Dark web, VPNs make Delhi Police's job tough

Ten bomb threat emails have been received by nine schools in the city in the past three days

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

A fresh wave of bomb threats targeting schools and colleges has kept Delhi Police on its toes as many education institutes panicked for three days straight, with senior officers saying the emails were sent using encrypted networks, making them hard to track.

Cyber experts of the Delhi Police and senior officers investigating the threats said the senders are using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and the dark web.

The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines and is accessible only through special browsers, allowing illegal activities such as cybercrime, human trafficking and drugs and weapons trade to thrive. VPN adds a layer of anonymity by allowing users to create a secure connection to another network.

"Tracking someone on the dark web is like chasing a shadow in a room full of mirrors. The moment you think you have found a lead, it vanishes behind another layer of anonymity," a Delhi Police officer explained.