A new search engine for the dark web, Kilos, has quickly become a favorite among cybercriminals and here’s why.
It all began when the dark web search engine, Grams, launched in April 2014. Grams was an instant hit, proving useful not only to researchers but cybercriminals too.
The search engine used custom APIs to scrape some of the most prominent cybercriminal markets at the time. These include AlphaBay, Dream Market, and Hansa.
In addition to helping searchers find an illicit product using simple search terms, Grams also provided Helix, a Bitcoin mixer service. That way, users can conveniently hide their transactions on the platform.
Yes, Grams was a revolutionary tool for cybercriminals on the dark web. But, it’s index was still relatively limited.
In a Wired interview, an administrator stated that the team behind Grams didn’t have the capabilities to crawl the whole darknet yet. So, they had to create an automated site submitter for publishers to submit their site and get listed on the search engine.
Despite Grams’ success, it would not remain for long. In 2017, the administrators shut down the search engine’s indexing ability and took the site down.
However, a new search engine would eventually rise to take Grams’ place two years later.
Kilos Became the Favorite Search Engine on the Dark Web
In November 2019, talks of a new dark web-based search engine called Kilos started making rounds on cybercriminal forums.
According to Digital Shadows, it’s uncertain whether Kilos has pivoted directly from Grams or if the same administrator is behind both projects. However, the initial similarities are uncanny.
For example, they both share a similar search engine-like aesthetics. Also, the naming convention remained the same, following the unit for weight or mass measurement.
Expectedly, Kilos pack more weight than Grams ever did.
Thanks to the new search engine, searchers can now perform more specific searches from a more extensive index. Kilos enable users to search across six of the top dark web marketplaces for vendors and listings.
These include Cryptonia, Samsara, Versus, CannaHome, Cannazon, and Empire.
According to Digital Shadows, Kilos has already indexed 553,994 forum posts, 68,860 listings, 2,844 vendors, and 248,159 reviews from seven marketplace and six forums. That’s an unprecedented amount of dark web content.
What’s more, the dark web search engine appears to be improving, with the administrator introducing new updates and features. Some of these features include:
- Direct communication between administrator and users
- A new type of CAPTCHA to prevent automation
- Advanced filtering system
- Faster searches and a new advertising system
- New Bitcoin mixer called Krumble
Kilos are gradually becoming the first stop for dark web users. From individuals looking to purchase illicit products to those searching for specific vendors, tons of users now depend on the search engine.
This could further increase the amount of data that’s available to security researchers as well as threat actors.
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