The Tollywood link to the Darknet’s rise

A scene involving rich youngsters, a rave party, drugs and the cops could well be straight out of a Tollywood flick: only, this one’s for real.

Among those caught by excise sleuths after just such a rave party were some leading men and women of the Telugu movie industry, and a director who made a blockbuster film that dealt with drug abuse.

In the process, the excise team uncovered links to the Darknet, or the Darkweb, which was being used by the peddlers to run their business. Smartphones used by the peddlers to procure ‘ maal ’ and liaise with clients on WhatsApp groups were also recovered.

What is the Darknet? What has baffled law enforcement agencies is the use of the Darknet, the layer of the internet that not only dodges search engines such as Google and Bing, but also gives the slip to investigative agencies. If one were to liken the internet to the sea, only its upper layer would be the searchable part, and the strata beneath, where there is no possibility of casting nets, would be the Darknet.

While the Darknet was primarily designed to allow whistle-blowers and political dissidents to communicate securely and anonymously, its primary use, in practice, is for illegal activities. Most ransomware scams leverage the Darknet for their communication.

The Darknet requires special software to access, says Bryce Boland, Chief Technology Officer of the Internet security solutions firm FireEye. “It can be used for many purposes. Cyber criminals routinely buy and sell personal information and credit card information on the Darknet. People often use Darknet to circumvent government information controls,” he said.

“It’s also common to use it to buy and sell illegal goods, such as banned drugs. Some also use it for evading network controls implemented for censorship. Criminals frequently use it as part of their operations,” he said.

Cyber security experts feel it is important for businesses and governments to be aware of relevant Darknet activity to keep tabs on offenders.

Cop to go on leave Meanwhile, while confirming that notices had been served on some suspects, Telangana Excise Enforcement Director Akun Sabharwal announced that he would be going on leave for 12 days beginning July 16 for ‘personal reasons’. This, however, raises eyebrows as the case is at a critical juncture.

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