By Jhoo Dong-chan
The deep web, a secretive network of hidden websites also called the darknet, is increasingly being used as a channel for illegal trafficking of drugs and firearms, sources said Thursday.
Tor, a free software product based on onion routing, enables anonymous access to the hidden underbelly of the Internet. It bypasses Internet traffic through complicated global networks to conceal a user's location and activities, and thus is often used for illegal trade of drugs, firearms and even human organs.
The Korea Times installed the Tor browser to access the deep web and test accessibility to such illegal activities.
The most popular web directory in the deep web is the Hidden Wiki, which provides direct links to pornographic and snuff videos as well as online drug traders.
With a membership of nearly 3,000, High Korea is one of the drug community sites introduced on the Hidden Wiki.
"We provide qualified marijuana products, and safety during the trade is guaranteed," said High Korea's operator, identified only as Neo, in the webpage.
The site also introduces marijuana dealing manuals, how to grow cannabis and even tricks to evade police crackdowns.
The members use bitcoins instead of fake bank accounts or cash. Buyers and sellers communicate only by e-mail or encrypted Telegram Messenger and rarely meet in person. Kakao Talk is not recommended, it says.
Not only drugs but also firearms are also traded on the deep web.
A deep web user identified as movad posted a comment on a page saying, "I am selling a SIG Sauer sp2022 pistol made in China. I have two magazines with 15 bullets each."
Despite such rampant illegal activities on the deep web, the drug enforcement authorities do not even know about the deep web or the drug trading activities there.
"I do not know what the deep web is," an agent from Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's narcotics department told The Korea Times. "If it is Internet-related activity, it is not our jurisdiction but probably for the cyber investigation team."
A National Police Agency (NPA) cyber investigation team officer said that criminal activities like trade of illegal drugs and firearms are extremely difficult to trace on the deep web.
"Tor browser detours through three different virtual IPs by using thousands of fake servers around the world. Thus, it is extremely difficult to track deep web users," the officer said on condition of anonymity.
Prof. Kim Seung-joo at Korea University's Graduate School of Information Security called for immediate countermeasures to deal with criminal activities on the deep web.
"I would say it is completely impossible for the nation's investigative authorities to trace deep web users with their current capabilities," Kim said.
"When Islamic State terrorists attacked Paris last year, Tor browser was their main tool for communication. The U.S. National Security Agency has since developed a deep web surveillance program while the Korean government has been sitting on its hands. Not only because of drug or firearms trading, the authorities should do something before it reaches terrorism here."
The deep web, a secretive network of hidden websites also called the darknet, is increasingly being used as a channel for illegal trafficking of drugs and firearms, sources said Thursday.
Tor, a free software product based on onion routing, enables anonymous access to the hidden underbelly of the Internet. It bypasses Internet traffic through complicated global networks to conceal a user's location and activities, and thus is often used for illegal trade of drugs, firearms and even human organs.
The Korea Times installed the Tor browser to access the deep web and test accessibility to such illegal activities.
The most popular web directory in the deep web is the Hidden Wiki, which provides direct links to pornographic and snuff videos as well as online drug traders.
With a membership of nearly 3,000, High Korea is one of the drug community sites introduced on the Hidden Wiki.
"We provide qualified marijuana products, and safety during the trade is guaranteed," said High Korea's operator, identified only as Neo, in the webpage.
The site also introduces marijuana dealing manuals, how to grow cannabis and even tricks to evade police crackdowns.
The members use bitcoins instead of fake bank accounts or cash. Buyers and sellers communicate only by e-mail or encrypted Telegram Messenger and rarely meet in person. Kakao Talk is not recommended, it says.
Not only drugs but also firearms are also traded on the deep web.
A deep web user identified as movad posted a comment on a page saying, "I am selling a SIG Sauer sp2022 pistol made in China. I have two magazines with 15 bullets each."
Despite such rampant illegal activities on the deep web, the drug enforcement authorities do not even know about the deep web or the drug trading activities there.
"I do not know what the deep web is," an agent from Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's narcotics department told The Korea Times. "If it is Internet-related activity, it is not our jurisdiction but probably for the cyber investigation team."
A National Police Agency (NPA) cyber investigation team officer said that criminal activities like trade of illegal drugs and firearms are extremely difficult to trace on the deep web.
"Tor browser detours through three different virtual IPs by using thousands of fake servers around the world. Thus, it is extremely difficult to track deep web users," the officer said on condition of anonymity.
Prof. Kim Seung-joo at Korea University's Graduate School of Information Security called for immediate countermeasures to deal with criminal activities on the deep web.
"I would say it is completely impossible for the nation's investigative authorities to trace deep web users with their current capabilities," Kim said.
"When Islamic State terrorists attacked Paris last year, Tor browser was their main tool for communication. The U.S. National Security Agency has since developed a deep web surveillance program while the Korean government has been sitting on its hands. Not only because of drug or firearms trading, the authorities should do something before it reaches terrorism here."
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