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Cape Town - South Africans are actively engaged on the Deep Web but the nature of their activities remain largely unknown, according to researchers.
According to security firm Trend Micro, locals have used the Deep Web to trade South African passports, among other activities.
The extent of these activities, though, are unknown as the Deep Web entails hidden parts of the internet that are not indexed by any search engines.
Access to the Deep Web is typically only granted through specialised software such as Tor, an expert from anti-virus software company Kaspersky told Fin24..
"Tor is compatible with different operating systems offering all users the same services - traffic encryption and protection against the most powerful surveillance tools. However, the down side is a slow connection," Stefan Tanase, Senior Regional Researcher, EEMEA, Global Research & Analysis Team of Kaspersky Lab, told Fin24 about the popular software.
According to data from Tor (The Onion Router), around 8 000 South Africans directly navigate through the gateway per day. For comparison, Indian users reach Tor around 22 000 times per day, though that number is down from a peak 100 000 in January this year.
Tanase would not be drawn specifically on what South Africans do on Tor, which is known for fiercely defending the anonymity of its users.
"Tor is a network designed to provide privacy and anonymity, so one can only speculate as to what are the exact reasons for Tor usage in South Africa. Generally, the Tor network is used by a wide range of individuals and organisations: From journalists trying to protect their sources and activists wanting to avoid mass surveillance, to cyber criminals and law-enforcement agencies who are trying to catch them."
However, despite the illegal activities that may be conducted on hidden internet resources, Trend Micro believes that the South African Police Service (Saps) is prepared for cybercrime investigations.
"As with all other countries, the fight against cybercrime is a constantly evolving battlefield, and getting criminal convictions is always tough to do. However the Saps have succeeded several times in the last year doing exactly that," the company said.
Global Deep Web activities
According to further research conducted by Trend Micro, the price of a fake US passport on the Deep Web is around $5 900, while the price to assassinate a celebrity or politician costs around $180 000.
The company conducted its research using a technology called the Deep Web Analyzer (DeWa) which scans the deep web for illegal activities and services.
It also found that drugs make up the largest transactional block, with cannabis trades (31.6%), pharmaceuticals (21.05%), LSD, methamphetamine, heroin popular on Deep Web sites.
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