Why in News?
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recently dismantled the ‘Team Kalki’ darknet drug network, which was operating across India — a cybercrime issue often analysed in UPSC coaching in Hyderabad while studying internal security and digital technology threats.
What is the Darknet?
• The darknet is a section of the internet that cannot be accessed through standard web browsers or search engines.
• It requires specialized tools such as TOR (The Onion Router) or similar encryption technologies.
• Users remain anonymous because their identities and locations are concealed through multiple layers of encryption.
• The darknet is considered a subset of the deep web, a topic frequently discussed in IAS coaching in Hyderabad while preparing for cybersecurity-related topics.
How Darknet Works
- Websites on the darknet use encrypted networks and anonymous routing systems.
- The TOR network routes internet traffic through several servers to hide the user’s identity.
- Transactions are often conducted using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Monero.
- These features make it difficult for authorities to trace illegal activities.
Illegal Activities on the Darknet
• Drug trafficking and illegal narcotics trade
• Sale of weapons and counterfeit documents
• Distribution of illegal digital content
• Cybercrime services, including hacking tools and stolen data
• Money laundering through cryptocurrencies
Law Enforcement in India
• Agencies such as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Cyber Crime units monitor darknet activities.
• Operations often involve digital forensics and international cooperation.
• Laws such as the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 are used to tackle such crimes — subjects commonly covered in UPSC online coaching for GS3 internal security.
Challenges
• High anonymity and encryption make investigations difficult.
• Darknet marketplaces frequently change domains or shut down quickly.
• Cross-border nature of cybercrime complicates enforcement.
• Rapid growth of cryptocurrency-based transactions.
These cybersecurity challenges are often analysed in UPSC coaching in Hyderabad and civils coaching in Hyderabad while preparing for internal security and cybercrime topics in the UPSC examination.
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