makes up under 5 of the total internet.
- This leads to the market being faster to use, and mitigates ‘human’ exploitation like phishing.
More credible is Tor Market’s purported business strategy of purposely seeking to maintain a low profile compared to larger international sites. Indeed, many of the vendors on Tor Market in the early days were New Zealand-based and who only sold to local buyers. New Zealanders have a history of innovative solutions to the so-called “tyranny of distance”. They also have a relatively high level of digital engagement and online shopping habits by international standards. Parents need to stay in touch with technology and their teens to play a part in monitoring exposure to black market drugs.
Active Darknet Markets as of 2023
Given that darknet markets feature vetting and reviews, this kind of behaviour can be mitigated. Outside the context of illicit drugs, however, stolen credit card information and forged documents were still available to purchase, which is clearly morally problematic. The empirical research findings of this study have provided lessons that can be used in the design of future criminological research and the strategic planning of criminal policy. The main contribution of this research is the development of the trust matrix, which can enhance criminological research on how trust works in darknet transactions. Based on the results, the developed trust metric can be further extended and queried among actual darknet market users.
The report summarizes independently reported IP crimes through CrimestoppersFootnote 11 and investigations of counterfeits by Trading Standards (TS)Footnote 12 between 2014 and 2015. The top five reported and investigated IP crimes were Tobacco, optical media, clothing, alcohol, and footwear. Although watches, jewelry, cosmetics, and electronics were also within the top 17 affected categories, they seem to be less prominent than on dark markets and attracted fewer investigations by TS (Table 5). The differences observed for Tobacco, Footwear, Electronics, Clothing, and Watches, are further examined in the Discussion section. Most of the remaining categories contribute only a little, with most representing only 2% or less of all counterfeits. Thus, almost 80% of counterfeits listed were represented by only five (of the 16) categories of products.
While many darknet markets face constant risks of shutdown and legal action, some remain operational. As of now, here are some notable markets:
- Hydra Market – This Russian-language marketplace has gained traction due to its large variety of products and services, mainly in Eastern Europe.
- Empire Market – Known for its extensive selection, Empire has maintained a strong user base even amidst law enforcement scrutiny.
- White House Market – This is another well-known platform that has established a reputation for security and a wide range of goods.
- Darknet Heroes – A relatively newer market, it has shown promise with a user-friendly interface and a variety of offerings.
Characteristics of Active Darknet Markets
The surviving darknet markets tend to share several characteristics that help them thrive despite the risks involved:
- Anonymity and Security – They use advanced encryption and privacy features to protect their users.
- Diverse Product Listings – Successful markets often feature a wide array of goods, attracting a larger clientele.
- Reputation Systems – Many markets employ systems that allow users to rate sellers, helping to enhance trust.
- Regular Updates – Active maintenance and updates keep the platform secure and user-friendly.
Risks of Engaging with Darknet Markets
Despite the allure of accessing a wide array of products, participating in darknet markets comes with significant risks:
- Legal Consequences – Users risk arrest and legal action.
- Scams and Fraud – Fraudulent sellers are common, leading to potential loss of funds.
- Security Risks – Entering these markets exposes users to malware and hacking attempts.
FAQs
Q: Are darknet markets legal?
A: No, most darknet markets deal in illegal goods and services, making them illegal in many jurisdictions.
Q: How can you access darknet markets?
A: Access typically requires a specialized browser like Tor, which anonymizes user activity.
Q: What should users do to stay safe?
A: Users should employ security measures such as VPNs, utilize crypto for transactions, and remain cautious of scams.
In conclusion, while there are active markets, users should remain vigilant and informed about the substantial risks involved with entering the world of darknet trading.
