129 Of the Seized “.Onion” Domains Were at a Single Bulgarian Hosting
Posted by: DeepDotWeb
November 8, 2014
Previous posts available at the Silk Road 2 Bust Tag (Operation #Onymous)
According to a press release by the Bulgarian National security agency – (crappy google translate) The investigation in the Bulgarian Internet space have been identified and suspended 129 hidden websites offering multiple services in TOR network, including the distribution of sexual abuse of children, distribution profiles payment platforms, credit card, drugs, weapons contract killings, illegal trade in Bitcoin and money laundering. In their place is placed special banner of the operation (see photo). Used is the infrastructure hosting company in Bulgaria. All information of the servers providing the services was copied.
This is yet another evidence that the main method that was used by law enforcement to find and take down the site was to target specific hosting services.
H/t: Gwern , @RasmusMunks
Still think you’re anonymous on the Dark Web? #Onymous
— NationalCrimeAgency (@NCA_UK) November 7, 2014
Key Figures
According to Eurojust – These are some key figures from the Global action against darknet markets on the Tor network:
- 17 arrests
- 13 search warrants issued
- 414 hidden sites seized (splash page posted)
- Hardware and digital media seized
- Bitcoins worth approximately USD 1 000 000 and EUR 180 000 in cash, drugs, gold and silver seized
Countries involved in the operation, codenamed ‘Onymous’, include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the USA.
The judicial part of the investigation in Europe was coordinated throughout the action day by Eurojust. Europol supported law enforcement authorities through their cybercrime unit, EC3. The action day took place in close cooperation with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (ICE). The operation fits the objectives of Project ITOM (Illegal Trade in Online Marketplaces), an official Dutch initiative, supported by the European Union, to enhance cooperation between law enforcement and judicial authorities in an effort to hinder the development of online marketplaces.
‘This case is a landmark in the continuing battle against cybercrime; it marks the beginning, not the end, of the pursuit of those who abuse the Internet for illegal profit,’ stated Koen Hermans, Assistant to the National Member for the Netherlands at Eurojust and leader of the coordination centre. Mr Hermans said that this case was important in showing that ‘criminals can no longer hide from the authorities. They will be tracked down and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.’
Operation Onymous: Action Day Impact: hidden services taken down:
Updated: 2014-11-08