If reports are to be believed, a new version of the online drug marketplace Silk Road – “Silk Road Reloaded” – has been launched recently.
It is only a coincidence that the new Silk Road’s introduction arrived only after the death of its predecessor Silk Road 2. In fact, our research revealed that Silk Road Reloaded was in development for over a year. This somewhat indicates that the makers of previous versions may not be backing this new project after all.
And it reflects in the outcome as well. Silk Road Reloaded apparently uses “I2P” instead of the Fed’s favorite Tor. I2P stands for “Invisible Internet Project” – an open-source computer network layer that uses four encryption layers while sending and receiving data. This layer also includes a domain, called “.i2p” that handles data transfers over the I2P network, offering similar pseudonymity to users. Silk Road Reloaded is accessible only when users download a special I2P software.
The new Silk Road brand also comes with the facility of online money conversion. Apparently, the drug marketplace outdoes its ancestors by integrating an altcoin-to-Bitcoin converter, thus indirectly enabling customers to pay via a series of cryptocurrencies. They include the anonymous ones like Anoncoin and Darkcoin, as well as Litecoin, Dogecoin, Feathercoin amongst others. The payments can be made without conversions as well.
According to the available details, Silk Road Reloaded is offering a range of illegal goods to fill one’s shopping carts – ranging from drugs to hacking tools. It though is missing the rather serious aspects like weapons and stolen credit cards, a thing which its competitor Evolution is claiming to offer.
