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Understanding Dark Web Pornography
In the US, federal agents ended up searching the residences and businesses of almost 100 individuals. During the investigation, 23 victims who were being abused by users of the site were also rescued. The hacker said they had released a dump of system files from Freedom Hosting II, but not user data. They didn’t want to publicly distribute this because, as mentioned, it allegedly contains a high amount of child pornography. But the hacker said he will provide a copy to a security researcher who will then hand it to law enforcement.
The term dark web pornography refers to explicit adult content that is hosted on the dark web, a portion of the internet that requires specific software to access, such as Tor. This underground network is notorious for providing anonymity to its users, which can lead to both legal and ethical implications.
SOCRadar offers a comprehensive Dark & Deep Web Monitoring solution that empowers organizations to detect and neutralize threats across the surface, deep, and dark web. Through our unmatched reconnaissance capabilities and thorough threat analysis, we provide valuable insights to help you proactively fortify your organization’s security. Combining automated external cyber intelligence with a dedicated analyst team enables SOC teams to gain control over the external world beyond their boundaries. Some of these are well-known, established threats that circulate in this nook of the web. However, others may be taking advantage of the dark web’s reputation to trick users out of large sums of money.
The Dark Web: A Brief Overview
The dark web is a small segment of the deep web, where regular search engines cannot reach. Here are some key characteristics:
- This information can be used to target ads and monitor your internet usage.
- Managers should run phishing simulations and train users to be wary of Tor-based web addresses that end with “.onion” instead of .com, .net, .edu, or .gov.
- Forum members distribute media, support each other and exchange tips to avoid police detection and scams targeting them.
- A logless VPN, which doesn’t store any traffic logs nor session logs is highly preferable.
- If your information has been compromised, then it’s likely that your phone number is also on the dark web.
- The technology behind this anonymous connection is known as “onion routing,” which utilizes a layered approach to obscure data and protect users’ locations on the network.
The government has banned child porn but is yet to set up a dedicated agency to investigate cases of those who view, distribute and create it. Public shaming or humiliation is often used as a deterrent for crime in China and some American states. Psychiatrists, behaviouralists and even judges are divided on whether this is an effective form of discipline, though it’s viewed as a stronger message than moral policing. The justice system, however, needs to be speedy and robust for such punishments to have an impact. Figures can fluctuate depending on how people access the network, and how they cover their tracks. Law enforcement has taken down the world’s largest child pornography site on the dark web and arrested its operator and 337 of its users across 38 countries.
Then, you configure Tor to designate it as a Tor service, which will give you an onion link to your site. Yes, you can connect to a VPN server before launching the Tor Browser to hide your IP address from any node in the Tor network, and to hide the fact that you are using Tor from your network operator. Offering books for free, shadow libraries face the morality question of copyright vs. access to information and knowledge. Just Another Library is one such service, with a wealth of books covering computer programming, science, and niche hobbies (sailors’ knots, anyone?). It also offers works of art, course material, and audiobooks for download.
With close to 66 million children from India scouring the web every day (according to a 2019 study by the Internet and Mobile Association of India), each one is at risk of becoming a silent victim in an advancing pornography market. Rather than names, websites on the dark web are a random alphanumeric sequence strung together with the domain name ‘.onion’. For example, a link describing ‘india child stripping to bra’ was ‘jnsbixyz32lsex82nm.onion’. On jnsbixyz32lsex82nm.onion, the price to view five images was about Rs 6,000 in Bitcoin. To gauge the popularity and cost-effectiveness of these links, you only have to visit the various crowdfunding platforms for child porn.
I remember many times when IRC networks were flooded with such media by troll collectives like myg0t, 4chan and whatnot. Founded by Alexandra Elbakyan, Sci-Hub eliminates all barriers that get in the way of acquiring scientific knowledge. It does this by hosting more than 50 million research papers and making them available to individuals and scientific institutions for no cost whatsoever. However, you’ll find computer code experts, people searching for adult dates, and other interesting individuals. Depending on forum policy, “full members,” “registered members,” and “inactive members” can be distinguished. Full members have registered on the forum and meet all other requirements of membership, such as, for instance, a minimum number of posts to forum threads.
- Anonymity: Users and hosts are often anonymous, protecting their identities.
- Accessibility: Accessing the dark web typically requires special tools like Tor or I2P.
- Unregulated Content: The absence of regulation allows various types of content, including dark web pornography.
Among those frequently communicating on the forum are many VIPs and administrators, once more underlining their importance in sustaining the online CSAM community. These 97% accounts were classified by this research as “lurkers” or commonly referred by members of the online CSAM communities as “free-riders”—users who benefit from the community but do not contribute. However, despite so few visitors communicating, nine out of every ten forum visitors did attempt to download CSAM at least once (van der Bruggen et al. 2022).
In May 2021, the police arrested five German men, aged between 40 and 64, who are suspected of having run “Boystown,” one of the largest child sexual abuse forums on the darknet (Connolly 2021). According to the police, the forum had been online for 2 years and, at the time it was shut down, had over 400,000 registered members. Three of the men arrested were accused of founding and maintaining the forum, and one was described as one of the forum’s most active users, contributing over 3500 posts. Research conducted in 2015 found there were 900 child sexual abuse forums like “Boystown” active on the darknet at the time, together receiving an average of 168,152 requests per day (Owen and Savage 2015).
The Nature of Dark Web Pornography
Dark web pornography encompasses various forms of adult content, including but not limited to:
- Adult films: These are often unregulated and can include extreme or non-consensual content.
- Live streams: Some sites offer live streaming of explicit performances, which may exploit performers.
- Child exploitation materials: Tragically, certain segments of the dark web harbor illegal content involving minors, leading to severe consequences for offenders.
Risks Involved
Engaging with dark web pornography poses numerous risks:
- Legal Consequences: Many forms of content are illegal, potentially leading to criminal charges.
- Security threats: Visiting these sites can expose users to malware, phishing attacks, and other cyber threats.
- Moral and ethical dilemmas: Participating in or consuming unethical content can have lasting psychological impacts.
FAQs about Dark Web Pornography
1. Is all content on the dark web illegal?
Not all content is illegal, but a significant portion, especially dark web pornography, includes illegal and unethical materials.
2. How do people access the dark web?
Access is typically achieved through software like Tor, which anonymizes internet traffic and allows users to reach hidden websites.
3. What are the consequences of consuming such content?
Consequences can range from legal repercussions to psychological effects, including guilt, shame, and anxiety.
4. Can law enforcement track users on the dark web?
While anonymity is a primary feature, law enforcement agencies have developed techniques to trace illegal activities and individuals.
Conclusion
The allure of dark web pornography comes with significant risks and moral implications. Individuals must consider the consequences and ethical considerations associated with consuming this type of content. Awareness and education about the dangers of the dark web can help mitigate potential harms related to its exploitation and illegal activities.
