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The dark web has garnered an almost mythical reputation as the destination of choice for criminals looking to hide their identity or plan illegal activities with impunity.
This isn’t exactly true; anyone can be tracked on the dark web, and even people who want to stay off the radar can still be caught if they slip up in any way.
Read on to find out how you can be tracked on the dark web and what you can do about it to make sure your activity stays anonymous.
What Is The Dark Web?
The dark web is a collection of websites that are not accessible by search engines, but require special software to reach them.
The term dark web is often used interchangeably with deep web. Both terms refer to content that is not indexed by search engines and requires specific software tools to access it, which makes it hard for a regular user (or even a law enforcement agency) to find and view information without using various technological tools.
The dark web includes some content that can't be accessed without installing Tor or other privacy-enhancing technologies, as well as sites that may require some sort of payment such as Bitcoin in order to gain access (like certain online forums).
These types of sites are often used for illicit transactions such as buying drugs and hiring assassins
Who Uses The Dark Web For Evil Purposes?
There are many people who use the dark web for nefarious purposes, including those who want to sell illegal goods or services, as well as those who want to commit crimes like fraud and identity theft.
For these individuals, anonymity is their best defense against being caught. For example, there was a cyber-attack on JPMorgan Chase in 2014 that compromised personal information of over 80 million Americans which was traced back to a cyber-attacker known as The BestBuy Hacker.
In this case, investigators were able to trace the hacker back by monitoring transactions in bitcoin accounts which led them all the way to his house where he was arrested.
The risk for anyone using bitcoin is that any transaction can be monitored by law enforcement if they have access to bank records and government databases with IP addresses linked to cryptocurrency purchases.
If you're considering getting involved in the dark web, then you may not want to read about one more thing that can get you caught: post offices.
That's right - USPS has begun providing employees with training in how to spot suspicious mail packages that could contain narcotics, weapons, illicit goods and other contraband items.
What Does The Law Say About The Dark Web and What Happens If They Get Caught
The dark web is a part of the internet that cannot be found using traditional means of searching. To access it, users must download special software that allows them to communicate anonymously with others who are in the network's cloud.
The legality of this method of communicating has been debated, but it is generally assumed that as long as no illegal activity takes place, no laws have been broken.
However, if someone participates in illegal activity while they are on the dark web, such as buying or selling drugs or weapons, then they could be arrested and charged with a crime.
It can also depend on what country you live in whether you can get caught for being on the dark web and whether your activities are legal.
If you reside in Canada, for example, it is legal to buy and sell marijuana online through sites like PotCoin but it would not be legal in some other countries around the world.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many ways that law enforcement is catching up with those on the dark web who commit crimes or break other laws.
It may seem like it is difficult to be caught, but this is not true as there are people out there dedicated to catching those who break laws and share illegal content online.
If you're looking for some light reading and want to know how people get caught in these types of scenarios, I suggest reading more about it.