The threat of cyber attacks has become very real over the past few years. Consumers and enterprises are preparing for whatever the future may hold. As it turns out, darknet markets are quite concerned about their cyber security defenses as well. A few marketplaces have launched their own “bug bounty” program to ensure no one can infiltrate the marketplace. In doing so, the operators hope to keep law enforcement agencies out at all times.
Darknet Markets Use White Hat Hacking Tactics
It is not uncommon to see platforms conduct bug bounty programs. While internet security engineers will do everything they can to keep online platforms safe from harm, it is impossible for them to fix every bug from day one. Using these bounty programs allows companies to identify flaws and patch them before a criminal can take advantage. This type of “white hat hacking” has been around for many years now and is considered to be invaluable to most companies.
Darknet markets have been focusing their attention on bug bounty programs as well as of late. Hiring hackers to test security defenses will allow these marketplaces to keep out the “bad guys”. In this particular case, that means keeping the government and law enforcement agencies out at all costs. Hansa Marketplace, for example, is plagued by some security issues that need to be fixed as soon as possible.To do so, the team will organize a bug bounty program later this month.
As one would expect from these programs, the participants will be rewarded based on the severity of the bugs they discover. Anything that unveils a person’s real IP address, for example, is considered a major flaw. Hackers will be paid in bitcoin for every bug they successfully disclose. In most cases, that amount can add up to US$10,000 worth of BTC per bug. it is evident a lot of money can be made from participating in this event.
It is unclear if other darknet markets will follow the same train of thought moving forward. Law enforcement agencies are keen on infiltrating these platforms. Over the past few years, they have been quite successful in doing so, that much is certain.Moreover, there is the question of whether or not bug bounty programs are the answer to this lingering platform. A few proficient bug hunters have been just one small step in the right direction. Most Tor hidden services remain the biggest risk to anonymity right now, which is not something individual marketplaces can xi overnight by any means.
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