Operating on the darknet, these markets function much like their legitimate counterparts, such as Amazon or eBay, with sellers listing products and buyers browsing and making purchases. However, their operations are, by design, highly covert and shrouded in secrecy. The majority of transactions are conducted using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to ensure a high level of anonymity.

Darknet markets have gained notoriety due to their role in facilitating the illegal drug trade. Platforms like Silk Road, which rose to prominence in 2011, became synonymous with the darknet market phenomenon. Silk Road, in particular, captured the public’s attention by offering a wide range of drugs, from marijuana and ecstasy to cocaine and heroin, packaged and shipped discreetly to buyers worldwide. While law enforcement agencies have successfully shutdown Silk Road and similar dark web markets, new ones always emerge in its place, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of this underground economy.

One of the primary reasons behind the rise of darknet markets is the anonymity they provide. Users can access these platforms using specialized software, like Tor, which conceals their IP address and makes it nearly impossible to identify either the buyers or sellers. As a result, darknet markets have transformed into a virtual safe haven for criminals, allowing them to peddle illegal goods and services without fear of detection.

However, it is essential to recognize that not all transactions on these markets revolve around illicit activities. While the majority do, some users utilize darknet markets for legitimate purposes, such as freedom of speech in oppressive regimes or as a means to transact privately in censorship-heavy countries. These individuals benefit from the potential privacy and security offered by the darknet, although they remain a minority within this murky ecosystem.

The existence of darknet markets poses significant challenges for law enforcement agencies worldwide. The inherent anonymity of these platforms makes it incredibly difficult to track down and apprehend those involved in illegal activities. Law enforcement efforts to combat the darknet are complicated by the decentralized nature of these markets, with servers and operations scattered globally, making it challenging to target them effectively.

Moreover, the darknet market operates on an ever-evolving frontier, constantly adapting to law enforcement tactics. Cryptocurrencies, dark web markets like Bitcoin, further boost the resilience and longevity of these markets by enabling secure, anonymous transactions, untethered from traditional banking systems. Pairing this with encrypted communication channels and advanced malware-resistant technologies, it becomes clear why darknet markets have proven so elusive to authorities.

Despite the challenges, global law enforcement agencies have made notable strides in combating the darknet market phenomenon. By deploying specialized cybercrime units and utilizing advanced intelligence techniques, authorities have successfully dismantled some of the most prominent darknet markets. However, it remains an ongoing battle, as new markets continue to crop up, perpetuating the cycle of illegal online commerce.

As the darknet continues to evolve and adapt, society must remain vigilant against the dangers it harbors. Governments and law enforcement agencies need to invest in the development of new technologies and strategies to stay one step ahead of the criminals operating in the shadows. Meanwhile, users must exercise caution and refrain from engaging in illegal activities that propagate the darknet’s nefarious reputation.

The darknet market phenomenon provides a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle between privacy and security. While it offers a haven for illegal activities, it also showcases the need for individuals to protect their privacy and maintain a level of anonymity when conducting lawful and legitimate online interactions. Striking the right balance between privacy and security will undoubtedly remain an ongoing challenge as technology advances and society grapples with its implications.

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Darknet markets are online marketplaces that can only be accessed through special software, such as Tor, which enables users to browse the internet anonymously. These platforms enable the trade of goods and services that are largely illegal on the surface web, making them a thriving hub for illicit activities.

These hidden marketplaces emerged alongside the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, as they provide a perfect means of conducting anonymous transactions. By leveraging advanced encryption techniques, the darknet market creates a sense of security for both buyers and sellers, allowing them to operate without fear of being identified.

One of the most well-known darknet markets was Silk Road, which emerged in 2011 and acted as a virtual black market for drugs, hacking tools, counterfeit money, and even weapons. Its founder, Ross Ulbricht, operated the site under the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts,” a reference to the fictional character in “The Princess Bride.” Despite the anonymity, Silk Road was ultimately brought down by law enforcement agencies in 2013, with Ulbricht receiving a life sentence.

Despite the Silk Road’s takedown, the darknet market landscape continues to diversify, with new platforms sprouting up to cater to evolving customer demands. These markets operate on a decentralized model, with vendors creating their shops and selling their goods to customers from around the world. Escrow systems are typically employed to ensure that transactions are secure and that both parties fulfill their respective obligations.

While drugs are the most prominent items sold on darknet market markets, these underground platforms offer various illicit goods and services. Counterfeit money, fake passports, stolen credit card information, and weapons are just the tip of the iceberg. Cybercriminals also frequent these markets to buy and sell malware, exploit kits, and personal data stolen from unsuspecting individuals.

Furthermore, the darknet has become a hub for hackers offering their services to the highest bidder. From Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to targeting specific organizations, hackers for hire are readily available within this secretive digital realm.

Law enforcement agencies worldwide are constantly battling against the proliferation of darknet market markets. They engage in covert operations to infiltrate these platforms, identify and arrest sellers, buyers, and administrators, and seize their assets. However, dark web market links given the nature of the darknet, it remains an ongoing challenge to eradicate these underground markets entirely.

The debate surrounding darknet markets is a complex one. While they undoubtedly facilitate the sale and distribution of illegal goods, they also offer a sanctuary for individuals living under oppressive regimes to access uncensored information or purchase prescription medications that may be unaffordable or unavailable in their home countries.

Furthermore, some argue that the existence of these markets provides an opportunity for law enforcement agencies to gather valuable intelligence and monitor criminal activities. By observing the transactions and identities within the darknet marketplace, authorities can gain insights into trafficking networks, money laundering schemes, and identify key players in the criminal world.

In conclusion, darknet markets offer a glimpse into a clandestine economy that thrives on anonymity and encryption. While they provide access to illicit goods and services, they also present a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies around the world. The battle between those seeking to exploit the darknet’s potential and those striving to shut it down continues to shape the very fabric of the internet.

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darknet magazine Markets, also known as cryptomarkets or black markets, are virtual marketplaces where vendors sell illegal products anonymously. These markets serve as hubs for the trade of drugs, counterfeit currencies, stolen data, darknet market markets links weapons, hacking tools, and even hitman services. While not all items for sale are illicit, a large majority of transactions on Darknet Markets revolve around illegal and unethical activities.

The anonymous nature of Darknet Markets makes it a haven for criminals seeking to evade law enforcement agencies. Buyers and sellers use pseudonyms and encrypted communication protocols to hide their true identities, making it extremely difficult to trace transactions or identify those involved. Cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, are the primary medium of exchange on these platforms, providing an added layer of anonymity and making it difficult for authorities to track financial flows.

Despite the dubious nature of Darknet Markets, they are not entirely without merit. Advocates argue that these platforms offer a free market alternative for individuals who wish to engage in commerce without government intervention or regulation. They view anonymity as a means to protect privacy and shield individuals from potential harm associated with the trade of certain goods. Additionally, some proponents claim that Darknet Markets facilitate the exchange of information and ideas that may be censored or restricted in certain countries.

The Darknet Market ecosystem is constantly evolving due to frequent law-enforcement crackdowns, exit scams, and the emergence of new marketplaces. Over the years, prominent markets like Silk Road and AlphaBay have been shut down, only to be replaced by new iterations with improved security measures. This cat-and-mouse game between authorities and Darknet Market operators continues to escalate, underscoring the challenges faced in combating this hidden underworld.

Law enforcement agencies around the world are investing resources to infiltrate and dismantle these markets. They conduct undercover operations, engage in cyber surveillance, and collaborate with international agencies to identify and apprehend vendors and customers involved in illegal activities. Yet, it is an arduous task, as the global reach of darknet market Markets and the sophisticated techniques employed by vendors to protect their identities make it challenging to enforce laws effectively.

As governments and international organizations work to combat the illicit trade on Darknet Markets, it is crucial to acknowledge the underlying factors that fuel their existence. Socioeconomic disparities, drug addiction, cyber vulnerabilities, and a lack of trust in traditional markets contribute to the demand for these platforms. Addressing these root causes will be essential in mitigating the growth of Darknet Markets in the long term.

Darknet Markets serve as a stark reminder of the intricate relationship between technology, crime, and society. While they offer a glimpse into the hidden world of illicit online trading, they also highlight the need for robust regulations, international cooperation, and improved cybersecurity measures to safeguard individuals and combat criminal activities on the internet.

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Darknet markets, also known as cryptomarkets, are online platforms that facilitate anonymous transactions for a wide range of illegal goods and services. These marketplaces offer a variety of products, including drugs, counterfeit documents, stolen data, weapons, hacking tools, and even hitman services. Unlike traditional e-commerce platforms, darknet markets operate in the shadows, allowing users to buy and sell goods anonymously using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

One of the most well-known darknet markets was Silk Road, launched in 2011 by Ross Ulbricht, aka “Dread Pirate Roberts.” Silk Road gained notoriety for being the first truly successful darknet dark web market links, giving users access to drugs and other illicit items. Despite Ulbricht’s capture and the subsequent shutdown of Silk Road by the FBI, the concept of darknet markets had already taken root, leading to the emergence of countless successors.

While the existence of these markets raises serious ethical and legal concerns, darkmarket 2024 proponents argue that darknet market markets provide individuals with an opportunity to exercise their freedom of choice, especially regarding substances like drugs. They claim that a regulated marketplace can ensure safer transactions, reduce violence associated with the illegal drug trade, and dark markets provide quality control to protect users from dangerous or contaminated substances.

Additionally, darknet markets have also played a role in fostering whistleblower initiatives and leaking sensitive information. Leaks like those of WikiLeaks have shed light on government and corporate misconduct, bringing crucial issues to the public’s attention. This aspect of darknet market markets, often labeled as hacktivism, raises interesting debates regarding the balance between security, privacy, and transparency in modern society.

However, the darknet market world is not devoid of dangers. It is plagued by scams, fraud, and an inherent lack of trust. As users operate under pseudonyms, it becomes challenging to ensure the credibility and reliability of vendors. Furthermore, the anonymous nature of transactions attracts criminal elements, potentially fueling money laundering, identity theft, and the distribution of illegal materials.

Law enforcement agencies worldwide have taken steps to combat the proliferation of darknet markets. Agencies like the FBI and Interpol have successfully closed down several prominent markets and arrested key individuals. Nonetheless, these actions have only led to the rise of alternative platforms, showcasing the agility of this hidden online world.

In recent years, darknet market markets have also seen a paradigm shift with the increasing use of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin, in particular, has become the go-to currency due to its decentralized nature and anonymity features. This has further complicated efforts by authorities to curb illegal activities in these markets, as the use of cryptocurrencies can obscure financial trails and make it harder to trace transactions.

Darknet markets exist as a consequence of the limitations and flaws of our traditional systems. While they provide an alternative realm where individuals can engage in illicit trade, the ethical implications and the danger they pose cannot be ignored. Striking a balance between privacy, safety, and the rule of law is a complex issue that society and regulators must address moving forward.

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Darknet markets are online platforms that operate on the dark web, a hidden part of the internet accessible only through specialized software such as Tor (The Onion Router). These markets facilitate the buying and selling of a wide range of illegal goods and services, including drugs, firearms, counterfeit money, stolen data, hacking tools, and more.

One of the primary advantages of darknet markets onion address markets is the anonymity it provides to both buyers and sellers. Users can browse and make purchases without fear of being tracked or identified by law enforcement agencies. This cloak of anonymity is achieved through the use of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which allows for seamless transactions between parties without leaving a trace.

The rise of darknet market markets can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the demand for illegal goods and services has always existed, despite stringent laws and regulations in place. These markets provide a platform for such activities to thrive by leveraging the anonymity and encryption provided by the dark web.

Additionally, darknet markets have capitalized on technological advancements and the ever-growing sophistication of cybercriminals. Advanced encryption methods, decentralized marketplaces, and anonymous forms of payment are just a few examples of how criminals exploit technology to conduct their illicit operations. This evolving landscape poses significant challenges for law enforcement agencies worldwide, as they struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing tactics employed by darknet market actors.

However, it is important to recognize that not all participants in darknet markets are inherently criminal. Some individuals, concerned about their privacy and security, may turn to these platforms for legitimate purposes. Whistleblowers, journalists, and activists operating in oppressive regimes often rely on darknet markets to communicate, share information, and protect their identities.

Despite the potential benefits for privacy advocates, the darknet market ecosystem presents severe risks to both individuals and society. The availability of drugs and other harmful substances with minimal regulation poses a significant threat to public health. Moreover, darknet markets links the financial implications of the illegal trade conducted through darknet market markets can undermine legitimate economies and empower criminal organizations.

Efforts to combat darknet markets have been underway for years. Law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity firms work in collaboration to track down and shut down these illicit platforms. Over time, numerous marketplaces have been taken down, and their operators have been arrested, serving as a deterrent for those involved in such illegal activities.

In conclusion, darknet market markets represent a dark underbelly of the internet, where illegal goods and services are readily available to those who seek them. While they provide an avenue for privacy and discretion, their presence perpetuates criminal activities with far-reaching consequences. Striking a balance between privacy and security will continue to be a challenge as technological advancements continue to shape the evolving landscape of the darknet.

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The site, known as DarkMarket, was shut down on Monday, prosecutors in the southwestern city of Koblenz said.
All sorts of drugs, forged money, stolen or forged credit cards, anonymous mobile phone SIM cards and darknet market lists malware were among the things offered for sale there, they added.

German investigators were assisted in their months-long probe by U.S. authorities and by Australian, British, Danish, Swiss, Ukrainian and Moldovan police.

The marketplace had nearly 500,000 users and more than 2,400 vendors, prosecutors said.

They added that it processed more than 320,000 transactions, and Bitcoin and Monero cryptocurrency to the value of more than 140 million euros ($170 million) were exchanged.

The darknet market is a part of the web accessible only with specialized identity-cloaking tools.

The suspected operator, a 34-year-old Australian man, was arrested near the German-Danish border.

Prosecutors said a judge has ordered him held in custody pending possible formal charges, and he hasn’t given any information to investigators.

More than 20 servers in Moldova and Ukraine were seized, dark web darknet market German prosecutors said. They hope to find information on those servers about other participants in the marketplace.

Prosecutors said the move against DarkMarket originated in an investigation of a data processing center installed in a former NATO bunker in southwestern Germany that hosted sites dealing in drugs and other illegal activities.

It was shut down in 2019.

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Investigators say the “BoysTown” platform, which operated on the darknet market, dark websites had more than 400,000 members.

Pedophiles used it to exchange and watch pornography of children and dark web markets web darknet market list toddlers, most of them boys, from all over the world. It was shut down in April 2021.

The suspects are aged between 41 and 65, Frankfurt prosecutors said in a statement. Their names weren’t released, in keeping with German privacy rules.

They face charges that include spreading and producing child pornography and sexual abuse of children.

Two of the men are accused of building the platform in 2019. One of them also allegedly sexually abused two children. The other was extradited in October from Paraguay, where he had lived for a few years.

A third suspect is accused of acting as an administrator and moderator for the platform as well as sexually abusing two children. Prosecutors say that the fourth man was “one of the most active users” of the platform.

All four are in custody.

The Frankfurt state court now has to decide whether the case will go to trial and darkmarket url if so when. Prosecutors said investigations of other suspected members of the platform are continuing.

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A government shutdown of dark web marketplaces AlphaBay and Hansa has merchants and consumers looking for a new home.

Authorities , the largest online marketplace for illegal goods, on July 4, and took down Hansa, the third largest, on Thursday. The sites, where people could buy drugs, guns and child pornography, had flourished since 2014, when a predecessor, Silk Road, was shut down. 

Fueled by Tor browsers and cryptocurrencies that offer anonymity, AlphaBay, Hansa and other sites avoided much government detection, allowing  in the wake of Silk Road’s demise. AlphaBay replaced as the biggest, growing to be 10 times larger. 

When one dark market falls, buyers and sellers just move on to the next one.

The migration of buyers and sellers comes as authorities around the world crack down on digital marketplaces that cater to growing numbers of shadowy sales. at the time it was taken offline. By comparison, Silk Road had just 14,000 when the Federal Bureau of Investigation closed it four years ago.

Many of the sites . A recent study by the University of Manchester and think tank Rand Europe found 811 arms-related listings on . The researchers found nearly 60% of the weapons came from the US and most of the sales were headed to Europe. Worryingly, one gun bought on a cryptomarket was used in a .

FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe acknowledged shutting down such markets was like playing whack-a-mole. His agency would likely have to in the future, he said.

“Critics will say as we shutter one site, another will emerge,” McCabe said at a press conference. “But that is the nature of criminal work. It never goes away, you have to constantly keep at it, and you have to use every tool in your toolbox.”

One such tool: using a captured marketplace as a trap.

After the fall of AlphaBay, Dutch police said they saw traffic heading to Hansa spike eight-fold. That was something the cops were anticipating. 

Dutch police had full control of Hansa on June 20, but waited a month before shutting it down hoping to catch the new users in marketplace chaos.

“We could identify and disrupt the regular criminal activity that was happening on Hansa darknet market but also sweep up all of those new users that were displaced from AlphaBay and looking for a new trading platform for their criminal activities,” Rob Wainwright, the Europol director, said at the press conference.

Dutch police now have the usernames, passwords and IP addresses of thousands of Hansa users, and are tracking them down.

An underground in flux

The ploy has dark web darknet market users on edge. Many are concerned about whether the next available platform will be compromised as well. That has them questioning Dream darknet market, a marketplace that’s been in business since 2013 and dark market onion benefitted from the shutdown of rivals. 

“After the closure of the AlphaBay market, many vendors expressed that they were moving their operations to Hansa and Dream darknet market,” Liv Rowley, an analyst at Flashpoint, darknet market lists said. “The shuttering of Hansa now leaves Dream the only remaining major option.”

Rowley noticed chatter on forums and subreddits pointing to Dream Market as the next AlphaBay, but people are wary after the Dutch police ploy.

Reddit users on several  threads have expressed concerns the website has been compromised in a similar fashion. A user who speculated Hansa had been compromised in a thread posted  returned on Thursday to warn that .

“This is a warning you will want to heed,” the user, who goes by , posted. “They are waiting to gather as many refugees from AB & Hansa as they can and then drop the hammer.”

Other marketplaces, like Tochka and Valhalla, could also rise in the vacuum AlphaBay and Hansa have left. Some smaller dark web markets are even appealing to those lost in AlphaBay’s shake-up. 

Security company was offering vendors from AlphaBay a discount if they moved to their platform.

“The entire illegal underground is in flux right now,” Flashpoint’s Rowley said.

It’ll be quiet on the dark web until people can find a reliable marketplace again, but eventually they will, said Emily Wilson, the director of analysis at Terbium Labs.

She called the busts a “sizable hiccup” but not “an irreversible blow.” 

It’s unclear who’ll emerge from the fallout. But the FBI estimates that more than 40,000 merchants are looking for a place to sell. And there are more than 200,000 customers looking for places to buy stuff they can’t get on Amazon. 

With AlphaBay, the Amazon of illegal goods, now shut down, the market is fragmenting. If you want malware, there’s a market for that on the dark web. The same for guns and for drugs. So business will go on, albeit less conveniently.

“For now, there are plenty of smaller and more specialized markets for vendors and buyers to continue trading,” Wilson said. 

First published July 21, 8 a.m. ET

Update, 5:04 p.m.: Adds background on scope of the markets, weapons sales. 

: Online abuse is as old as the internet and it’s only getting worse. It exacts a very real toll.

: CNET chronicles tech’s role in providing new kinds of accessibility.

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The suspects arrested included several high-profile targets, involved in buying or selling illegal goods online, Europol said today.

Operation Dark HunTOR darknet sites also recovered millions of pounds in cash and , as well as drugs and guns. 

The bust stems from a German-led police sting earlier this year taking down the ‘world’s largest’ darknet market marketplace.

Darknet markets are e-commerce sites designed to lie beyond the reach of regular search engines and are popular with criminals, as buyers and sellers are largely untraceable. 

Dark HunTOR, ‘was composed of a series of separate but complementary actions in Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, dark web market list darknet market the United Kingdom, and the United States,’ the Hague-based Europol said.

In the United States alone, police arrested 65 people, dark web link while 47 were held in Germany, 24 in Britain, and four each in Italy and the Netherlands, among others.

A number of those arrested ‘were considered high-value targets’ by Europol.

Law agents also confiscated 26.7 million euros (£22.45million) in cash and virtual currencies, as well as 45 guns and 516lbs of drugs, including 25,000 ecstasy pills.

Italian police also shut down the ‘DeepSea’ and ‘Berlusconi’ marketplaces, ‘which together boasted over 100,000 announcements of illegal products’, said Europol, which coordinated the operation together with its twin judicial agency Eurojust.

German police in January closed down the ‘DarkMarket’ online marketplace, used by its alleged operator, an Australian, to facilitate the sale of drugs, stolen credit card data and malware.

Europol said the arrest of the alleged operator, caught near the German-Danish border at the time, and the seizure of the criminal infrastructure provided ‘investigators across the world with a trove of evidence’.

German prosecutors at the time said DarkMarket came to light in the course of a major investigation against the web-hosting service Cyberbunker, located in a former NATO bunker in southwest Germany.

Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre EC3 has since been compiling intelligence packages to identify the key targets, the continent’s policing agency said.

The secret ‘darknet market‘ includes websites that can be assessed only with specific software or authorisations, ensuring anonymity for users.

They have faced increased pressure from international law enforcement in recent months.

‘The point of operations such as this is to put criminals operating on the dark web on notice (that) the law enforcement community has the means and global partnerships to unmask them and hold them accountable for their illegal activities,’ Europol deputy director of operations Jean-Philippe Lecouffe said.

Rolf van Wegberg, cybercrime investigator at the TU Delft university said the operation signalled a break in the trend of recent police actions against suspected online criminals.

‘This kind of operations in the past looked at arresting the controllers of these marketplaces, we now see police services targeting the top sellers,’ he told investigative journalists at the Dutch KRO-NCRV public broadcaster.

A press conference about the operation has been set for 10am local time (2pm GMT) in Washington with the Department of Justice. 

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Washington has announced sanctions against a cryptocurrency exchange it says has worked with ransomware attackers

The United States imposed sanctions Tuesday on cryptocurrency exchange SUEX for its ties to ransomware extortionists, dark darknet market url as Washington seeks to crack down on a sharp rise in digital crime attacks.

The move marks the first US sanctions against a virtual currency exchange and they come as President Joe Biden’s administration has been under pressure to act after high-profile hacks and data breaches.

The attacks on a major US oil pipeline, a meatpacking company and Microsoft Exchange email system caused real-world problems and dark markets drew attention to the vulnerability to US infrastructure to digital pirates.

The US Treasury Department, which announced the sanctions, did not say if SUEX was implicated in any of those incidents, but noted that 40 percent of the exchange’s known transaction history was linked to “illicit actors.”

“Some virtual currency exchanges are exploited by malicious actors, but others, as is the case with SUEX, facilitate illicit activities for their own illicit gains,” a Treasury statement said, adding they are the first sanctions against a crypto exchange.

As a result of the sanctions, any assets of the platform under US jurisdiction are now blocked and Americans are barred from using SUEX.

– $10 million reward –

Crypto experts from Chainalysis noted large sums had moved through the platform, much of it from suspect sources.

“In Bitcoin alone, SUEX’s deposit addresses hosted at large exchanges have received over $160 million from ransomware actors, scammers and darknet market dark market 2024 operators,” said a report from Chainalysis, which provides data on cryptocurrency.

SUEX is registered in the Czech Republic, and has branches in Russia and the Middle East.

Chainalysis said the US designation is important because it “represents significant action” by Washington to combat the money laundering that is key to digital crime.

The United States also issued a fresh warning against companies and individuals paying ransoms to unlock their files seized by ransomware hackers.

It noted that Americans could face penalties themselves if they are involved in making ransom payments as the United States already has a blacklist of people and countries, some of which are linked to ransomware attacks.

Tuesday’s announcement comes after Washington in July offered $10 million rewards for information on online extortionists abroad as it stepped up efforts to halt a sharp rise in ransomware attacks.

This year has seen a slew of prominent ransomware attacks which have disrupted a US pipeline, a meat processor and the software firm Kaseya — affecting 1,500 businesses, dark markets 2024 many of them far from the limelight.

Some $350 million was paid to malicious cyber actors last year, a spike of 300 percent from 2019, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

US officials say many of the attacks originate in Russia although they have debated to what extent there is state involvement.

Russia denies responsibility.

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