Exploring the Dark Waters – A Comprehensive Silk Road Dark Web Guide in 2023

The silk road dark web took the world by storm in the early 2010s, emerging as the first-ever virtual space for illegal trade. Stolen data, forged documents, illegal drugs, and beyond, you would almost find everything inappropriate on the Silk Road dark web. Let us peel back the dark layers of this mysterious trade world and learn how to protect your network against such vices effectively.

Understanding the Dark Web – What is it?

The dark web is the deepest and darkest part of the internet where a person remains untraceable and their activity is hidden. This portion operates within an encrypted, anonymous, and decentralized environment, which means that if you are on the dark web, your activities can not be traced back to you.

Source: WHSR

This sets the stage for highly illegal trade. Frauds, stolen information trade, drug deals, hacking, assassinations, you name it, the dark web has it! Due to this reason, authorities tend to track down its sources and shut down these dark web platforms for good. Here are some of the most popular dark web platforms and their current status:

1. The Silk Road – Not Active
2. AlphaBay – Not Active
3. Wall Street Market – Not Active
4. Vice City – Active
5. Empire Market – Not Active
6. Berlusconi Market – Not Active
7. ASAP market – Active

What is the Silk Road dark web?

The Silk Road dark web is the first ever online dark marketplace named after the historical trade route. When Ross Ulbricht created the platform in 2011, he named the virtual marketplace Silk Road due to its diverse trading opportunities and transactions – even if most were illegal. 

This Silk Road dark web allowed users to access the website using the anonymous Tor network and complete transactions using Bitcoin – this ensured complete identity protection and privacy to carry out illegal trade. 

Learn more: 15 Dark Web Websites you should explore

How does the Silk Road work?

As the Silk Road dark web offered a place for illegal trade, there is little possibility of doing it on a regular Chrome tab. Therefore, the platform was only accessible via a Tor browser which masks user identity and utilizes encryption to ensure privacy for this dark trade.

Source: CyberGhost

Here is how you can download Tor: 

1. Go to Torproject.org/download and download Tor.
2. Click on the .exe file and install the Tor browser.
3. Launch the Tor browser.

It is a perfect medium for a dark web platform because the Tor browser can be made portable by installing it on a flash drive. You can launch the anonymous browser anywhere just by plugging the flash drive.

Learn more: How to access Dark Web safely?

What can you buy on the Silk Road?

When the Silk Road dark web was still up, there was everything inappropriate and illegal one could buy on the platform. According to The Guardian, in 2013, there were around 10,000 products and 159 listed services to choose from. Here are some things you would find on the dark digital trade platform: 

• Drugs: The Silk Road dark web was a drug marketplace as 70% of the products sold were drugs. You could find many types of drugs like marijuana, heroin, cocaine, etc.
• Forged documents: From passports to identification cards and everything in between. You could get any documents forged on the platform. 
• Hackers: Among the listed services, you could even hire a hacker to hack into a network, get sensitive data, or carry out planned cyberattacks. 
• Adult content: Explicit content was available on the dark silk web as well, however, it was not the primary focus of the platform. 
• Guns and ammunition: According to some product listings, you could buy authentic firearms, ammunition, and related accessories on the silk road Dark web
• Data: Sensitive information like login credentials, credit card details, and other data was often traded on the platform.
• Services: Money laundering, hitman hiring, and various other services like these were also readily available.  

• Digital goods: You could even get some casual items like artwork, designer clothing, e-books, and other media content. 

Controversies – Is the Silk Road dark web still working?

The Silk Road dark web was shut down in 2013 by law enforcement authorities and has remained dysfunctional since. Because the Tor browser and cryptocurrency protected the user’s identity, law enforcement had to trace shipping to get to the root of this vicious website.

The founder of the Silk Road dark web, Ulbricht, also made a grave mistake by linking his email address to the platform and engaging in discussions on public forums with the name Dread Pirate Roberts.

Source: CNN

Law enforcement eventually tracked Ulbricht down in San Francisco, and he was arrested at a public library where he was logged into the admin panel of the Silk Road dark web. Several charges were pressed, including computer hacking crimes, money laundering, trafficking narcotics, and even attempted murder. Ulbricht was sentenced to double life imprisonment and was also to pay a fine of $183 million.

Top security tips – Stay safe on both sides of the Internet

Whether you are curious about the dark web or simply want to be more cautious surfing the usual web platforms, you must always be prepared to defend your system against security threats. Here are some of our best security tips:

• Avoid clicking on random links because they can direct you to some insecure website. 
• Ensure you do not download any software on your system before verifying the source. 
• Verify the URL before entering personal information, like passwords, pins, or credit card details on any site.
• Do not share private information with anyone, especially not over text, mail, or other communication medium that can be intercepted.
• Use a reliable VPN service, like PureVPN, to remain anonymous online and hide your online activity. 
• Use two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure better security for your accounts and network.
• Regularly update your system software and install patches.
• Educate yourself regarding security threats, like phishing attempts, DDos, etc.

Try a better way to be anonymous with PureVPN

If you want to browse the internet anonymously, the Silk Road dark web isn’t your only option. Instead, a much safer and legal way would be to use a reliable VPN service like PureVPN.  

With PureVPN, you can hide your online identity so that your activity cannot be monitored without your knowledge. It can also help you enhance your network security and protect you against the threats associated with the Silk Road and other dark web platforms. 

With PureVPN’s advanced encryption techniques and security protocols, you can browse the Internet without worrying about security breaches and data interceptions. 

• Hide your online activity and remain anonymous using IP masking.
• Get a Dedicated IP address to host private servers.  
• Enjoy global connectivity with 6500+ of PureVPN’s remote servers in 70+ locations.
• Avoid DNS leaks with PureVPN’s leak protection protocols. 
• Browse safely and remain safe on the Internet with advanced AES 256-bit encryption.

To wrap up

Know that the Silk Road was not the end of this dark saga but only the beginning. As living proof, these dark web platforms keep popping up now and then to provide illegal services and trade in different domains. And while law enforcement authorities are trying tirelessly to track down their sources and shut them for good, they need help to keep tabs on them.

That is why improving your network security and remaining vigilant enough to detect and avoid security attacks is a much better option. PureVPN can help you manage your system security, encrypt your network traffic and keep your online identity hidden for a safer internet experience. 

Frequently Asked Questions