With an emerging rise in Darknet criminal activities, the Kerala Police has taken a proactive step to combat these issues by establishing a state-of-the-art lab designed to intervene and dismantle these infractions. This initiative is championed by Cyberdome, the key facility of the State Police Department, which focuses on the prevention of cybercrime and neutralization of security threats that jeopardize the State’s critical information infrastructure.
Understanding the Layers of the Internet
The internet is divided into three tiers. The first layer, known as the public layer, comprises of popular sites that are frequently visited like Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and LinkedIn. Surprisingly, this layer only makes up a mere 4% of the entire internet.
The second layer, also referred to as the deep web, is a network that houses data in inaccessible databases that can’t be reached through standard search engines such as Google. Access to these databases is granted to a specific group of people and the information stored here is generally sensitive and private, such as government confidential data, bank data, and cloud data among others.
The third layer of the internet is the darknet. This layer is encrypted and therefore can only be accessed by using special software like Tor (The Onion Router), or I2P, which stands for Invisible Internet Project. The highly anonymized nature of the dark web makes it immune to routine internet searches.
The Concerns Over Darknet
A study conducted in February 2016, titled ‘Cryptopolitik and the Darknet’, brought to light some alarming statistics about the content available on the TOR network. Out of the 2,723 websites that they could classify by content, a staggering 57%, equating to 1,547 sites, hosted illicit material. This ranged from drugs trafficking sites (423 sites) to illegitimate pornography sites (122) and hacking-related platforms (96), and others.
Other reports highlighted instances of looted login details of popular streaming sites like Netflix being sold on the dark web marketplaces at cheap rates. However, it’s not all negative – the network is also used by activists, especially those living under oppressive regimes, to communicate uncensored.
The Darknet and India’s Legal Measures
In India, the Information Technology Act addresses cybercrime and falls under the supervision of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Despite its vital role, the law only comprises six sections that deal directly with cybercrime.
Given the rapidly changing digital landscape, India requires an updated code of criminal procedures that specifically deal with cybercrime. This would ideally be administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which addresses policing issues. Additionally, there needs to be a designated police force, well-versed with the evolving cyberspace trends, dedicated solely to addressing cybercrime and who are not subjected to transfers to other police units.
Cybercrime Facts
| Type of Cybercrime | Number of offenses |
|---|---|
| Drugs Trafficking | 423 |
| Illegitimate Pornography | 122 |
| Hacking | 96 |
Fighting Cybercrime: The Kerala Police Initiative
To counter the rising tide of cybercrime, particularly activities orchestrated from the darknet, the Kerala Police established a state-of-the-art lab. This initiative is steered by Cyberdome, a premier facility within the State Police Department dedicated to preventing cybercrime and mitigating security threats that could potentially impact the State’s critical information infrastructure.