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Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

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Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#121

Post by devconsole »

fru2013 wrote: post #107
devconsole wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are some interesting theories being tossed around. I'd like to add one more. The common thread across all darknet websites is the fact that they generally run from datacenters. Most people don't host websites from their residence. Further, most people don't colocate servers anymore. I would be surprised if any of the 414 websites operated on boxes that had been colocated. However I won't rule out that colocatin…

>You can't rent a server from a datacenter using bitcoin Why not? A google search for this reveals several companies who offer this.

It looks like I was wrong about this. Will multiple datacenters allow you to continue setting up new accounts using nothing but bitcoin? If you don't need to provide identification, then this might be an interesting avenue to explore. Thank you for fact checking me.

There's the chance that datacenters will be more inclined to image your server for authorities if you've set up a server using bitcoin and are hosting large amounts of Tor traffic, but at this point we must assume authorities will image your server anyway, so there's no reason not to go this route if it's as good as you say.

You may need anonymous money for other things, but server rental was the primary case I had in mind.

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#122

Post by contingencies »

nitrogen wrote: post #95
chc wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't tell if this means anything.

As a guess, it probably means that cartels and the DEA make tons of money fighting each other, and joining or interfering in that fight is a generally bad idea as an independent third party.

You forgot big pharma.

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#123

Post by ge0rg »

km3k wrote: post #69
ge0rg wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just how law enforcement agents were able to locate the Dark Web sites despite their use of the Tor anonymity software remains a looming mystery. Do you happen to have a source for the "personal credit card" and "Tesla for BTC" lessons, or is this mere speculation? Edit: Tesla downpayment documented in Blake Benthall Criminal Complaint: http://www.scribd.com/doc/245744857/Blake-Benthall-Criminal-...

The Ars Technica article at http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/11/silk-road-2-0-inf... has the quote: > "The server was controlled and maintained during the relevant time by an individual using the email account 'blake@benthall.net,'" Since he used his personal e-mail for hosting, I would assume he used his personal credit card too.

That might be right, but there are tens of thousands of people who use their personal email and credit card to buy hosting services. You can't assume they all operate Silk Road 2.x

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#124

Post by fru2013 »

devconsole wrote: post #121
fru2013 wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>You can't rent a server from a datacenter using bitcoin Why not? A google search for this reveals several companies who offer this.

It looks like I was wrong about this. Will multiple datacenters allow you to continue setting up new accounts using nothing but bitcoin? If you don't need to provide identification, then this might be an interesting avenue to explore. Thank you for fact checking me. There's the chance that datacenters will be more inclined to image your server for authorities if you've set up a server using bitcoin and are hosting la…

>Will multiple datacenters allow you to continue setting up new accounts using nothing but bitcoin?

I don't see how they could stop you. None of the btc hosting sites I've seen ask for real ID (passport, drivers license, etc..) They also allow you to rent by the year, though I suspect you would have to scale up fairly often. Overall though, I think anonymous hosting wouldn't be a problem (tor + ssh + tumbled btc).

The server imaging is a tough problem, however, as long as you ensure that you never upload any info that could point back to you, you should be anonymous.

Hopefully a truly decentralized marketplace will emerge before the next bust...

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#125

Post by fru2013 »

opendais wrote: post #92
devconsole wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a perfect illustration of how to get busted. For example, the whole idea of "How can I acquire a burner phone?" is misguided, because as soon as you speak into a burner phone, your voiceprint alone is enough to identify you. Various assumptions like "I doubt it's that easy" are also the road to getting busted. Trying to forge or steal legal documents, let alone a license plate that you drive around with and w…

I'll have to take your word for it. I'm pretty sure you are overthinking this tho. What you are describing is basically: 1) They find the server [this likely takes months based on their performance so far]. 2) They get a copy of the paperwork & server [fake id, so useless information on it and a fake picture. That is assuming they keep a copy at all, they might not.]. Server is commodity and basically untraceable. Th…

>They find the server...

I doubt you could host a large scale operation on a single server. Given the volume that SR1 && SR2 received, you would need more servers at some point. At that point you either need to hit up craigslist again or host via cloud providers. (of course all of this is assuming that the first guy you met on craigslist was not an undercover agent).

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#126

Post by virtue3 »

devconsole wrote: post #62
opendais wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure this part is true. You can buy servers and server parts anonymously via places like Craigslist with cash. At which point, you just need a fake ID to trick the Colo and pre-pay them for 12 months in cash w/o being recorded. Its possible given I've run into colos that were run by college kids with just a single cage. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't turn the offer down and just say you were "too busy" to set…

Then the authorities trace the server component to the person who sold it on Craigslist. And if your opsec isn't perfect, you're busted right there: Did you forget to set up a new email account for all of your craigslist transactions? Did you forget to set them up and connect to them only through Tor? Did the person you met with write down your license plate number? Seem unlikely? Think again. Cameras write down your…

you are probably going to be one of the few people to meet up and do a cash drop for the server. Which is automatically going to make you standout to the hosting guys. Thus, MUCH more identifiable.

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#127

Post by fru2013 »

mike_hearn wrote: post #105
twrkit wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One potential long term outcome of these highly publicized fed / darknet busts is that future operators will learn from the opsec mistakes of Dread Pirate Roberts, Blake Benthall, Sanu, Lulzsec, Anonsec, etc. Theoretically after enough people cock up, the 'playbook' on how to run a dark service / h4x0r group should be sufficiently fleshed out and there will be fewer and fewer busts.

I don't think they will. Remember, the FBI's story about a leaky captcha only came out very recently. SR2 had been running for a long time by then. And there's currently no info about how they found the servers for 414 different onion sites: seems most likely they have beaten hidden service security and can now find most or all of the ones they want. No opsec gonna save you from that.

>No opsec gonna save you from that.

Unless you anonymously rent the server and it contains no information on it that could trace back to you.

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#128

Post by [deleted] »

downandout wrote: post #17

Lessons learned: 1) Don't engage in businesses that make you a target of the world's best-funded law enforcement agencies. 2) If ignoring lesson 1, don't access servers directly, from home, and don't pay for said servers with personal credit card. 3) Don't pay for your $130K Tesla using BTC a month after you open up a massive illegal drug marketplace that runs exclusively on BTC. Someone may suspect something. 4) Whe…

[deleted]

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#129

Post by dandelion_lover »

devconsole wrote: post #32
bhouston wrote: post #5

I think that TOR should no longer be considered secure in the wake of so many busts. Either it isn't secure by some flaw, or it is too easy to fingerprint visitors, or some other work around.

There are some interesting theories being tossed around. I'd like to add one more. The common thread across all darknet websites is the fact that they generally run from datacenters. Most people don't host websites from their residence. Further, most people don't colocate servers anymore. I would be surprised if any of the 414 websites operated on boxes that had been colocated. However I won't rule out that colocatin…

>> [TOR] does not hide the total volume of traffic that must be delivered. And it can't.

But what about I2P [0]? To my knowledge, it can hide much more than TOR does, including the amount of traffic going through your server. You get a large amount of traffic even if you do not host anything, because you become a relay node.

[0] https://geti2p.net/en/

Re: Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

#130

Post by nickthemagicman »

lotharbot wrote: post #112
nickthemagicman wrote: post #102

Commenting to save this post. Downvote away.

Any post you upvote is saved in your "saved stories" link ( https://news.ycombinator.com/saved?id=[your id] -- you can find it in your profile. No, it won't display other peoples' saved stories for you.) If you must comment, try to at least include something other people will want to read. (And then you can stick a keyword like "saved" or "fleezblort" into your post to make it easy for you to search for.)

Brilliant! Thanks, did know know that.
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