Major Darknet MJ Marketplace Shuts Down After Massive DDoS Attack

The operators of the underground marketplace Cannazon have taken their servers offline, announcing their retirement. Apparently, they were unable to restore the site’s functionality after a powerful DDoS attack that took down both the main onion site and its mirrors.

Cannazon launched on the Tor network in the spring of 2018. The platform primarily offered cannabis-based products for sale and quickly became the largest supplier of such goods to European countries.

Access Issues and DDoS Attack

Earlier this month, both sellers and buyers of marijuana began experiencing difficulties accessing Cannazon; for many, even private links stopped working. Two weeks ago, the service posted an update explaining that the site was under a massive DDoS attack, but the operators hoped to resolve the issue.

Panic and Exit Scam Fears

Users began to panic, as there have been cases where owners of profitable but illegal services simply disappear with partners’ money—a move known in cybercrime circles as an “exit scam.” However, the Cannazon admin continued to post updates, and last week announced that they were shutting down operations and had settled all outstanding debts with partners.

Marketplace Goes Offline

Yesterday, according to BleepingComputer, the notorious marketplace went offline. It’s possible that clones of Cannazon may appear on Tor, using the same name but a different address. The now-orphaned Cannazon user base may flock to these sites, but could fall victim to scammers—such incidents are not uncommon in the criminal world.

Law Enforcement Efforts

There are countless illegal marketplaces on the darknet, and law enforcement agencies strive to shut down at least the largest ones. For example, last year authorities managed to seize the servers and arrest the operator of DarkMarket, as well as carry out the large-scale Operation Disruptor to catch sellers and buyers of illegal goods and services.