Only 4% of the Internet is covered by the surface web; the rest is made up of the dark web and other forms. Within darknet marketplaces, vendors often operate under pseudonyms and may use encryption methods to protect the privacy and security of their transactions. Communication and order placements typically occur through encrypted messaging systems within the marketplace to ensure confidentiality.
The dark web is a mysterious and often misunderstood part of the internet. It’s a place where privacy and anonymity are highly valued, and where you can find both legitimate and illegitimate content. Accessing the dark web can be a bit more complicated than accessing the surface web, but with the right tools and knowledge, it’s definitely possible.
What is the Dark Web?
The dark web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through standard web browsers. It’s often associated with illegal activities, but it’s also used by people who want to keep their online activities private and secure. The dark web is made up of a network of websites that use the Tor network to hide their IP addresses and location.
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How to Access the Dark Web
To access the dark web, you’ll need to use a special web browser called the Tor browser. The Tor browser is a free, open-source web browser that allows you to browse the internet anonymously. It works by routing your internet connection through a series of volunteer-operated servers around the world, which makes it difficult for anyone to track your online activity.
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Now that you know the basics of browsing the Tor network, it’s time for more important tasks — keeping yourself anonymous. There are several ways of accessing the Tor network, but for this tutorial, we are going to use the Tor Browser. The Tor Browser bundle is a good way for beginners to use Tor since it comes preconfigured in a way that is designed to maximize your privacy and security. If you are a CreditWise user and get an alert, you’ll get tips about things you can do to help protect your personal info.
Step 1: Download and Install the Tor Browser
The first step is to download and install the Tor browser. You can download it from the official Tor Project website. Once you’ve downloaded the installer, run it and follow the prompts to install the Tor browser on your computer.
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Make sure you install and run strong security software on your computer and devices to help ensure the privacy and security of your data. Law enforcement agencies keep an ear to the ground on the dark web looking for stolen data from recent security breaches that might lead to a trail to the perpetrators. Many mainstream media organizations monitor whistleblower sites looking for news. Medical records, fee-based content, membership websites, and confidential corporate web pages are just a few examples of what makes up the deep web. Estimates place the size of the deep web at between 96% and 99% of the internet.
- If the signal goes through the Tor network first, your ISP will be able to see that you are attempting to connect to a Tor node.
- Even if you’re trying to get to the dark web version of Facebook (and yes, there is one), “facebook.onion” isn’t going to get you there.
- Go behind enemy lines to identify threat actors and their intentions at the earliest stages so you can properly prepare your defenses.
- That said, while it’s not illegal to browse the dark web, it’s also not completely void of criminal activity.
Step 2: Connect to the Tor Network
Tor Browser
Once you’ve installed the Tor browser, launch it and click the “Connect” button. The Tor browser will connect to the Tor network and automatically route your internet connection through it.
However, the dark web is known for hosting illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, weapon sales, hacking services, and child exploitation, among others. The dark web, on the other hand, is a small portion of the deep web that is intentionally hidden and can only be accessed using special software or configurations, such as the Tor network. The dark web includes various illicit activities, such as black markets, drug sales, illegal pornography, and hacking forums. It is known for its anonymity and lack of regulation, making it a haven for criminal activity. Traditional search engines return results because they contain indexes of links to websites.
Deep web content includes anything behind a paywall or requires sign-in credentials. It also includes any content that its owners have blocked web crawlers from indexing. Buy login credentials to a $50,000 Bank of America account, counterfeit $20 bills, prepaid debit cards, or a “lifetime” Netflix premium account. When you search for a site on the Surface Web, your network can be traced back to your IP address. In comparison, the Dark Web uses a system called “Onion Routing” to anonymize the IP address of users and websites.
Step 3: Browse the Dark Web
How To Get On The Dark Web Safely
Once you’re connected to the Tor network, you can start browsing the dark web. The Tor browser comes with a built-in search engine called the “Tor Search,” which you can use to find dark web websites. However, keep in mind that many dark web websites are not indexed by search engines, so you may need to use other methods to find them.
FAQs
Proton VPN has decent connection speeds and has tools for giving long-distance connections a bump. Its VPN Accelerator distributes the CPU load between multiple processes in OpenVPN, and modifies the servers’ Linux stacks to shorten the normal packet processing path. All Surfshark servers are RAM-only and support the Wireguard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN protocols. The company operates a strict no-logs policy and protects internet traffic using AES-256-GCM encryption together with a SHA512 authentication hash and 2048-bit DHE-RSA key exchange.
Is it illegal to access the dark web?
No, it’s not illegal to access the dark web. However, many of the activities that take place on the dark web are illegal, so it’s important to be cautious and to only visit websites that you trust.
Can I use my regular web browser to access the dark web?
No, you cannot use your regular web browser to access the dark web. You’ll need to use the Tor browser, which is specifically designed to route your internet connection through the Tor network.
Do I still need a VPN if I use Tor?
Generally speaking, we don't recommend using a VPN with Tor unless you're an advanced user who knows how to configure both in a way that doesn't compromise your privacy. You can find more detailed information about Tor + VPN at our wiki.
Is the dark web dangerous?
The dark web can be dangerous if you’re not careful. There are many scams and illegal activities that take place on the dark web, so it’s important to only visit websites that you trust and to never give out your personal information.
Can I be traced on the dark web?
It’s difficult to trace someone on the dark web, but it’s not impossible. If you’re concerned about your privacy and security, it’s important to use best practices, such as using a VPN and avoiding websites that ask for personal information.
Why is Tor so slow?
Tor circuits lengthen the connections
So instead of connecting directly to the destination server, a connection is made between each relay of the circuit and this takes more time. Furthermore, Tor tries to build circuits with relays in different countries which make connection travel more and appear slower.
