The Role of the Dark Web in Tech-Enabled Abuse

By C.Kimberly Toms | April 4, 2025

The dark web exists as a hidden corner of the internet, accessible only through specialized software that masks users’ identities. Beyond its legitimate uses for privacy and free expression, this shadowy realm has become a marketplace for tech-enabled abuse, where anonymity empowers perpetrators and endangers victims. Understanding this ecosystem is crucial for both protection and prevention.

Throughout April 2025, the Rape, Incest and Abuse National Network (RAINN) is spotlighting tech-enabled abuse as part of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). As a survivor, I am very pleased to be collaborating with RAINN to bring attention to tech-enabled abuse and related crimes. Please visit RAINN.org to learn more about their initiatives and how you can help.

My Life as a Case Study

In the coming week, I am sitting down with a federal law enforcement professional with deep knowledge of my case history. Beyond sharing my gratitude for their past lifesaving efforts, my biggest goal in the conversation is to walk away with a better grasp on my personal safety, my outlook for the future.

You see, my offender relies heavily on the dark web as a marketplace for tech-enabled abuse services. He hires hackers, cyberstalkers and other shady individuals willing to do shady things. I have endured their efforts for over a decade. I have learned much about how to stonewall hackers trying to break into my websites. Through unfortunate practice, I have learned how to outwit two “bad cops” using federal-style vehicle formations to instill fear in me as I drive in my community, with one of these individuals having been hired to participate (possibly via the dark web). I lived through a violent sexual assault that was likely filmed for this marketplace. I have survived longer than expected after colorful threats of how my body will be disposed of, never to be found again.

As part of the most outlandish attempt to technologically penetrate the fortress I built around myself, one anonymous individual attempted to gain access to me through a high school acquaintance. I had never spent time with this lady in my high school years, but she caught the attention of my offender as “an easy mark.” For six solid months, the hired individual courted this woman from afar, telling her they were a CIA agent and she was the woman of their dreams. The faux CIA agent built a website to reflect his fake CV to the new accomplice. He also used pirated phone numbers of innocent third parties to hide the origin of his communications. She believed the individual and spied on me successfully from June 2014 to January 2015. Every Facebook status I wrote was reported back to the offender. She spent three months trying to finagle air travel tickets from me to my location, having arranged with my offender to meet us at the airport as I was scheduled to pick her up. My gut instincts led to the cancellation of her trip, loss of the ticket money, and an end to the fake romance-fueled spying.

So, how do you thrive as your life is traded on the dark web? I ask myself this often. How am I able to live so optimistically, despite all that has been proven? How do I wake up happy despite knowing my offender could easily slip back into his obsessions and compulsions, or may already be in them right now, and only has to use a manageable amount of his daddy’s money to end me?

I thrive because I have accepted my mortality, thanks to tech-enabled abuse. I tell people often, “Okay, I may die. Now what?” That is what I cling to: We all die. It is simply my job to live as long as I can and make the best of the time I have. How is that any different from anyone else’s role on this Earth? It’s all a matter of perspective and acceptance.

Still, my curious mind wants insight from the federal law enforcement officer. What do they believe my odds are, in outwitting and outliving this individual who feels empowered by his father’s wealth and the open market of .onion sites? Is there still a price on my head? How can I best “make a mess” of a contracted killer’s efforts, both metaphorically and in creating a solvable crime scene? Will parts of me end up in a “Dark Web Mystery Box” sold to a YouTube influencer to open it on camera for likes? The dark web is full of ghosts with tech enablement. If these ghosts move beyond technology and physically come for me, the best I can do is to ensure they botch it enough to be fully unmasked.

Understanding the Dark Web

What is the Dark Web?

The dark web represents a small fraction of the internet, deliberately hidden from standard search engines. Accessible only through specialized software like Tor, it encrypts and reroutes connections through multiple nodes, masking users’ identities and locations. Unlike the surface web (what most people use daily) and the deep web (password-protected sites), the dark web is intentionally designed for anonymity, serving both legitimate privacy needs and illicit activities.

How the Dark Web Works

Operating through encrypted networks, the dark web relies primarily on Tor (“The Onion Router”), which layers encryption like an onion to conceal both content and user identity. Websites there use .onion domains not indexed by traditional search engines.

The ecosystem functions through decentralized platforms where transactions occur via anonymizing technologies and cryptocurrencies. Despite their illicit purposes, many dark web marketplaces ironically mirror legitimate e-commerce sites in design and functionality.

Common Crimes Associated with the Dark Web

Federal prosecutions frequently target several dark web activities:

Drug trafficking: Marketplaces like the infamous Silk Road facilitate anonymous trade in controlled substances that are distributed through postal systems
Identity theft and fraud: Criminals buy and sell personal information, from Social Security numbers to credit card details
Phishing schemes: Deceptive communications trick victims into revealing sensitive information

Exploitation Tactics and Tools

Dark web criminals employ specialized tools while maintaining anonymity:

Malware kits: Pre-packaged software allowing hackers to deploy viruses and ransomware
Social engineering: Manipulating individuals into divulging confidential information
Remote Access Trojans (RATs): Software enabling remote control of victims’ computers
Doxxing: Gathering and publishing private information as harassment or threat

The Buyer’s Market for Tech-Enabled Abuse

The dark web hosts sophisticated marketplaces resembling e-commerce platforms, complete with listings, ratings, and reviews for illicit services. Buyers can purchase:

Data breaches containing sensitive personal information
Botnet rentals for launching DDoS attacks
Hacking-for-hire services
Illicit content depicting the exploitation, torture and abuse of unknown individuals

These markets allow individuals without technical expertise to acquire specialized criminal services while maintaining anonymity.

The Role of Cryptocurrencies in Facilitating Abuse

How Cryptocurrencies are Used

Cryptocurrencies serve as the financial backbone of dark web transactions. Bitcoin pioneered this role, though privacy-focused alternatives like Monero and Zcash are gaining popularity for their enhanced anonymity features. Dark web marketplaces typically require cryptocurrency payment, enabling transactions without revealing identities. “Tumblers” or mixing services further obscure transaction trails by combining multiple payments.

Challenges in Tracking and Regulation

Law enforcement faces significant hurdles when tracking cryptocurrency transactions:

Decentralized systems operate without central authorities
Advanced privacy features in certain cryptocurrencies conceal transaction details
Mixing services obscure the origin of funds
Rapidly evolving technologies outpace regulatory efforts
International jurisdictional complexities impede coordinated enforcement

AI-Enabled Abuse Trends

Rise of AI-Powered Crime

Artificial intelligence has transformed dark web criminality. As documented in TRM’s report “The Rise of AI-Enabled Crime,” criminals now leverage AI to:

Generate and distribute child sexual abuse material
Create convincing deepfakes for blackmail or harassment
Design sophisticated phishing campaigns
Automate cyberattacks at scale

The growing accessibility of open-source AI models has lowered barriers to entry for orchestrating AI-driven crimes.

Detecting and Preventing AI-Driven Offenses

Combating AI-enabled crimes requires multi-faceted approaches:

AI-driven cybersecurity tools that identify criminal patterns in real-time
Blockchain intelligence to trace suspicious transactions
Public-private partnerships sharing expertise and technology
International legal frameworks and cooperation
Continuous research and development of monitoring solutions

Effects on Victims’ Lives

The impact of dark web-enabled abuse extends far beyond financial loss. Victims experience:

Financial devastation from identity theft
Emotional distress from deepfakes or doxxing
Psychological trauma and persistent vulnerability
Disruption of daily life leading to isolation and anxiety

The long-term stress I’ve endured has taken a physical toll. I’m not the same person I was before—but I continue to thrive nonetheless.

I’ve found some control – and even amusement – by learning to identify my hackers. This requires patience, but their ego-driven actions eventually lead to mistakes. Once in ten years, they’ll use the wrong source IP address, creating a window through which I can glimpse their lives—pet names, spouses, past arrests, residences. These rare wins, though they don’t link directly to my primary offender, help me endure.

Efforts to Combat Dark Web Abuse

Government and Law Enforcement Initiatives

Agencies are developing comprehensive strategies to fight dark web crime:

Specialized training programs for officers investigating digital evidence
Joint task forces combining cyber experts, forensic analysts, and legal professionals
International collaboration to share intelligence and coordinate operations
Proactive adaptation to evolving technologies

Public-Private Partnerships

Combining governmental authority with private sector innovation creates robust defenses against cybercrime:

Technology firms provide advanced analytical tools and expertise
Blockchain analytics companies trace cryptocurrency transactions
Real-time threat intelligence sharing enables swift responses
Joint task forces leverage complementary strengths for more effective operations

Ethical and Economic Implications

Impact on Privacy and Security

The dark web highlights tensions between individual freedom and public safety:

Its anonymity protects journalists, dissidents, and privacy advocates
The same anonymity enables exploitation and cybercrime
Organizations must invest heavily in security measures
Balancing privacy rights with security needs requires nuanced policies

Societal Costs and Benefits

The dark web presents a complex duality:

Costs:

Financial losses from cybercrime
Increased cybersecurity expenditures
Proliferation of harmful content
Undermining of public trust

Benefits:

Platform for free expression in repressive environments
Protected communication for activists and journalists
Secure information sharing for vulnerable communities

Addressing this duality requires ongoing dialogue between policymakers, technology companies, law enforcement, and civil society to develop strategies that minimize harm while preserving legitimate uses.

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FAQs

What kind of information can you find on the dark web?

The dark web hosts a range of information, from illicit content like illegal drugs and weapons to personal data such as stolen credit card numbers and identity credentials. It also offers forums for anonymous communication, and resources for journalists and activists needing privacy. However, legitimate and ethical content also exists alongside these illegal offerings.

Why has Bitcoin become popular on dark web sites?

Bitcoin is popular on dark web sites due to its decentralized nature, which allows transactions to be conducted without a central authority. Additionally, it provides pseudonymity, enabling users to maintain privacy while conducting transactions. Its widespread acceptance across marketplaces further solidifies its use as the go-to currency for illicit activities. Can the authorities ever stamp out the dark web?

Authorities face significant challenges in eliminating the dark web entirely due to its decentralized infrastructure and the continuous demand for anonymity. While efforts can disrupt illegal activities and shut down individual sites, the nature of the dark web means new sites can quickly replace them. Thus, a complete eradication is unlikely, requiring ongoing monitoring and adaptation.