Why Are All the Darknet Markets Down?

Not only did Brian’s Club publish ads on the main pages of XSS, but they also put down some money to become the official sponsor of Omerta – a popular underground forum focusing on credit card trading – a position that was held by Joker’s Stash only a year ago. At DeepDotWeb, an black internet anonymous editor chronicles everything darknet related, from the latest in cryptocurrencies to the rise of fall of new darknet markets. In an email interview, the editor (who asked to remain anonymous) predicts that the crazy explosion of smaller markets may be on the wane.

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The darknet markets, also known as the “dark web,” have been experiencing a significant amount of downtime recently. dark web access This has left many users wondering why all the darknet markets are down and when they will be back up and running.

Reasons for the Downtime

There are a few possible reasons for the current downtime of the darknet markets. One possibility is that the market administrators are performing routine maintenance or upgrades to the sites. Another possibility is that the markets are experiencing technical difficulties or are under a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. Additionally, law enforcement agencies may be targeting the markets in an effort to shut them down.

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It was especially true last year among English language DNMs, where the average lifespan dropped. When one big DNM goes offline, vendors and buyers seek a new, attractive, trustworthy market. If Eternos indeed rises, there is a good chance for it to become one is it illegal to visit darknet markets of the most prominent markets. Hydra darknet marketplace is currently the biggest Russian language darknet Market (DNM). In December 2019, the Hydra crew announced the creation of several new projects, the most important of which are Eternos and AspaNET.

Routine Maintenance or Upgrades

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It is common for darknet market administrators to periodically take their sites offline for maintenance or upgrades. This can include things like updating the site’s software, adding new features, or improving security measures. These types of maintenance and upgrades are necessary to keep the sites running smoothly and to protect the anonymity of their users. However, they can also cause the sites to be down for extended periods of time.

Written by Flashpoint’s Intelligence Team, this report is also supported by research from blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. As we detail below, Flashpoint observed a considerable decrease in the volume of money being handled by crypto wallets linked to dark web markets. And, as we’ve previously reported, new markets have aggressively vied to take Hydra’s place—but U.S. government sanctions have so far prevented any from reaching its level in terms of breadth, reputation, and trust. As a result, threat actors have migrated elsewhere, including to forums like “RuTor,” decentralized Telegram-based shops, and even switching to offline transactions for physical commodities like narcotics. Advertised as “the most advanced darknet market ever,” OMG primarily provides illegal drugs, but also offers products like hacking utilities, banking information, and more.

Technical Difficulties or DDoS Attacks

The Current State Of Dark Web Marketplaces

Ten years ago, the first dark market, The Farmers Market, appeared on the Tor network; eight years ago its eight founders were arrested, seven pled guilty and the leader was convicted to 10 years in prison for selling narcotics and laundering money. Ross Ulbricht, aka Dread Pirate Roberts, allegedly operated Silk Road—the first large scale dark market with over 100,000 customers. Ulbricht was also charged with a murder for hire plot and was sentenced to a double life sentence plus forty years without the possibility of parole. Ulbricht built this black market bazaar to exploit the dark web and the digital currency Bitcoin to allow users to conduct illegal business beyond the reach of law enforcement. According to the DOJ “Ulbricht’s arrest and conviction – and our seizure of millions of dollars of Silk Road Bitcoins – should send a clear message to anyone else attempting to operate an online criminal enterprise. The supposed anonymity of the dark web is not a protective shield from arrest and prosecution.

Another possible reason for the current downtime of the darknet markets is that they are experiencing technical difficulties or are under a DDoS attack. A DDoS attack is a type of cyber attack where a large number of compromised systems are used to flood a network or server with traffic in an attempt to make it unavailable to users. These types of attacks can be difficult to defend against and can cause significant downtime for the affected sites.

Law Enforcement Action

• In the middle of 2019, he put his DDoS attack method up for sale and was probably bought by another group(s), who was responsible for subsequent DDoS attacks on forums and the DNM in TOR.
• The “dark web” is an internet shadow world where the good and the bad co-exist.
• DNeT bulletins providing details on trends in darknet markets over time are available at the Drug Trends website, with the next bulletin due for publication at the end of March 2016.
• Whether or not members of the law enforcement have already exploited the existing vulnerability remains to be seen in the weeks/months ahead.

It is also possible that the current downtime of the darknet markets is due to law enforcement action. In recent years, law enforcement agencies around the world have been increasingly targeting the darknet markets in an effort to shut them down. This can include things like seizing domain names, arresting administrators, and confiscating servers. These types of actions can cause the markets to be offline for extended periods of time, and in some cases, they may be shut down permanently.

These attacks are carried out in order to taint a site’s reputation and render it unusable. The move has left customers, observers and dealers wondering whether Dream’s closure could mark a shift in the way the dark web is used to buy and sell drugs. There is talk of a mysterious new and yet-to-open partner site, but many are wondering whether this could be a honeypot devised by the authorities. After nearly a year back online, though, DeSnake says he feels “vindicated,” given that few if any undercover operations have lasted that long.

Conclusion

There are a number of possible reasons for the current downtime of the darknet markets, including routine maintenance or upgrades, technical difficulties or DDoS attacks, and law enforcement action. It is important for users to be patient and to keep an eye on the news for updates on the status of their favorite markets. In the meantime, there are many other darknet markets available for users to choose from.