The dark web is a hidden part of the internet, accessible only through special browsers, and it's an area that law enforcement professionals must understand in order to investigate and combat illegal activities that take place there.
How Do I Access the Dark Web?
You cannot access the dark web through standard browsers like Firefox or Chrome. Instead, you need a specialized browser such as Tor, which is designed to anonymize users and mask their online activity. When using Tor, both your location and browsing habits are obscured, offering a level of privacy that attracts many users, including those involved in illegal activities. This anonymity is why criminals frequently turn to the dark web for illicit purposes, and why law enforcement professionals must become familiar with the tools and tactics used to navigate this hidden part of the internet.
Tor allows users to access ".onion" websites, which are part of the dark web and operate under the cloak of anonymity. This presents unique challenges for law enforcement, as both the providers and users of these sites can be difficult to trace. However, with proper training, law enforcement agencies can gather intelligence and even infiltrate these networks to track down criminals.
What Makes Up the Dark Web?
While the dark web can be a haven for privacy-focused users, it’s also notorious for illegal activities. These range from drug trafficking to arms dealing, human trafficking, and even hitman services. For law enforcement, the dark web is both a challenge and an opportunity—understanding its inner workings allows investigators to combat these illicit activities more effectively.
Some of the key areas law enforcement professionals may encounter include:
-
Online Drug Markets: Sites like the infamous Silk Road allowed users to purchase drugs anonymously using cryptocurrency. While Silk Road has been shut down, new marketplaces continue to emerge, making it crucial for law enforcement to stay informed about the latest platforms and trends in online drug trafficking.
-
Weapons Trafficking: The dark web hosts marketplaces where users can purchase illegal firearms and other weapons, often shipped discreetly across borders. These transactions are typically conducted with cryptocurrency, which makes tracing them even more complex.
-
Human Trafficking: The dark web is often used for human trafficking, including the sale of individuals for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Investigating these cases requires specialized training in digital forensics and undercover work, as traffickers exploit the anonymity of the dark web to evade detection.
-
Hiring Assassins: Some dark web sites offer services where users can hire hitmen. While many of these services are scams, some have led to real-life violence. Law enforcement agencies need to be aware of these offerings to disrupt potential threats.
-
Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft: The dark web is a marketplace for stolen credit card information and personal data. Criminals use this information for identity theft, financial fraud, and other illegal activities, making it critical for law enforcement to track and disrupt these operations.
-
Illicit Experiments: Some of the darkest corners of the web host sites that claim to document human experimentation, often targeting marginalized individuals such as the homeless. These sites, while sometimes hoaxes, underscore the extreme content that can be found and the need for constant vigilance from law enforcement.
Recent Developments in Dark Web Investigations
While the dark web is designed to offer anonymity, law enforcement agencies have made strides in infiltrating and taking down criminal operations. Notably, the takedown of Silk Road in 2013, followed by several other dark web marketplaces, demonstrates that with the right resources and coordination, it is possible to prosecute individuals involved in illegal activities.
In recent years, law enforcement has worked to exploit vulnerabilities in dark web platforms, using techniques such as server infiltration and malware injections to reveal the identities of users. The arrest of Eric Eoin Marques, the alleged operator behind Freedom Hosting, a large dark web hosting service, marked a significant victory in the battle against child exploitation on the dark web. This case also highlighted the FBI’s ability to breach Tor’s anonymity through sophisticated hacking techniques.
The Role of Law Enforcement
As more criminals turn to the dark web to conduct their illicit business, it is critical for law enforcement professionals to be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to investigate and prosecute crimes in this space. From understanding the basics of navigating Tor to employing advanced digital forensics techniques, McAfee Institute provides the training law enforcement officers need to stay ahead of dark web criminals.
Combating crime on the dark web requires a collaborative effort across jurisdictions and agencies. With proper training, law enforcement can infiltrate these hidden networks, gather valuable intelligence, and take down dangerous criminals who use the dark web to commit heinous acts.
McAfee Institute offers multiple certifications that help to teach you deep web and dark web investigations. You can explore the Certified in Open Source Intelligence (COSINT), and Certified Counterintelligence Threat Analyst (CCTA) and our Certified Expert in Cyber Investigations (CECI).
