Silk Road 2.0 Launches • Hacker News Board

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#21

Post by computer » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:07 PM UTC

ihsw wrote: post #6

I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a honeypot. Just a hunch.

With good opsec (i.e. only PGP-encrypted messages) sellers should still be able to operate safely.

Buyers slightly less, considering that the sellers might be cops (which is also the case on a non-honeypot site), or because the PGP-keys of the sellers might be fake (for MITM).

But considering that feds generally seem to target sellers, I don't think the usefulness of this as a honeypot would be huge. But it's definitely possible, especially given that the feds have the source code and all.

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#22

Post by mikeryan » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:11 PM UTC

nly wrote: post #5

shocks wrote: post #2

Well, that was inevitable.

I think the word you're after is INCONCEIVABLE

You keep using that word.

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#23

Post by knodi » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:11 PM UTC

ihsw wrote: post #6

I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a honeypot. Just a hunch.

Easy way to find out buy something cheap and ship it to your neighbor. Your neighbor will have a bad day but won't won't get in trouble and there won't be any evidence that he bought it only that someone shipped it to him/her.

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#24

Post by workbench » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:11 PM UTC

esw wrote: post #19

cLeEOGPw wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could be, but would they really dare to mock themselves in the honeypot? If it is a honeypot, it's very convincing and elaborate.

To me, that seems like the easiest possible thing to do. If they have the original site code, then it's just a matter of making some superficial changes and re-launching as "Silk Road 2.0".

Isn't that a terrible idea considering the feds have the source code?

Would be fine if the HTML is the same but the backend should be redone

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#25

Post by ChuckMcM » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:13 PM UTC

Not unexpected of course, the demand for narcotics and other services is still out there. I can't help but wonder if this isn't a bit like becoming the new head of some terrorist organization, the target is now painted day-glo orange and we know that it is not only on the 'radar' of law enforcement, its a priority target. The clock starts, and a number of resources are now tasked with taking you out.

Of course the genius of the Princess Bride with respect to the DPR character is that the character cannot be killed or captured or prosecuted, because it isn't really a person, it is an idea. And that was wonderfully illustrated in the book, film, and now in world around us.

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#26

Post by anaphor » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:13 PM UTC

ihsw wrote: post #6

I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a honeypot. Just a hunch.

You'd have to be a complete moron or a huge addict to use this. How much do you want to bet this is run by the FBI and filled with various browser exploits designed to de-anonymize you? I wouldn't even connect to it, let alone buy or sell drugs on it.

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#27

Post by thex86 » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:17 PM UTC

A serious question: while I have nothing against Silk Road (the drug war is a waste of money anyways), aren't people afraid of putting stuff in their body that they had an anonymous person send to them? I mean, unless the seller has a reputation, isn't there is a substantial risk of using that drug?

Are my fears unfound? On one hand, the idea of buying drugs online is probably more safe than doing it on the streets, but the anonymity this offers has a potential downside like the one I mentioned above.

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#28

Post by Touche » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:17 PM UTC

computer wrote: post #21

ihsw wrote: post #6

I have a sneaking suspicion that it's a honeypot. Just a hunch.

With good opsec (i.e. only PGP-encrypted messages) sellers should still be able to operate safely. Buyers slightly less, considering that the sellers might be cops (which is also the case on a non-honeypot site), or because the PGP-keys of the sellers might be fake (for MITM). But considering that feds generally seem to target sellers, I don't think the usefulness of this as a honeypot would be huge. But it's definit…

Wouldn't it be a great honeypot for one big bust? Delay the launch as long as possible due to "load issues" to bring in as many sellers as possible and then take them all down after their first transaction.

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#29

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:18 PM UTC

gasull wrote: post #15

andrewljohnson wrote: post #3

I'd never buy heroin from a website, but I see the Silk Road as cyber-civil-disobedience, and I hope the persona of DPR and the site itself are as unsinkable as they claim. The drug war is a ghastly thing, and the number of people we lock up in the US is more shameful than our foreign policy. You can begrudge the first DPR his lame security, shady murder contracts, and ill-gotten fortune, but he's the product of our…

The current DPR is allegedly the third one, and the one in jail is the second, as he said in an interview with Forbes.

[deleted]

Re: Silk Road 2.0 Launches

#30

Post by corin_ » Wed, Nov 06, 2013, 6:20 PM UTC

andrewljohnson wrote: post #3

I'd never buy heroin from a website, but I see the Silk Road as cyber-civil-disobedience, and I hope the persona of DPR and the site itself are as unsinkable as they claim. The drug war is a ghastly thing, and the number of people we lock up in the US is more shameful than our foreign policy. You can begrudge the first DPR his lame security, shady murder contracts, and ill-gotten fortune, but he's the product of our…

Are you saying heroin specifically because you do buy it but not from websites, or because some drugs you'd trust to a website (regardless of whether you personally buy them or not) but heroin not, or were you just naming a random drug?