Silk Road 2.0
eventIntelligence & Surveillance · Darknet & Cyber
The sequel to the internet's biggest drug bazaar lasted a year before a university helped crack it.
Who they are
Silk Road 2.0, the follow-up to the original Silk Road online black market.
What they do
It was a hidden online marketplace launched in November 2013 after the first one was shut down.
How it works
Police took it down in November 2014 in 'Operation Onymous,' partly using an attack on the Tor anonymity network developed at Carnegie Mellon's research institute, which the FBI later subpoenaed.
Why it matters
It shows that even 'anonymous' networks can be broken, sometimes with help from academic researchers.
The engine's record — word for word
Successor to original Silk Road, launched November 2013. Taken down November 2014 via Operation Onymous — partially via Carnegie Mellon SEI Tor-protocol attack subsequently subpoenaed by FBI.
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