Is the Darknet truly anonymous?

Darknet, DeepWeb, Tor, and everything else: if these terms are unfamiliar to you, pay close attention, because it is time to discover the “parallel internet.” To your surprise, there is indeed a part of the web that is invisible to search engines, as well as standard browsers. We are referring to a collection of unindexed sites better known as the Darknet. This is a deep part, or rather a hidden side, of the internet as we have always known it. Much like the surface web, the Darknet is teeming with a multitude of sites offering all kinds of content, including information, products for sale, services, and much more. However, because we are dealing with a world that cannot be easily accessed, the majority of these sites are operated by criminals. Most of them, therefore, are filled with illegal content. For example, there are numerous drug and arms dealers on the Darknet. The same goes for predators who constantly post pornographic photos, videos, or reviews. Worst of all, you can even find contract killers there. In short, anything related to cybercrime can be found in this part of the web. But while these clandestine transactions are widespread, is this realm truly untouchable by the authorities, and do these criminals face no risk of being caught?

It is not entirely effective

The Darknet has long been known as a true haven for criminals. Within its depths, they have been able to conduct various clandestine transactions in absolute anonymity. By utilizing this hidden side of the web, they can establish direct “peer-to-peer” connections with their clients without detection. Indeed, their data passes through multiple locations around the world before reaching its destination to prevent any potential tracing. Furthermore, their IP addresses remain hidden, ensuring they are never at risk of being made public. Accessing this notorious world requires specific tools, such as the Tor Browser and other specialized software. In short, accessing this part of the internet—and identifying its users—is therefore highly complex, though not impossible. As surprising as it may seem, despite the highly optimized security of the Darknet, US authorities—including the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), the DEA (the American drug enforcement agency), and Europol—have successfully shut down several sites involved in the trafficking of narcotics and other illicit goods on the Darknet. Among these were AlphaBay and Hansa, two of the largest marketplaces on the network. The former was even renowned as the largest online black market. As proof, it had previously connected up to 40,000 sellers with 200,000 users looking to acquire weapons, drugs, and other illegal items. Transactions conducted on the platform had reached one billion dollars since 2014. But how did law enforcement manage to catch them? In the case of AlphaBay, its creator was undone by his own email address. According to sources, the address was displayed in a welcome email from one of the site’s forums sent to its users.