TheRealDeal was a
darknet
A dark net or darknet is an overlay network within the Internet that can only be accessed with specific software, configurations, or authorization, and often uses a unique customized communication protocol. Two typical darknet types are social n ...
website and a part of the
cyber-arms industry
The cyber-arms industry are the markets and associated events surrounding the sale of software exploits, zero-days, cyberweaponry, surveillance technologies, and related tools for perpetrating cyberattacks. The term may extend to both grey and ...
reported to be selling code and
zero-day software exploits.
The creators claimed in an interview with
DeepDotWeb that the site was founded in direct response to the number of dark websites which have emerged during the past few years which do not actually have anything of value to sell and are just scams. The site relied on
Tor and
bitcoin similar to other
darknet market
A darknet market is a commercial website on the dark web that operates via darknets such as Tor or I2P. They function primarily as black markets, selling or brokering transactions involving drugs, cyber-arms, weapons, counterfeit currency, s ...
s but required
multi-signature transactions. There was speculation in the
computer security
Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, th ...
community as to whether the site is a law enforcement
sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person attempting to commit a crime. A typical sting will have an undercover law enforcement officer, detective, or co-operative member of the public play a role ...
due to apparent listing of exploits at many times below their potential market value.
In July 2015 the website was down for 24 hours at the same time as cyber crime forum
Darkode was seized by the FBI and various members arrested in '
Operation Shrouded Horizon'. On 13 August in 2015 the site went offline for unknown reasons. On December 1 it announced its reopening on
DeepDotWeb. The Real Deal was shut down in November 2016.
In 2020, cybersecurity author Vinny Troia provided an analysis of the marketplace's MySQL database, which revealed two of the site's three admins to be members of
The Dark Overlord hacking group.
See also
*
WabiSabiLabi
References
External links
*
Tor onion services
Defunct darknet markets
Cyberwarfare
Cybercrime
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