Darkverse: the criminal side of the Metaverse

Just as the birth of the Internet gave birth to the Darkweb, the Metaverse gave birth to the Darkverse.

The hidden part of the metaverse is called the DarkVerse

Criminals, illicit activities, Hackers and scammers, could take advantage of a space like the Metaverse, reports Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader that following a study found that the potential for illicit activity is possible.

The Darkweb has always been a question mark for many, not least because it is a space where it is best to stay away. Full of human rights atrocities and black markets where weapons and even hitmen can be purchased. A similar space in the Metaverse could be just as dangerous, thus introducing a new space for illegal activities.

What is the Darkverse? 

The Metaverse, in addition to its extraordinary evolution, has also opened up new avenues for hackers, fraudsters and criminals of all kinds. These categories of people set up private spaces to facilitate illegal activities or communicate with other criminals. We define these spaces as the Darkverse. 

The Darkverse is similar to the Darkweb, except that it all takes place within the Metaverse and is not currently indexed by standard search engines. In some ways, it is more dangerous than the Darkweb because of the “physical” presence of users. It mimics clandestine physical encounters as opposed to the purely online open discussion threads in the criminal forums of the Darkweb. 

We envision a dark space in the metaverse. Organized and managed through authentication tokens for exclusive access and hidden communications through tools such as proximity messaging or other untraceable, decentralized methods. Even if law enforcement became aware of these spaces, they would not be able to infiltrate without an appropriate token. The difficulties in tracking down certain criminals could be many more than expected.

The possible threats

The threats which can be imagined are only a part of the real criminal possibilities that could arise from the Darkverse.

NFTs are certainly becoming an increasingly popular way of defining ownership in the Metaverse and, as a result, are increasingly being targeted by phishing. As we have already seen in normal communication systems and search engines, phishing systems already exist to date. On the plus side, they are traceable and centralized; in the Darkverse it may not be so easy for law enforcement to monitor; it may take years before police can operate effectively within it.

Money laundering through the use of virtual real estate in the Metaverse is also becoming a criminal system that can be taken advantage of in this virtual environment.

Criminal communication spaces could facilitate criminal organizations, a safe place protected from prying ears 

Privacy is redefined. Operators of Metaverse-like rooms gain unprecedented insight into users’ actions: privacy as we know it no longer exists there.

The questions we can ask ourselves are many, but of one thing we are sure, the Metaverse will also need to be regulated and advanced security systems will have to be introduced to protect people even in this digital world.