Sites that carry the most traffic in the world like Google, YouTube, Facebook are already known to us all. But did you know that this is just a drop in the ocean on the internet? There are many websites that are very popular but are hidden away and you cannot find them by searching your popular search engines. That space is where the Dark Web and the Deep Web exist.
To understand the Dark Web or Darknet, we need to first attempt to define it more. Its is composed of many websites on an encrypted network with hidden IP addresses – all of which gives users strong anonymity protection. In simple terms, no one can see what you are doing while you are there.
When one opens up a website, they strive to ensure that the site is indexed by search engines like Google, Bing or Yandex, but for the dark web, you can only access them with special anonymity browsers, which include Freenet, I2P, and The Onion Router also known as TOR browser.
Dark Web Vs Deep Web
These two are always confused. The Deep Web is all the sites on the web that can’t be reached with a search engine. Although this includes sites on the Dark Web, it also includes sites that serve more mundane functions, such as business intranets, webmail platforms, databases, online banking platforms, and services that usually require a password or other means of authentication.
These are found and accessed directly with a URL or IP address and are hidden behind firewalls, paywalls, and HTML forms. Because all these other pages are included in the Deep Web, the Deep Web is actually far more vast than the regular internet (also known as the Clear Web).
Is it illegal?
Users of the Dark Web are assured of full anonymity but this also yields a great breeding ground for illegal activities. They use this space to buy or sell illegal goods such as stolen data, unprescribed drugs, or dangerous weapons.
The Dark Web can also be used for legitimate reasons. We have seen whistleblowers, activists, journalists, and others who need to share sensitive information, especially on political figures. This has made it popular as a lot in exposing information that would have not been known to the public for fear of political persecution or retribution by their government or other powerful actors.
In some countries, security and intelligence agencies also use it to monitor terror groups and track cybercriminals. In what may come as a surprise to many, corporate IT departments frequently crawl the Dark Web in search of stolen data and compromised accounts, and individuals may use it to look for signs of identity theft.
One of the most defining era of the Dark web was during the times of WikiLeaks – the website that publishes classified official materials – which also has a home on the Dark Web. Big companies like Facebook also maintain some form of presence there in order to make itself accessible in countries where it is censored by the government.
Good things you can do on the Dark web
- Expose abuses of power
- Buy restricted good
- Exchange information in countries with internet censorship
- Simply use the internet anonymously
- Buy legal goods anonymously
How to safely access the Dark web
There are many ways to access the Dark web, but the most popular one is Tor browser. It used a highly secured network of volunteer relays around the world through which users’ internet connections pass through.
You will need to download and install the Tor browser bundle. Tor URLs end in the domain.onion and not domain.com. Website addresses here are not simple to memorize and they often change their URLs in order to evade detection and DDoS attacks.
When you’re on the Dark Web, ISPs – and by extension, the government – might not be able to view your activity, but they will know you are on the Tor Network. This alone is enough to raise eyebrows in some countries.
It is very paramount that you access the Dark Web while using a VPN before going through the Tor Network. With this method, your ISP only sees the encrypted VPN traffic, and won’t know you’re on the Tor network.
We recommend you use a trusted VPN provider, one that doesn’t track your activities when you log on. Finally, always connect to your VPN first before opening the Tor browser.
- Get a trusted VPN provider and run it
- Download and install Tor browser bundle
- Look for the Tor Browser folder and click on the “Start Tor Browser” file inside it.
- Click on the “Connect” option to open the browser window.
- Start browsing.onion websites
Precautions and Safety
If you want to remain totally secure on the Dark Web, you should take the following extra security measures including:
- Never use your real name or photos
- Never use an email address or even a password that you have used before
- Instead, use an anonymous encrypted email account and aliases that you have never used before and that cannot be traced to you
- Disconnect from the internet before opening documents downloaded
