Sketchy darknet websites are taking advantage of Covid-19 – buyer beware
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Underground markets that sell illegal commodities like drugs, counterfeit currency and fake documentation tend to flourish in times of crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic is no exception.
The online underground economy has responded to the current crisis by exploiting demand for Covid-19-related commodities.
Today, some of the most vibrant underground economies exist in darknet markets.
These are internet websites that look like ordinary e-commerce websites but are accessible only using special browsers or authorisation codes. Vendors of illegal commodities have also formed dedicated group-chats and channels on encrypted instant messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram and ICQ.
The Darknet Analysis project at the Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group at Georgia State University collects data weekly from 60 underground darknet markets and forums.
Me and my colleagues, Yubao Wu and Robert Harisson, have analysed this data and found that three major types of Covid-19 offerings have emerged on darknet markets since late February: protective gear, medications and services that help people commit fraud.
Using these darknet markets is risky business. First, there’s the built-in risk of becoming the victim of a scam or buying counterfeit products when purchasing products from underground vendors.
There are also health and legal risks. Inadvertently buying ineffective Covid-19 protective gear and dangerous remedies from unregulated sellers could physically harm buyers. And purchasing information and services with the aim to defraud people and the government is a criminal offence that carries legal penalties.
Personal protective equipment
Several vendors have added protective gear such as face masks, protective gowns, Covid-19 test kits, thermometers and hand sanitiser to their list of products for sale.
The effectiveness of this protective gear is questionable. Underground vendors typically do not disclose their products’ sources, leaving consumers with no way to judge the products.
One example of the uncertainties that surround protective gear effectiveness comes from one of the encrypted channel platforms we monitored during the first few days of the pandemic. Vendors on the channel offered facemasks for sale. Demand for facemasks was very high at that time, and people around the world were scrambling to find facemasks for personal use.
While governments and suppliers faced difficulties in meeting demand for facemasks, several vendors on these platforms posted ads offering large quantities of facemasks. One vendor even uploaded a video showing many boxes of facemasks in storage.
Given the global shortage of facemasks at the time, our research team found it difficult to understand ...
The online underground economy has responded to the current crisis by exploiting demand for Covid-19-related commodities.
Today, some of the most vibrant underground economies exist in darknet markets.
These are internet websites that look like ordinary e-commerce websites but are accessible only using special browsers or authorisation codes. Vendors of illegal commodities have also formed dedicated group-chats and channels on encrypted instant messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram and ICQ.
The Darknet Analysis project at the Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group at Georgia State University collects data weekly from 60 underground darknet markets and forums.
Me and my colleagues, Yubao Wu and Robert Harisson, have analysed this data and found that three major types of Covid-19 offerings have emerged on darknet markets since late February: protective gear, medications and services that help people commit fraud.
Using these darknet markets is risky business. First, there’s the built-in risk of becoming the victim of a scam or buying counterfeit products when purchasing products from underground vendors.
There are also health and legal risks. Inadvertently buying ineffective Covid-19 protective gear and dangerous remedies from unregulated sellers could physically harm buyers. And purchasing information and services with the aim to defraud people and the government is a criminal offence that carries legal penalties.
Personal protective equipment
Several vendors have added protective gear such as face masks, protective gowns, Covid-19 test kits, thermometers and hand sanitiser to their list of products for sale.
The effectiveness of this protective gear is questionable. Underground vendors typically do not disclose their products’ sources, leaving consumers with no way to judge the products.
One example of the uncertainties that surround protective gear effectiveness comes from one of the encrypted channel platforms we monitored during the first few days of the pandemic. Vendors on the channel offered facemasks for sale. Demand for facemasks was very high at that time, and people around the world were scrambling to find facemasks for personal use.
While governments and suppliers faced difficulties in meeting demand for facemasks, several vendors on these platforms posted ads offering large quantities of facemasks. One vendor even uploaded a video showing many boxes of facemasks in storage.
Given the global shortage of facemasks at the time, our research team found it difficult to understand ...
