For maximum security and privacy, dark web marketplaces use multisignature, escrow, 2-FA and PGP services. They use these security protocols to protect your funds, transaction details and your personal data. Some people are not aware of the importance of these services. See an overview of these things.
Multisig
Multisignature means the creation of 2 or 3 escrow services. It is an outstanding service for the security of onion sites. For instance, when a buyer needs to pay a vendor, he will send a transaction to one multisig address. This address needs almost two signatures from admin, vendor and buyer to redeem money.
If vendor and buyer disagree on the deserving party (buyer needs a refund and vendor claims he fulfilled his duty and claims the payment), they may send an appeal to admin. Now admin takes a decision and grants a signature to a vendor or buyer. It enables one party to redeem the funds.
Remember, multisignature is not new because it is implemented in non-bitcoin-based digital currencies. It replicates a similar functionality through different signatures.
Escrow
Escrow means funds ceased by onion sites (dark web marketplace) after an appeal from transacting parties. If the vendor and buyer disagree on the settlement of the funds, the moderator or admin of the marketplace can decide who must get these funds based on the actual situation.
This model has some flaws, such as marketplace can run away with the funds of users. There are examples of these types of incidents. For this reason, finalize early about the funds. Avoid using finalize early option for untrustworthy and new vendors. Make sure to read reviews about a vendor before any transaction.
PGP (Pretty Good Privacy)
It is an encryption program to provide cryptographic authentication and privacy for data communication. You can use PGP to send a confidential message. A public PGP key encrypts these messages. To decrypt these messages, a person must have a private PGP key. For your security, it is essential to keep this key secret.
Real Life Use of PGP
Users can send a private message on onion links. Their vendors can read this message with the help of a private key. Sometimes, they need a dedicated tool to decode PGP messages. Users can write a message and tap on encrypt. The PGP software can encrypt this message.
Users can send this encrypted message to vendors through a marketplace, forum or email. Vendor needs a private key to decrypt this message.
Tips to Stay Safe on Onion Sites
Do you want security on the dark web marketplaces? You have to prepare your machine before visiting these marketplaces. Make sure to download a VPN to stay anonymous and download a Tor browser. Remember, the fusion of a VPN and a Tor browser can keep you secure and anonymous.
Set your goals before visiting onion sites. Avoid using these marketplaces for illegal purposes. You should be mindful before taking any step. Make sure to set clear goals before using an encrypted web. For instance, a reporter needs an encrypted source to communicate with sources. To get credit card information, you will need silk road-type markets to get hacked data. After getting your desired items, you have to disconnect a Tor browser safely.
Buy a New Flash Drive
Buy a new USB (8GB or even larger) flash drive. Try to use an unused and fresh drive. Make sure to install Tails on your storage device. It will help you to maintain your anonymity. Prepare a local machine before visiting onion links.
Make sure to use a new laptop or secure your essential information on a different device. You should backup local files and critical data for your security. It is crucial to optimize your hardware and keep it free from malware.
Download Tor and tails to access download links. To browse anonymously, you will need browsers with secure encryption. Remember, the FBI is after vulnerabilities in the Tor network. For this reason, you can’t completely trust Tor. You will need a combination of a VPN and Tor browser.
You have to install an updated antivirus tool on your machine. Increase the protection of your financial data because cybercriminals need your data to sell on the dark web. They are interested in your login credentials and passwords. For this reason, use strong passwords for your personal accounts. Moreover, try to use a different password for each account.
Create complicated and long passwords with the mixture of lower and upper-case letters, symbols and numbers. It can be challenging to hack a long password. Keep it in mind that hackers can use different tricks to access your data. For this reason, avoid using everyday things, such as the name of the city, your name, father’s name, etc. Try to change your password regularly or at least once a month.