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The Dark Web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through standard web browsers. It is often associated with illegal activities, but it also hosts legitimate content that is not available on the surface web. If you are interested in accessing the Dark Web, here’s how you can do it.
Stay Alert To Social Engineering Attacks
Use a Dark Web Browser
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.
To access the Dark Web, you need a specialized browser that can handle the Tor network. The Tor network is a group of volunteer-operated servers that allows people to improve their privacy and security on the internet. The most popular Dark Web browser is the Tor browser, which you can download for free from the official Tor Project website.
Is Tor Browser Legal?
Install the Tor Browser
- A VPN creates a secure and private connection between your device and the internet.
- You may want to use Tor to avail yourself of some of the Dark Web’s services.
- The Tor browser uses the Tor network to bounce your traffic through multiple servers around the world, making it virtually impossible for anyone to track your activity.
- The separation between the surface web and deep web is essential for how we use the internet.
It has been hacked, and there are other ways that hostile forces (from hackers to national security agencies) have been able to compromise the security of the Tor network. You can’t visit the Tor network using regular web browsers that work with regular internet protocols. The network functions differently than the World Wide Web you are used to, and has its own protocols that a browser must use to gain access. Because of the built-in anonymizing features and encryption, the Dark Net is also host of many criminal websites, marketplaces and networks.
To install the Tor browser, follow these steps:
Using A VPN For Added Protection
- Go to the official Tor Project website.
- Download the Tor browser bundle for your operating system.
- Extract the downloaded file to a folder on your computer.
- Open the Tor browser folder and double-click on the “Start Tor Browser” icon.
- Wait for the Tor network to connect, and then you can start browsing the Dark Web.
However, what is interesting about these sites is that they operate much like any other eCommerce store. There are menus, catalogs, and reviews, which are meant to be a self-policing mechanism that ensures people are buying the products they want. But, unsurprisingly, these reviews are notoriously unreliable, largely because they are coming from anonymous users. It was created with security and privacy in mind, and this has led many less-than-savory individuals to use it as a venue for their illegal activities. But there are a lot of reasons why someone would use the Dark Web, and a good many of them are legitimate. We think of the stories we’ve heard in the news about individuals buying drugs, financial information, organs, or even people through anonymous sources.
For built-in Tor over VPN functionality, NordVPN operates specialized servers that automatically route you through the Tor network. You don’t even need to use Tor Browser, but keep in mind other browsers can still pass identifying information through the network. Alternatively, there’s IPVanish who claim to be the world’s number one VPN for Tor and comes highly recommended, you can save 60% on the annual plan here. The dark web has no shortage of criminal activity, scams, phishing sites, suspicious links, and malware designed to trick newbies.
Access Onion Sites
The Dark Web In The News
Once you have installed the Tor browser, you can start accessing Dark Web sites, also known as Onion sites. Onion sites have a .onion domain name and can only be accessed through the Tor network. Here are some popular Onion sites:
- The Hidden Wiki: A directory of Onion sites.
- ProPublica Onion Site: A news organization that reports on abuses of power.
- DuckDuckGo Onion Site: A privacy-focused search engine.
Can Google take you to the dark web?
How can you access the dark web? To access the dark web, you can't use Google Search or browsers, such as Chrome or Safari. Instead, you need to use software designed specifically for this purpose, such as Tor or I2P.
Stay Safe on the Dark Web
The Dark Web can be a dangerous place, and you should take precautions to protect yourself. Here are some tips to stay safe on the Dark Web:
There are other Dark Web access systems that use different mechanisms, but they’re all built to provide strong anonymity and security. Users can’t be tracked or monitored based on the sites visited, however they might be trackable depending on certain activities like purchases. Privacy Affairs conducted an amazing investigation into products and prices from vendors on the Dark Web.
- Use a VPN: A virtual private network can help protect your privacy and security.
- Don’t share personal information: Avoid sharing any personal information, such as your name, address, or phone number.
- Use strong passwords: Use unique and complex passwords for each site you visit.
- Beware of phishing scams: Be cautious of any sites or messages that ask for personal information or login credentials.
But this amount of privacy has helped it gain a bad reputation as a forum for those who want to use it for illicit activities. If you’re looking to use the dark web, it’s as simple as installing a private browser, using a VPN, and making sure your computer remains safe and secure. You can access the dark web by installing specific, anonymous browsers, such as TOR.
What is the difference between the dark web and the deep web?
Access: Despite not being indexed by search engines, the Deep Web is accessible via traditional web browsers — i.e. you can access a Gmail page using Firefox, Chrome, etc. The Dark Web, on the other hand, is only accessible via special browsers that use Tor to protect anonymity.
Although websites can’t identify you and ISPs can’t decrypt your internet traffic, they can see that Tor is being used. It may be wise to connect to a VPN server before browsing via Tor (though expect to experience a slower connection). And you should also think about malware protection because getting infected on the dark web is much easier.
Accessing the Dark Web can be a fascinating and educational experience, but it’s important to remember to stay safe and protect your privacy. By using a Dark Web browser and taking precautions, you can explore the hidden corners of the internet with confidence.
How much of the internet is the dark web?
The dark web is a subset of the deep web that is intentionally hidden, requiring a specific browser—Tor—to access, as explained below. No one really knows the size of the dark web, but most estimates put it at around 5% of the total internet.