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brucesongs/kali-claw/skills/darkweb-intel/SKILL.md

darkweb-intel

Dark web intelligence gathering — Tor/onion service reconnaissance, marketplace monitoring, breach data markets, threat actor profiling, with strict OPSEC for investigators.

Source repository stars
67
Declared platforms
2
Static risk flags
3
Last source update
2026-08-19
Source checked
2026-08-28

Decision brief

What it does: where it fits

Supplementary Files: - payloads.md — Tor/Whonix/Tails setup, ahmia.fi/Torch/dark.fail/Onionland/Haystak search patterns, OnionScan enumeration, IntelX/DarkOwl/HIBP/DeHashed API usage, threat actor pivot (handles, PGP keys, XMR wallets), Recon-ng darkweb modules, async Python scr…

Best for

  • Brand / executive monitoring: Detect when a brand name, executive email, or proprietary codebase appears in a dark-net marketplace listing, leak forum, or ransomware gang blog — before the public disclosure.
  • Breach impact triage: When a new breach drops on a leak site, correlate the dump against the client's email/domain/employee list via HIBP, DeHashed, and IntelX to scope impact.
  • Threat actor profiling: From a single forum handle, recover associated PGP keys, Monero wallets, prior handles, marketplace vendor profiles, and clearnet identities (when actors slip) — building a dossier for attributio…

Not for

  • Tasks that require unconfirmed production actions or broad system permissions.
  • Environments where the pinned source and install steps cannot be inspected.

Compatibility matrix

Platform support, with evidence labels

PlatformStatusEvidenceWhat to check
CodexNot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Claude CodeDeclaredSource recordInstall path and trigger
CursorDeclaredSource recordInstall path and trigger
Gemini CLINot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Open the compatibility checker

Installation

Inspect first. Install second.

The source command is displayed only when detected. A safe inspection prompt is always available so your agent can explain every action before execution.

Source-detected install commandSource
npx skills add https://github.com/brucesongs/kali-claw --skill "skills/darkweb-intel"
Safe inspection promptEditorial

Inspect the Agent Skill "darkweb-intel" from https://github.com/brucesongs/kali-claw/blob/a3205f5484ca8fec9fd809f3c16fe41fbc6ac87e/skills/darkweb-intel/SKILL.md at commit a3205f5484ca8fec9fd809f3c16fe41fbc6ac87e. List every install step, command, network request, credential, file read/write, external action, and rollback step. Explain whether it fits my task. Do not install or execute anything until I approve.

Workflow

What the source asks the agent to do

  1. 01

    Dark Web Investigation Five-Phase Process

    Never investigate the dark web from a corporate or personal device with bare Tor. Provision an isolated environment first.

    Never investigate the dark web from a corporate or personal device with bare Tor. Provision an isolated environment first.
  2. 02

    Exercise 1: Hardened Tor Access Setup

    Goal: provision a Tor-routed investigation environment with verified egress and DNS leak protection.

    Goal: provision a Tor-routed investigation environment with verified egress and DNS leak protection.
  3. 03

    Install Tor + verification tooling

    sudo apt update sudo apt install -y tor curl jq dnsutils

    sudo apt update sudo apt install -y tor curl jq dnsutils
  4. 04

    linked .onion services (which become Phase 4 pivots), server software,

    Review the “linked .onion services (which become Phase 4 pivots), server software,” section in the pinned source before continuing.

    Review and apply the “linked .onion services (which become Phase 4 pivots), server software,” source section.
  5. 05

    Step 1: Verify the marketplace's current .onion via dark.fail (NEVER trust a static list)

    curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://dark.fail | \ grep -iE 'market|forum' | head -20

    curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://dark.fail | \ grep -iE 'market|forum' | head -20

Permission review

Static risk signals and limitations

Network access

medium · line 56

The documentation includes network, browsing, or remote request actions.

| Tool | Purpose | Query / URL Pattern |

Sends data out

high · line 70

The documentation includes sending, uploading, or posting data to a remote service.

| **IntelX** (intelligencex.com) | Searches leaks, paste sites, dark-net listings | `curl "https://2.intelx.io/phonebook/search?k=<API_KEY>" -d '{"term":"<target>","maxresults":100}'` |

Network access

medium · line 70

The documentation includes network, browsing, or remote request actions.

| **IntelX** (intelligencex.com) | Searches leaks, paste sites, dark-net listings | `curl "https://2.intelx.io/phonebook/search?k=<API_KEY>" -d '{"term":"<target>","maxresults":100}'` |

Runs scripts

medium · line 314

The documentation asks the agent to run terminal commands or scripts.

go install github.com/s-rah/onionscan@latest

Evidence record

Why each signal appears

EvidenceSourceComputedTestedEditorial
SignalValueEvidence typeMeaning
Quality score93/100ComputedDocumentation, specificity, maintenance, and trust rules
Repository stars67SourceRepository attention, not individual Skill quality
Compatibility2 platformsSourceDeclared in the catalog source record
Usage guideautomated source guideEditorialGenerated or reviewed according to the visible evidence level

Pinned source

Provenance and original SKILL.md

Repository
brucesongs/kali-claw
Skill path
skills/darkweb-intel/SKILL.md
Commit
a3205f5484ca8fec9fd809f3c16fe41fbc6ac87e
License
MIT
Collected
2026-08-28
Default branch
main
View the original SKILL.md

Skill: Dark Web Intelligence

Supplementary Files:

  • payloads.md — Tor/Whonix/Tails setup, ahmia.fi/Torch/dark.fail/Onionland/Haystak search patterns, OnionScan enumeration, IntelX/DarkOwl/HIBP/DeHashed API usage, threat actor pivot (handles, PGP keys, XMR wallets), Recon-ng darkweb modules, async Python scraping pipeline, OPSEC detection, counter-OSINT cleanup, and a quick-reference cheat sheet
  • test-cases.md — 12 structured test cases (Tor setup, .onion resolution, Ahmia query, IntelX query, marketplace enumeration, threat actor pivot, OPSEC verification, breach correlation, counter-OSINT audit) with severity levels and summary tables
  • guides/dark-web-investigation-playbook.md — End-to-end investigation playbook (pre-flight, 5-phase workflow, persona management, investigator safety, marketplace reference table, integration with adjacent skills)

Summary

Darkweb Intel skill domain covering osint operations.

Tools: Tor, Tor Browser, Whonix, Tails, Ahmia, Torch, OnionScan, IntelX, HIBP, SpiderFoot

Domain: osint

MITRE ATT&CK: TA0043-Reconnaissance

Description

Dark web intelligence gathering across Tor .onion services, I2P eepsites, dark-net marketplaces, breach-data forums, and paste sites — with the OPSEC discipline that investigator-side work demands. The skill covers: hardened access setup (Tails/Whonix, obfs4 bridges, Snowflake), discovery (Ahmia, Torch, dark.fail, Onionland, Haystak), service enumeration (OnionScan, ahmia-cli), marketplace & forum monitoring, threat actor profiling (handle, PGP key, Monero wallet correlation), breach data correlation (HIBP, DeHashed, IntelX), and synthesis pipelines that funnel findings back into a defensible dossier.

This is the depth-first complement to clearnet OSINT. Where osint casts a wide passive net across clear-web domains, emails, and subdomains, darkweb-intel drills into .onion/.i2p services and the threat actor economy that lives there.

Difference from osint: OSINT orchestrates clearnet collection (domain, email, IP, breach data, Shodan). Darkweb-intel focuses specifically on .onion/.i2p services, dark-net marketplaces, and threat actor communities — it requires Tor/I2P routing, dedicated OPSEC (Tails/Whonix), and a different threat model (investigators are themselves targets).

Difference from username-profiling: Username profiling runs Maigret against 3,000+ clearnet sites. Darkweb-intel pivots a known handle into the darknet — searching paste sites, breach forums, marketplace vendor profiles, and threat actor communities that Maigret does not cover.

Difference from social-intelligence: Social intelligence mines mainstream discourse (Reddit, HN, X). Darkweb-intel mines discourse that has been deliberately pushed off the clearnet — threat actor forums, vendor reviews, leak announcements, and credentialed paste dumps.

Use Cases

  • Brand / executive monitoring: Detect when a brand name, executive email, or proprietary codebase appears in a dark-net marketplace listing, leak forum, or ransomware gang blog — before the public disclosure.
  • Breach impact triage: When a new breach drops on a leak site, correlate the dump against the client's email/domain/employee list via HIBP, DeHashed, and IntelX to scope impact.
  • Threat actor profiling: From a single forum handle, recover associated PGP keys, Monero wallets, prior handles, marketplace vendor profiles, and clearnet identities (when actors slip) — building a dossier for attribution.
  • Ransomware leak-site monitoring: Track which victim organizations appear on each major ransomware gang's leak site, with timestamps and download links, to inform client briefings.
  • Investigative journalism / due diligence: Verify whether a company, individual, or product is mentioned in dark-net markets, counterfeiting listings, or fraud communities.
  • Insider threat indicator gathering: Pivot from a suspected insider's clearnet identity into their dark-net persona — looking for credentials-for-sale listings, resentment posts, or criminal market participation.
  • Counter-OSINT (defense): Audit your own organization's dark-net footprint — leaked credentials, insider PII, proprietary source code listings — and submit takedowns.
  • Lawful marketplace takedown support: For a law-enforcement or platform-trust engagement, enumerate vendor accounts, listings, and transaction patterns for evidentiary use.

Core Tools

Access & Proxies

ToolPurposeCommand / Setup Example
TorRouting daemon (SOCKS5 on 127.0.0.1:9050)sudo apt install tor && sudo service tor start
Tor BrowserHardened Firefox bundle for manual .onion browsingDownload from torproject.org; verify PGP signature
obfs4 bridgesTor pluggable transport for censored networksBridge obfs4 IP:PORT FINGERPRINT cert=... iat-mode=0 in torrc
SnowflakeWebRTC-based Tor pluggable transportUseBridges 1 + ClientTransportPlugin snowflake exec /usr/bin/snowflake-client in torrc
WhonixTwo-VM Tor gateway/workstation isolationWhonix-Gateway routes all Whonix-Workstation traffic through Tor
TailsAmnesic live OS — nothing is written to diskBoot from USB; all traffic routes through Tor; memory wiped on shutdown

Search & Discovery

ToolPurposeQuery / URL Pattern
Ahmia (ahmia.fi)Clearnet-indexed .onion search enginecurl "https://ahmia.fi/search/?q=<term>"
Ahmia hidden-service.onion-accessible Ahmia mirrorcurl --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 "http://juhanurmihxlp77nkq76byazc4y2sphl4a5hfo3hxnlhkbgz7q6fqd.onion/search/?q=<term>"
TorchLong-running .onion search enginehttp://torchde7jygjnqjjp6lcyrch6gzflyol3c5zfsa6uejwnbq7qiiyfqd.onion/search?query=<term>
dark.failMonitors uptime of well-known .onion services (no listings)https://dark.fail
Onionland.onion search engine with category pageshttp://onionland<random>.onion (verify current address via Tor Browser)
HaystakIndexed .onion content (limited free tier)https://haystak.com (clearnet entry, onion mirror available)
Recon-ng (darkweb modules)Modular framework with .onion host modulesrecon-ng > marketplace install recon/domains-hosts/hackertarget then onion modules

Marketplace & Forum Monitoring

ToolPurposeNotes
IntelX (intelligencex.com)Searches leaks, paste sites, dark-net listingscurl "https://2.intelx.io/phonebook/search?k=<API_KEY>" -d '{"term":"<target>","maxresults":100}'
DarkOwl (commercial reference)Dark-net index with APIEnterprise license; reference only for this skill
Ahmia marketplace crawlerCustom Python crawler over Ahmia resultsSee payloads.md section 4
Manual enumerationDirect marketplace browse + scrape via Tor BrowserHigh-risk — see OPSEC rules

Breach & Leak

ToolPurposeQuery Pattern
HaveIBeenPwnedEmail/domain breach notificationcurl -H "hibp-api-key: <KEY>" "https://haveibeenpwned.com/api/v3/breachedaccount/<EMAIL>"
DeHashedSearchable breach data (email, username, password hash)curl "https://api.dehashed.com/search?query=email:<target>" -u "<email>:<key>"
IntelXPhonebook / leak / paste site searchSee marketplace monitoring row above
Leaked-data-site enumerationManual review of major leak sites via Tor Browservaries — sites rotate frequently

Profiling

ToolPurposeCommand Example
Maltego (with dark-web transforms)Visual link analysis with .onion transformsGUI hub: Maltego CE + Transforms Marketplace
LampyreOSINT graphical analysis with dark-web sourcesCommercial; reference only
SpiderFoot (with .onion modules)Automated OSINT, optional Tor SOCKS routingspiderfoot -s <target> -t DARK_WEB,DARK_WEB_SEARCH --socks5 127.0.0.1:9050

OPSEC

ToolPurposeSetup Notes
TailsAmnesic live OSBoot from USB on dedicated hardware
WhonixTwo-VM isolationWhonix-Gateway + Whonix-Workstation in VirtManager
VirtManager / KVMVM isolation for investigator workvirt-manager on a Linux host
Dedicated burner hardwarePhysical isolation for sensitive investigationsNo corporate device, no personal device

Methodology

Dark Web Investigation Five-Phase Process

Phase 1              Phase 2              Phase 3              Phase 4              Phase 5
Access Setup     →   Discovery &       →  Marketplace &     →  Threat Actor       →  OPSEC-Hardened
                       Search               Forum Monitoring    Profiling              Synthesis
   │                    │                    │                    │                    │
   ▼                    ▼                    ▼                    ▼                    ▼
Tails/Whonix,        Ahmia, Torch,        IntelX, DarkOwl,    Handle → PGP key     Merge findings,
bridges, SOCKS,      dark.fail, Onion-    manual enumeration  → XMR wallet →      encrypt at rest,
egress verified      land, OnionScan      of markets &        prior handles,      produce dossier,
                                          forums              clearnet pivots     schedule monitoring

Phase 1: Access Setup

Never investigate the dark web from a corporate or personal device with bare Tor. Provision an isolated environment first.

# Option A: Tails (amnesic, recommended for high-risk investigations)
# Boot from USB; everything is in RAM; shutdown wipes everything

# Option B: Whonix in VirtManager (more flexible, persists between sessions)
# Download Whonix-Gateway and Whonix-Workstation KVM images
# Import both into VirtManager; the Gateway forces all Workstation traffic through Tor

# Option C: Tor on a dedicated VM (lowest isolation, only for low-risk triage)
sudo apt install tor
sudo service tor start
# Verify egress before any work
curl --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://api.ipify.org
curl --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://ifconfig.me/json | jq '{ip, country, city}'

Add bridges if Tor is blocked on your network (/etc/tor/torrc):

UseBridges 1
Bridge obfs4 <IP>:<PORT> <FINGERPRINT> cert=<CERT> iat-mode=0
ClientTransportPlugin obfs4 exec /usr/bin/obfs4proxy

Phase 2: Discovery & Search

Use clearnet-indexed search engines first (faster, lower-risk), then pivot to direct .onion access for results that require it.

# Ahmia via clearnet (indexed onion URLs)
curl -s "https://ahmia.fi/search/?q=<target>" \
  | grep -oE 'http[s]?://[a-z2-7]{56}\.onion[^" ]*' | sort -u

# Ahmia via its own onion service (full anonymity)
curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 \
  "http://juhanurmihxlp77nkq76byazc4y2sphl4a5hfo3hxnlhkbgz7q6fqd.onion/search/?q=<target>" \
  | grep -oE 'http[s]?://[a-z2-7]{56}\.onion[^" ]*' | sort -u

# dark.fail (uptime status of well-known services, no listings)
curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://dark.fail

# OnionScan a discovered .onion for service fingerprinting, linked services, artifacts
onionscan --verbose --tor-proxy-address 127.0.0.1:9050 \
  http://<56-char-onion>.onion

Phase 3: Marketplace & Forum Monitoring

Mix automated commercial APIs (IntelX, DarkOwl) with manual Tor Browser enumeration. Marketplaces rotate addresses frequently — track current addresses via dark.fail and Ahmia, never trust a static list.

# IntelX phonebook search (credential/breach context for an identifier)
curl -s "https://2.intelx.io/phonebook/search?k=<API_KEY>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"term":"<target_email_or_handle>","maxresults":100,"media":0}' \
  | jq '.selectors[]?.selectorvalue // empty'

# Manual enumeration via Tor Browser:
# 1. Navigate to current marketplace .onion (verified via dark.fail)
# 2. Search vendor name, brand string, or product identifier
# 3. Capture screenshots, listing URLs, vendor profile URLs into an encrypted evidence vault
# 4. NEVER purchase anything — observer role only

Phase 4: Threat Actor Profiling

From a forum handle, correlate every identifier the actor exposes — PGP keys, Monero wallets, prior handles, signed messages, marketplace vendor profiles.

# PGP key lookup (many actors publish a fingerprint in forum signatures)
gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --search-keys "<handle>@<forum_domain>"

# Cross-reference the PGP fingerprint across other forums:
#   - Many actors reuse the same key across communities
#   - sks-keyservers mirror at keys.openpgp.org, keyserver.ubuntu.com

# Monero (XMR) wallet tracing is intentionally limited — but wallet addresses
# appear in marketplace vendor profiles, donation posts, and escrow pages.
# Correlate the same address across sites; note that XMR is privacy-preserving
# and on-chain tracing is far weaker than Bitcoin.

# Handle pivot: search the handle across every forum and paste site
for forum in forum1.onion forum2.onion forum3.onion; do
  curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 \
    "http://$forum/search?q=<handle>" \
    >> handle_corpus.html
done

Phase 5: OPSEC-Hardened Synthesis

Aggregate findings, encrypt the deliverable, and define a monitoring cadence — dark-net evidence goes stale quickly.

# Encrypt the dossier before storage
gpg --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256 darkweb_dossier.md
shred -uvz darkweb_dossier.md   # remove plaintext

# Set up recurring Ahmia + IntelX monitoring for the target term
echo "0 8 * * * curl -s 'https://ahmia.fi/search/?q=<target>' >> /var/log/dw-monitor.log" | crontab -

# Hand to a non-technical client? Use Maltego or a PDF export — never raw .onion URLs
# without context (clients will click them from a clearnet browser and burn themselves).

Quick Selection Guide

ScenarioPrimary ApproachAlternative
First-time dark-net triageTails boot + Tor Browser + Ahmia clearnet searchWhonix VM + Ahmia onion service
Censored network (Tor blocked)obfs4 bridges or Snowflake in torrcSnowflake via Tor Browser config
Find onion services mentioning a termahmia.fi/search/?q=<term> (clearnet entry)Torch .onion direct
Verify a well-known onion's uptimecurl https://dark.failManual Tor Browser visit
Enumerate a discovered .onion for leaksonionscan --tor-proxy-address 127.0.0.1:9050 <URL>Manual Tor Browser inspection
Search breach data for an emailHIBP API + DeHashed + IntelXh8mail local aggregator
Marketplace vendor pivotIntelX + manual Tor Browser enum (read-only)DarkOwl commercial API
Threat actor PGP correlationgpg --search-keys <handle>@<domain> + openpgp keyserverManual signature scraping
Investigator OPSEC verificationEgress check via curl --socks5-hostname + browser fingerprint auditTails reboot + DNS leak test
Continuous brand monitoringcron job hitting Ahmia + IntelX dailyCommercial dark-web monitoring service
Python pipeline for bulk analysisAsync aiohttp via Tor SOCKS (see payloads.md §12)SpiderFoot + dark-web modules

Defense Perspective

Defense MeasureDescription
Brand / executive dark-net monitoringRun weekly Ahmia + IntelX sweeps on brand names, executive emails, and proprietary product identifiers — catch leaks before they hit the clearnet.
Breach subscription + dark-net correlationSubscribe to HIBP domain notifications; when an alert fires, immediately check IntelX for dark-net listings referencing the same data.
Credential hygiene responseWhen dark-net listings surface employee credentials, force password rotation + MFA enrollment for affected accounts. Do not assume "the password is old."
Source code leak monitoringIndex proprietary code identifiers (unusual function names, internal module names) and sweep dark-net paste sites and source markets weekly.
Insider threat indicator gatheringFor lawfully authorized insider-threat programs, monitor known insider handles and PGP keys for distress signals, resentment posts, or for-cred sale listings.
Investigator OPSEC trainingAnyone running dark-net collection must understand: Tails/Whonix isolation, persona contamination, behavioral fingerprinting, and physical safety. Tooling alone is not sufficient.
Persona separationNever use a corporate email, corporate device, or personal handle when registering a dark-net monitoring account. Maintain a dedicated persona per investigation.
Counter-OSINT for investigatorsPeriodically audit your own monitoring persona's footprint — has the persona been linked back to the org via reused PGP keys, wallets, or browser fingerprints?

Practical Steps

Detailed payloads in payloads.md, complete test checklist in test-cases.md.

Exercise 1: Hardened Tor Access Setup

Goal: provision a Tor-routed investigation environment with verified egress and DNS leak protection.

# Install Tor + verification tooling
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y tor curl jq dnsutils

# Start Tor and verify
sudo service tor start
sleep 3

# Verify egress IP — must NOT be your real IP
echo "Real IP:    $(curl -s https://api.ipify.org)"
echo "Tor IP:     $(curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://api.ipify.org)"

# Verify DNS doesn't leak (must show Tor exit location)
curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://ifconfig.me/json | \
  jq '{ip, country, city}

# Optional: configure obfs4 bridge if Tor direct is blocked
# Add to /etc/tor/torrc:
#   UseBridges 1
#   Bridge obfs4 <IP>:<PORT> <FINGERPRINT> cert=<CERT> iat-mode=0
#   ClientTransportPlugin obfs4 exec /usr/bin/obfs4proxy
sudo service tor restart

Exercise 2: Ahmia Clearnet + Onion Search

Goal: discover onion services mentioning a target term, using both clearnet Ahmia (fast) and the onion Ahmia mirror (full anonymity).

TARGET="<brand_or_term>"

# Clearnet Ahmia (faster, but exposes your IP to ahmia.fi)
curl -s "https://ahmia.fi/search/?q=$(python3 -c "import urllib.parse,sys; print(urllib.parse.quote(sys.argv[1]))" "$TARGET")" \
  | grep -oE 'http[s]?://[a-z2-7]{56}\.onion' | sort -u > onions_clearnet.txt

# Onion Ahmia (full anonymity, slower)
curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 \
  "http://juhanurmihxlp77nkq76byazc4y2sphl4a5hfo3hxnlhkbgz7q6fqd.onion/search/?q=$(python3 -c "import urllib.parse,sys; print(urllib.parse.quote(sys.argv[1]))" "$TARGET")" \
  | grep -oE 'http[s]?://[a-z2-7]{56}\.onion' | sort -u > onions_hidden.txt

# Diff — onion-Ahmia often surfaces results the clearnet indexer skips
sort -u onions_clearnet.txt onions_hidden.txt | uniq -c | sort -rn

Exercise 3: OnionScan a Discovered Service

Goal: fingerprint a discovered .onion — find linked services, open ports, server banners, and exposed artifacts.

# Install OnionScan
go install github.com/s-rah/onionscan@latest
# Or: sudo apt install onionscan  (older but functional)

# Scan via Tor
onionscan --verbose \
  --tor-proxy-address 127.0.0.1:9050 \
  --timeout 120 \
  http://<56-char-onion>.onion

# OnionScan reports: Apache mod_status, exposed directories, PGP keys,
# linked .onion services (which become Phase 4 pivots), server software,
# and known dangerous configurations

Exercise 4: Marketplace Enumeration (Read-Only)

Goal: identify whether a target brand or product appears in a dark-net marketplace — strictly as an observer.

# Step 1: Verify the marketplace's current .onion via dark.fail (NEVER trust a static list)
curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://dark.fail | \
  grep -iE 'market|forum' | head -20

# Step 2: In Tor Browser (manual), navigate to the verified .onion
# Step 3: Search for the target brand/product term
# Step 4: For each match, capture:
#   - Listing URL (.onion + path)
#   - Vendor profile URL
#   - Vendor PGP key (often published on profile)
#   - Screenshot (Tor Browser's built-in screenshot tool)
# Step 5: Store artifacts in an encrypted vault
gpg --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256 market_evidence.tar.gz

# CRITICAL OPSEC RULES:
# - Never register an account unless authorized
# - Never purchase anything
# - Never message a vendor
# - Limit session length; rotate personas between marketplaces

Exercise 5: Threat Actor Pivot (Handle → PGP → Wallet)

Goal: from a single forum handle, build the threat actor's identifier graph.

HANDLE="<forum_handle>"

# Step 1: PGP key lookup (many actors publish a key with a forum-domain uid)
gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --search-keys "$HANDLE"
gpg --keyserver hkps://keyserver.ubuntu.com --search-keys "$HANDLE"

# Step 2: Scrape the actor's forum profile (via Tor) for:
#   - Monero wallet address (donation / vendor escrow page)
#   - Prior handles ("formerly known as ...")
#   - Other communities ("also on ...")
curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 \
  "http://<forum>.onion/profile/$HANDLE" > profile.html

# Step 3: Extract wallet addresses
grep -oE '4[0-9AB][1-9A-HJ-NP-Za-km-z]{93}' profile.html | sort -u  # Monero
grep -oE '[13][a-km-zA-HJ-NP-Z1-9]{25,34}' profile.html | sort -u   # Bitcoin (legacy)
grep -oE 'bc1[a-z0-9]{39,59}' profile.html | sort -u                 # Bitcoin (bech32)

# Step 4: Pivot the PGP fingerprint and wallet address to other forums
# Re-run this exercise with each new identifier as the seed

Exercise 6: Breach Data Correlation

Goal: when a breach is announced, scope impact against the client's email/domain/employee list.

# HIBP single-account check (needs API key)
curl -s -H "hibp-api-key: <KEY>" -H "User-Agent: <app-name>" \
  "https://haveibeenpwned.com/api/v3/breachedaccount/<EMAIL>?truncateResponse=false" \
  | jq '.[] | {Name, BreachDate, DataClasses}'

# HIBP domain-wide (enterprise subscription)
curl -s -H "hibp-api-key: <KEY>" \
  "https://haveibeenpwned.com/api/v3/breacheddomain/<DOMAIN>" | jq '.'

# DeHashed search (returns full record including hashes)
curl -s "https://api.dehashed.com/search?query=email:<target_email>" \
  -u "<account_email>:<API_KEY>" | jq '.entries[] | {email, username, password, hashed_password}'

# IntelX phonebook search (find related identifiers)
curl -s "https://2.intelx.io/phonebook/search?k=<INTELX_KEY>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"term":"<target_email>","maxresults":100,"media":0}' \
  | jq '.selectors[]?.selectorvalue' | sort -u

Exercise 7: Investigator OPSEC Verification

Goal: verify your dark-web investigation environment leaks no real identity.

# 1. Egress IP — must NOT be your real IP
REAL_IP=$(curl -s https://api.ipify.org)
TOR_IP=$(curl -s --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://api.ipify.org)
echo "Real IP: $REAL_IP"
echo "Tor IP:  $TOR_IP"
[ "$REAL_IP" = "$TOR_IP" ] && echo "FAIL: Tor not routing" || echo "PASS: Tor egress differs"

# 2. DNS leak — DNS queries must NOT go to your ISP resolver
# Check /etc/resolv.conf in Tails/Whonix — should be 127.0.0.1 (local Tor DNS)
cat /etc/resolv.conf | grep -v '^#'

# 3. WebRTC leak (in Tor Browser) — visit https://browserleaks.com/webrtc via Tor Browser
#    Tor Browser disables WebRTC by default; verify it stays disabled

# 4. Browser fingerprint — Tor Browser is designed to make all users look identical
#    Visit https://check.torproject.org via Tor Browser — should show green "Congratulations"
#    Visit https://www.amiunique.org — should NOT show a unique fingerprint

# 5. Persona contamination audit
#    Have you ever logged into this dark-net monitoring persona from a clearnet
#    identity? From your real IP? If yes, the persona is compromised — burn it.

Exercise 8: Python Async Pipeline via Tor

Goal: orchestrate Ahmia + IntelX + manual .onion fetches in a single async pipeline.

"""
Async dark-web intelligence pipeline routed through Tor SOCKS5.
"""
import asyncio
import re
from urllib.parse import quote

import aiohttp
from aiohttp_socks import ProxyConnector

TOR_SOCKS = "socks5://127.0.0.1:9050"
ONION_RE = re.compile(r"https?://[a-z2-7]{56}\.onion", re.IGNORECASE)


async def fetch(session: aiohttp.ClientSession, url: str, *, via_tor: bool = True) -> str:
    timeout = aiohttp.ClientTimeout(total=120)
    try:
        async with session.get(url, timeout=timeout) as resp:
            return await resp.text()
    except Exception as exc:
        return f"ERROR: {exc}"


async def ahmia_search(term: str) -> set[str]:
    connector = ProxyConnector.from_url(TOR_SOCKS) if True else None
    async with aiohttp.ClientSession(connector=connector) as session:
        url = f"http://juhanurmihxlp77nkq76byazc4y2sphl4a5hfo3hxnlhkbgz7q6fqd.onion/search/?q={quote(term)}"
        html = await fetch(session, url)
        return set(ONION_RE.findall(html))


async def main(term: str) -> None:
    onions = await ahmia_search(term)
    print(f"Discovered {len(onions)} onion services for term: {term}")
    for o in sorted(onions):
        print(f"  {o}")


if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(main("example target term"))

Exercise 9: Counter-OSINT Audit (Investigator Self-Defense)

Goal: periodically verify your dark-net monitoring persona has not been linked back to the organization.

# 1. Search the persona's handle across clearnet + dark-net for doxing
curl -s "https://ahmia.fi/search/?q=<persona_handle>" | grep -i <persona_handle>
maigret <persona_handle> --tags us   # is the handle used on clearnet?

# 2. Verify PGP key attached to persona has no clearnet uid
gpg --list-keys <persona_pgp_fingerprint>
# Any uid matching your real name/email = persona burned

# 3. Verify Monero wallet used by persona appears nowhere else
# Search the wallet address on the major block explorers (xmrchain.net etc.) —
# only transactions YOU initiated should appear

# 4. Audit Tor Browser profile for accidental bookmark/history leakage
# In Tails: nothing persists (amnesic). In Whonix: snapshots must be discarded.

# 5. If persona is burned: rotate name, PGP key, wallet, and never reuse on the
# same forum. The forum's admins now have your old persona flagged.

Safety Notes

  • Lawful use only: Dark-net investigation is heavily regulated in most jurisdictions. Accessing .onion services is generally legal; purchasing controlled substances, stolen data, or attack tools is not. Many marketplaces operate as honeypots. Confirm engagement scope and lawful basis before any collection.
  • Jurisdictional complexity: Servers you contact may be in jurisdictions where the content you're viewing is criminal to even view (CSAM, certain political content). Investigators must know their home jurisdiction's strict-liability rules.
  • Investigator OPSEC is non-negotiable: Dark-net actors actively deanonymize investigators. Real-IP leaks, persona contamination, and behavioral fingerprinting have led to investigators being doxxed, swatted, and physically threatened. Use Tails/Whonix, dedicated hardware, and rotate personas.
  • Investigator safety: If during an investigation you encounter credible threats of physical harm, or content that triggers mandatory reporting (CSAM), stop, document, and contact the appropriate authorities. Do not attempt to handle in-channel.
  • Authorization scope: A pentest engagement authorizes the target organization's systems. It does not authorize purchasing stolen data about the client from a marketplace, even with the client's nominal consent — that can be trafficking in stolen property.
  • Data minimization: Dark-net artifacts (screenshots, PGP keys, wallet addresses) are sensitive. Encrypt at rest (gpg --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256), restrict access, and securely delete (shred -uvz) when the engagement closes.

Detection Methods

Dark Web Monitoring

  • Credential leak detection: Services like SpyCloud, HaveIBeenPwned, IntelX alert when org credentials appear in dark web dumps.
  • Mention monitoring: Brand keywords (company name, executive names, product codenames) appearing on dark web forums.
  • Stolen data marketplaces: New dataset listings matching org's data fingerprint.
  • Ransomware leak sites: New entries on ransomware gang blogs matching org's data.

SIEM Detection Rules

  • Splunk SPL: Correlate internal auth events with dark web credential dumps via threat intel feeds.
  • Recorded Future / Flashpoint: Dark web threat intelligence platform alerts.
  • ZeroFox / LookingGlass: Brand protection and dark web monitoring services.

Defense Evasion Techniques

Source Concealment

  • Tor + VPN chain: Tor circuit exit to VPN; masks Tor usage from network monitoring.
  • Bridge relays: Use Tor bridges (obfs4, Snowflake) to bypass Tor blocking.
  • I2P / Freenet: Alternative darknets for monitoring beyond Tor.
  • Forum burners: Unique credentials for each dark web forum; rotate regularly.

Detection Evasion

  • Time-shifted monitoring: Slow, distributed reads of forum data; avoids burst detection.
  • Avoid direct contact: Use OSINT aggregators (IntelX, Ahmia) rather than direct forum access.
  • Mimic legitimate researcher: Use academic / journalist credentials; access appears legitimate.
  • Cryptocurrency mixers: Use Monero or Bitcoin mixers for paid access; avoid address correlation.

Hacker Laws

  • Information Wants to Be Free — Breach data, leaked credentials, and internal documents on the dark-net are already free; they exist outside the control of their original owners. Darkweb-intel makes them findable. Defense cannot recall them; it can only detect exposure earlier and rotate affected credentials.
  • Obscurity Is Not Security — A .onion address is only obscure, not secure. Indexers (Ahmia, Torch), crawlers (IntelX, DarkOwl), and law-enforcement sweeps map the dark-net continuously. Treat any dark-net service as potentially indexed and act accordingly.
  • Trust but Verify — Marketplace listings can be fraud; breach data can be repackaged or fabricated; threat actor claims of responsibility can be false-flag. Cross-verify every dark-net finding against at least one independent source (second marketplace, second breach corpus, second forum) before treating it as fact.
  • Weakest Link Is Human — Investigators are the weakest link. Real-IP leaks, persona reuse, and careless browser fingerprinting have deanonymized more investigators than any technical vulnerability. Tails and Whonix are necessary but not sufficient — training and discipline are the actual control.
  • Divergent Thinking First — A single dark-net source has blind spots. Run Ahmia (clearnet-indexed) AND Torch (direct .onion); run IntelX AND manual Tor Browser enumeration; cross-reference PGP keys across keyservers AND forum signatures. Overlapping collection catches what any single source misses.

Learning Resources

  • This skill's supplementary files: payloads.md, test-cases.md
  • Deep-dive guide: guides/dark-web-investigation-playbook.md — end-to-end investigation workflow with persona management, OPSEC hardening, and integration with adjacent OSINT skills
  • Related skills:
    • skills/osint/SKILL.md — broader clearnet OSINT (email, domain, breach, Shodan)
    • skills/username-profiling/SKILL.md — clearnet username enumeration via Maigret; pivot input for dark-net handle correlation
    • skills/social-intelligence/SKILL.md — mainstream discourse mining; complementary signal for threat actor sentiment
    • skills/deep-research/SKILL.md — synthesis and report writing for the final dossier
    • skills/social-engineering/SKILL.md — turning threat actor dossiers into defensive priorities (NOT into pretext for offense)
  • External resources:
  • Core system files: SOUL.md, TOOLS.md, IDENTITY.md

Frequently asked questions

What to verify before installation and use

What does the darkweb-intel source document cover?

Supplementary Files: - payloads.md — Tor/Whonix/Tails setup, ahmia.fi/Torch/dark.fail/Onionland/Haystak search patterns, OnionScan enumeration, IntelX/DarkOwl/HIBP/DeHashed API usage, threat actor pivot (handles, PGP keys, XMR wallets), Recon-ng darkweb modules, async Python scr…

How do I install darkweb-intel?

The source record exposes this install command: npx skills add https://github.com/brucesongs/kali-claw --skill "skills/darkweb-intel". Inspect the command and pinned source before running it.

Which Agent platforms does the source record declare?

The pinned source record declares support for: claude code, cursor.

Which permission-related actions were detected?

Static rules flagged network, send-data, exec-script in the source; the page lists the matching lines and excerpts.

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