Bitcoin was created to offer people of the world equal financial opportunities. Cryptocurrencies were developed with the world’s unbanked population in mind, offering them a convenient alternative that omits the need for greedy middlemen. However, during the past few years, cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoin, have greatly deviated from their ultimate goals. A recently published paper analyzes how inequality is currently being ... Read More »
Tag Archives: research
Research: Classification of attacks on Tor clients and Tor hidden services
Anonymity network protocols were namely developed to protect the privacy of censored online users. Anonymity is accomplished via implanting users’ data in between multiple encryption layers and via forwarding network traffic through a diverse group of proxies and/or relay nodes. Onion networks are by far the most widely used solutions within such context. There are presently several anonymizing network protocols ... Read More »
Research: Tor and the blockchain – Cybercriminals’ unmatchable combination
Law enforcement agencies are currently faced by enormous challenges when having to investigate and analyze a cybercrime. Most of these challenges can be attributed to the wide availability of anonymity browsing software and cryptocurrencies. A recently published paper aims at examining how anonymity browsing software, such as Tor, in combination with cryptocurrencies, pose a great challenge during investigation of a ... Read More »
Research: I2P based anonymous network protocol developed via Rust programming language
With more and more people concerned about their online privacy, anonymous network protocols have been advancing at an amazing rate. However, the levels of privacy of data transmission on public networks still represent the weakest link in the chain of information security. Presently, popular network encryption tools, such as VPNs, utilize a single link network framework. Whenever a node fails ... Read More »
Research: An efficient Tor crawler
The Tor network is by far the most popular darknet, which not only facilitates anonymous browsing, but also hosts a large number of illicit marketplaces, as well as multiple forms of illegal activities. The Tor protocol protects hosted websites, which are known as hidden services, against undesirable tracking and surveillance. The number of Tor based hidden services has been steadily ... Read More »
Research: The Fourth Amendment and darknet drug dealers
The anonymity offered via the Tor network, and other parts of the dark web, has helped the online drug trading business flourish during the past few years. Law enforcement agencies face great challenges in order to monitor and take down dark web drug marketplaces. One of these challenges involves protecting the human rights of potential dark web drug dealers. A ... Read More »
Research: Classifying illegal content on dark web forums
The activities instigated by cybercriminals on the dark web are increasingly becoming one of the most critical issues influencing societies all over the world. The anonymity and privacy offered via the dark web have qualified it as the preferred online environment for a myriad of illegal activities. Cybercriminals are currently using darknets for various forms of illegal activities including illicit ... Read More »
Research: ToRank – A novel system for identification of suspicious and malicious Tor hidden services
The Tor network currently hosts thousands of hidden services. A significant proportion of these hidden services can be associated with harmful and suspicious activities. Many onion domains have been linked to distribution of malware. In 2013, Freedom Hosting, a company that hosted Tor hidden services, was found to spread malware on all hidden services hosted on its servers. This malware ... Read More »
Research: Weapons trafficking and terrorist activities taking place on the dark web
During the past few years, terrorist groups have been increasingly relying on the dark web via the usage of darknet discussion forums to plot their violent plans and crypto markets to purchase weapons that can range from a 9 mm gun to bombs. More recently, terrorist groups have built their very own darknet discussion forums and have used them for ... Read More »
Research: A novel model of extraction of data from the deep web
With the rapid development of modern society, people’s need for information interaction is surging with the advent of the internet. With the help of the world wide web, information can disseminate quickly, and the forms through which information may be shared are increasing, including documents, pictures, audio clips, videos, hyperlinks, forms, and many more. The surged demand for web information ... Read More »
Exploring the best means for estimating bitcoin price volatility – A research study
It is inarguable that cryptocurrencies, namely bitcoin, have attracted considerable attention during the past few years. This can be attributed to the innovative features of their underlying blockchain technology, the anonymity of their transactions and their decentralized framework that omits the need for intermediaries or third parties. However, being a highly volatile investment asset, many individuals are reluctant to participate ... Read More »
Research: Taintchain – Tracing the movement of stolen bitcoins
The first half of 2018 has witnessed cryptocurrency thefts that are worth around $761 million. Moreover, the past few years have been associated with a surge in the utilization of cryptocurrencies in various money laundering schemes. This surge in cybercrimes has urged law enforcement agencies, as well as researchers, to develop means for tracing stolen bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. A ... Read More »
Research: Using cryptocurrency in money laundering
Cryptocurrencies have introduced the world to a new decentralized financial system, which offers participants the chance to enjoy executing transactions in an anonymous manner. On the other hand, they have facilitated money laundering, thanks to their innate anonymous nature, which has increased the rate of various money laundering activities at an alarming rate. Even though cryptocurrencies are associated with the ... Read More »
Research: A security solution for the Tor network and cloud based services
Cloud technologies have recently become an indispensable part of IT’s current infrastructure. More and more companies have begun migrating to the cloud, where they can safely save a percentage of or even their whole information archives. There are multiple reasons that can explain why businesses are moving to the cloud; the most important of which is lack of resources needed ... Read More »
Research: Cryptocurrency mediated drug trafficking in Russia
Increased usage of new digital technologies, such as the dark web and cryptocurrencies, has led to digitalization of various crimes, especially illicit drug trading. Using special software, such as the Tor browser, to ensure anonymity and hide their activities, individuals can presently conduct various forms of illegal activities on the dark web, including trading illicit drugs, weapons, and other goods ... Read More »