Content
There are lots of perfectly legitimate reasons you might want to access all that shady content. We are reader-supported so we may receive a commission when you buy through links on our site. You do not pay extra for anything you buy on our site — our commission comes directly from the product owner. Journalists, whistleblowers, and activists communicate using the Dark Web to share information without being identified or persecuted by government bodies. Requesting a refund is easy with Surfshark’s live chat feature.
- This deep web also includes the portion that we know as the dark web.
- I always use ExpressVPN (our #1 pick for the best VPNs in 2023).
- This type of multi-layer encryption means each node, or server in the chain, knows which server your data came from and which server to send it to next.
- The good news, however, is that you can use the dark web version of DuckDuckGo to search for and navigate to websites on the dark web.
- You can’t just type “silk road” into Google and expect to see a dark website.
- Accessing content on the dark web is completely safe and secure, just like when you use a standard web browser.
The dark web is filled with information theft from malware-infected users. Attackers can use tools like keyloggers to gather your data, and they can infiltrate your system on any part of the web. Endpoint security programs like Kaspersky Security Cloud are comprehensive to cover both identity monitoring and antivirus defenses. Infiltrations can put you at risk of monitoring for other types of activity as well.
Do I have to use a VPN?
The dark web and the deep web are also often erroneously used interchangeably. The deep web is what lies underground and isn’t just the content that is considered dark. That’s why it’s also called the invisible web or the hidden web. Specific browsers, such as Tor Browser, are required to reach the dark web.
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 Torand come highly recommended, you can save 60% on the annual plan here. However, to browse the dark web safely, you’ll want to pay for a reputable VPN.
You might be impressed that several legitimate companies dealing in Internet security have a Dark Web presence. Of course, they share the space with other companies that offer less-than-legal services of the same nature. Crypto has been a hot topic for years, so it should be no surprise that there are exchanges and crypto services on the Dark Web. You’ll find multiple websites offering these services and more – anything related to crypto. It adds an extra level of security to your data and hide your location. Please support our advertiser – NordVPN and stay safe when browsing the Dark Web.
Setup your self hosted Password Manager using bitwarden on a Linux Cloud Server
VPNs can help you hide this information from websites so that you are protected at all times. We recommend ExpressVPN — the #1 VPN out of over 350 providers we’ve tested. It has military-grade encryption and privacy features that will ensure your digital security, plus — it’s currently offering 49% off. Despite its many benefits, it’s important to protect yourself when you visit the dark web.
Tails is a popular option, as it’s portable and has the Tor network built in. You could also use a virtual machine instead of booting Tails from a USB or optical drive, such as VirtualBox.If you’re on a Mac, you should be fine if you use a VPN and Tor. Just makes sure you’re protected from viruses and other malware—Malwarebytes is a great option for malware protection. Stay away from unsecure sites such as those without a secure socket layer — especially if the site sells products and services, or asks for financial information.
If you don’t venture far, you’ll find normal things like forums, chat rooms, or torrent websites. To a lot of people, the dark web is just like the surface web – a place where they go to watch funny videos, chat with like-minded people and read up on the news. Both the deep and dark web are hidden from popular search engines.
How Do People Get On The Dark Web
For example — cloud services like OneDrive, banking, or streaming apps. This way, there’s no chance of prying eyes getting ahold of your personal information through these sources. A small con is that CyberGhost’s long-distance servers are not as fast as ExpressVPN. However, that was not a problem for me since I consistently averaged above 40 Mbps on the US servers I tested with just a 20% drop from my base speed. This is really impressive since my location is more than 7600 miles away from the US. These speeds are more than enough to browse the dark web smoothly.
Mainstream social media platformslike Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Although you likely use these tools via an app, they all have dedicated websites. Similar to using a standard web browser to access the open web, the act of using Tor or a dark web browser to access the dark web is not illegal in and of itself. It is illegal to perform illegal acts on the dark web, regardless of the level of anonymity provided by the platform. Some of these are well-known, established threats that circulate in this nook of the web.
There are many different ways to access the dark web, but navigating it can be tricky and dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. A VPN will give you an extra layer of protection and anonymity, making it much safer to explore the dark web. Again, we can’t emphasize enough that security and anonymity are paramount to those on dark websites. Your ISP and the government might not be able to view your activity when on the Tor Network, but they do know you are on the Tor Network, and that alone is enough to raise eyebrows. In fact, a recent judgment by the US Supreme Court denoted that simply using Tor was sufficient probable cause for law enforcement to search and seize any computer around the world.
Whatismyipaddress.com needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding. All .onion website on the Dark Web are now shifted towards the Onion v3 protocol. That means many of the existing Dark Web Websites will no longer be accessible unless you know their new v3 .onion address. To see if the .Onion URL you’re trying to access is v2 or v3, the most telling sign is the length of the URL.
Darknet Drug Trafficking
This includes firearms, illegal drugs, illegal wildlife, horrific videos, fake passports, Netflix accounts, credit card information, or even the rental of a hitman. But make sure the VPN you’re using meets a few basic criteria. HayStak is a Dark Web search engine started by a group of privacy campaigners who believe the internet should be free from state surveillance. To date Haystak has indexed 1.5 billion pages over 260,000 .onion websites.
