I was just having an interesting conversation with a friend at work who brought up the topic of the TOR network and a particular site on said network, called SilkRoad. Now get this, the TOR network is a version of the internet who's creation was originally funded by the US Navy and is designed to be used with complete anonymity by both user and site hoster. And the site mentioned (SilkRoad) which resides there is a bit like eBay, insomuch as you can purchase things from private sellers who have ratings much like eBay.

The difference being that illegal things such as drugs, medications, countefieted money etc can be bought. However, a seller can sell whatever the hell they want as long as they don;t breach the site rules which forbids the sale of harmful things (e.g. weapons). Buyers on such a site pay with an anonymous digital form of currency called Bitcoins, which are also completely untraceable. And for extra precaution, the buyers address is even sent to the seller encrypted with PGP, so that is someone was able to to sniff out a particular packet of info over the interweb, it would be unencryptable nonsense. So if a person was to buy a kilo of cocaine, for example, pay with bitcoins, send their address encrypted, there would be absolutely no way any of the authorities can track the transaction and the transfer of funds. The seller remians anonymous as does the buyer.

Indeed the site had been in the new media lately for such reasons. Both the Australian and UK governments have given up trying to crack the network, as to all intents and purpose it is uncrackable. Which is exactly what it was designed to be.

Not sure why I thought I'd mention such a conversation, as I'm sure there is no one on these boards who would want to sell anything considered illegal, or indeed buy such clandestine things.