The Mastermind Behind The Incognito Market
Lin Rui Siang has been a big timer in the illicit trade ecosystem on the dark web. With his arrest, it has been a significant moment in the ongoing legal fight against cybercrime, which shows the complexity and persistence of these underground markets. Lin’s operation specialized in selling illegal drugs, counterfeit goods, and stolen data and had been an operation that had been against law enforcement’s nerves for years. This further means that the man had the ability to remain on the run for so many years, underscoring the problems that authorities encounter in disrupting such networks.
Incognito Market was probably the best-spread darknet site for every type of product: drugs, counterfeit goods, and stolen data. The use of the most advanced encryption technologies, in combination with anonymous communication, allowed the seller and the buyer to feel protected on the platform used by Lin. This made it practically impossible for any law enforcement agency to penetrate the market and collect all of the evidence necessary for prosecution. And even with this type of protection, Lin’s persistence in doing the previously mentioned things finally got to him.
The operation leading to Lin’s arrest was a result of cooperation between several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Europol. It had been in the works for a few years and thus was definitely not an easy task to execute. They had to use multiple tactics, from undercover infiltration to cyber espionage, to gather enough intelligence in order to bring down Lin and his close associates. This successful operation is the best proof of why cooperative work has to be conducted in the field of globally fighting cybercrime.
Taking down the Incognito Market is a success, although it is at the same time a word that should rather underline the resilience of the dark web illicit trade. While Lin’s market has been pulled down, similar platforms still remain, changing looks all the time to evade detection. This cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and cybercrime will never abate. Lin’s is a chilling story, one that must be heeded by anybody in the cybersecurity game, and serves as a constant reminder to remain keen and act pre-emptively. As the dark web markets evolve in sophistication, so too must the techniques and technologies for the fight against them. The arrest of Lin Rui Siang went on to show the dedication and expertise of world policing agencies, but at the same time it opened a can of worms in the field of cybercrime.
