The Ichidan Dark Web search engine which can be found on the Dark Web is becoming and more popular as users of all types flock to it. The site has become a popular destination for ordinary users, hackers and security researchers which all rely on its capabilities.
Ichidan is the first Tor Network Monitor for Hidden Services
Ichidan is a search engine that prides itself as being the first network monitor for the hidden services available on the Tor Dark Web. This means that it can be used by all kinds of users, including hackers and security researchers to lookup and check on the status of certain sites that are hosted on the anonymous network.
The site itself is accessed through the Tor Browser just like any other Dark Web site hosted on the international network. Its current domain name may be changed in the future if it is abused by the criminals. The site’s design seems to replicate other simple-looking search engines and bears a similarity to Shodan rather than the more user-friendly Google.
Ichidan’s primary aim is to display technical information about the hosted hidden services available on Tor. The data is displayed next to the site’s profile and includes the following fields:
- HTTP Headers ‒ They give information on the used server to power the site and details on its exact version and other related data.
- Open Ports ‒ Ichidan gives information about the available ports of the sites.
- Additional Information ‒ Various technical and miscellaneous data is available.
The Ichidan Search Engine Used for Dark Web Research
The Ichidan search engine has already been in security research. As the site automatically collects detailed information about the technical side of the Tor hidden services it provides a rich database of data that can be used in different cases.
Probably one of the most useful tasks that it can produce is a constant lookup of the availability of the different target sites. Security researchers were able to harness its potential in a large worldwide scan of security vulnerabilities and hosts lookup.
As a result several websites with a lot of exposed services and ports were identified in a manner of minutes. The Ichidan search engine can therefore be used by computer criminals to find potential vulnerabilities and exploit them using automated means.
The identified site in question had a lot of critical services accessible from the wider Tor hidden network including a remote administration service. It is possible that this was an online default instance of a product or application. One of the most important rules of cyber security i never to expose default configurations as they are the easiest way for hackers to intrude into the internal network.
Ichidan Used For Dark Web Research
Another use for the Ichidan search engine is its use in qualitative research. The computer research can input lists of site addresses and check back on their availability and current status. By typing in standard queries the researchers can check on the sites that are indexed by Ichidan.
When the information is combined with other portals, indexes and related search engines the resulting data can give insight on the Dark Web status. A global scan that was initiated by a research team in March has shown that the hidden network has shrunk by 85% in comparison to previous surveys. Now using the combined power of Ichidan alongside other research tools, a new scan can create a much richer perspective on the topic.
Possible Ichidan Abuse Cases
As Ichidan is a search engine in its core it can be used to access data and sites that cannot be found by other sites. Depending on the amount of sites indexed in its list, the service can be a helpful tool for users of all kinds: regular computer users looking for information not available on the wider Internet, security researchers that have an interest on the Dark Web sphere and malicious hackers looking for underground forums or markets.
Dark Web contents can include a variety of data sources and information regarding topics including the following:
- Gray Literature ‒ Refers to materials that are usually not accessible through ordinary means. The term is used for various content that is normally not distributed publicly.
- Pirate Content ‒ This is probably one of the most widely used reasons why users enter the Dark Web. A lot of sites, forums and online communities found there share a large quantity of pirate content.
- Hacker Communities ‒ The Dark Web hosts the largest underground computer criminal communities.
- Criminal Markets ‒ The Dark Web houses the majority of the underground hacker markets where stolen data, drugs and other related commodities can be traded freely.
- Information you provide
We are actively tracking Ichidan’s progress and any subsequent news that might come out of its use. The service is gradually attracting interest and it may very well become an even more popular tool among Dark Web users of all types.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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