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Dark Web Forensics

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72 views3 pages

Dark Web Forensics

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Uploaded by

vikasnicfs
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Dark web forensics

Dark web forensics as a sub discipline of cybersecurity and law enforcement is the science of the

investigation of crimes committed in the dark web, a relatively hidden section of the internet

requiring the use of a software called Tor. The dark web offers its users anonymity, and as such

becomes a marketplace for just about anything from weapons, drugs, counterfeits, hacking

services, and many others.

Thus, the process of identification of users involved in illicit activities is carried out using

sophisticated forensics tools and methods referred to as ‘dark web forensics. Cops use powerful

software to go to the dark web and coded messages and chats where such business occurs. They

consider transactions’ history for different ventures, and this may involve the use of bit coin,

which allows making anonymous payments. Surveillance of discussions in masked groups and

channels is necessary as discussions about illicit business and criminal intentions and their

implementation usually occur in such places.

Dark web forensics is mainly concerned with acquiring evidence that which will be

admissible in court, and can be used to apprehend cyber criminals. It includes suspect

recognition aimed at presenting people implicated in crimes, establishing a record and

description of transactions, the identification of plans and initiatives for criminal activities, as

well as outlining the networks and support systems employed by criminals. In a way, information

left on the dark web can also serve as clues for law enforcers and cybersecurity personnel to nab

the culprits and containing the operations of the acts by criminals camouflage in the digital

world.

Unique issues that are associated with dark web investigations include the fact that the

dark web environment provides anonymity and encryption to the platforms. The dark web, on the
other hand, presents a completely different landscape for this investigation because compared to

the typical web environment that exposes the user identity and activity, the dark web provides

much more challenges when initiating an investigation about specific individuals or groups’

unlawful actions. This means to obtain sufficient evidence and establish connections, the forensic

analysts need to work with new methods and tools to de-anonymize the evidence successfully.

Dark web forensics could be described as encompassing several principal stages. The

first step that investigators follow when searching for information on the dark web is to employ

specialized software and methodology to search the dark web without getting involved in the

ongoing operations or getting the identity of the investigators exposed. Once inside they actively

gather data from different sources such as selling platforms, forums, chats and the hidden web

services. Such evidence can be in the form of text messages, transaction histories, photographs,

videos, among others that are relevant to crime.

One of the core aspects of dark web investigations is the assessment of the digital

fingerprint. Offenders are pursued and tracked using a microscope to identify the subject and his

relativity to organized crime and criminal behavior patterns. This analysis normally involves the

use of complex data analysis tools such as machine learning to look for rational patterns as well

as relationships in large volumes of data recovered from the dark web.

Wanting such evidence is logical in investigations of the dark web, but collecting it in a

format which is useful to others requires scrupulous preparation. Police officers follow certain

procedures in the handling of evidence so that in later use in court, such evidence will be

admissible. This includes being able to preserve the original pieces of evidence by adhering to

the chain of custody, writing down all activities carried out throughout the investigation process,

and utilizing methods that would be acceptable in a court of law when presenting the evidence.
Dark web forensics not only benefits the law enforcement agencies in convicting the

offenders but also contribute significantly to improving the cyber security. Being aware of the

strategies, methods, and practices implemented by criminals on the black market, cybersecurity

specialists are able to create preventive measures against new threats, find weaknesses in

cyberspace, and manage potential risks connected with computer crime.

Additionally, conducting forensics on the dark web assists the police and cybersecurity

teams in leading global cooperation. Many of them work internationally because the internet

doesn’t recognize national boundaries and they can easily avoid arrest. In a way that dark web

investigations can bring bodies of information to light, authorities can work together to take

down criminal networks, shut down these markets, and protect people/organizations from cyber

threats.

Overall, dark web forensics poses strategic direction for cybersecurity and law

enforcement in the fight against cybercrime. Through the use of sophisticated technologies,

techniques, and models, investigators are able to detect criminal incidences, gather intelligence

and in the long run ensure that the cybercriminals are brought to book. Thus, the change of the

threats within the cyberspace will always help the need of the dark web forensics for maintaining

the protection of the digital environment, as well as passengers’ interests of different individuals,

companies, and states.

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