What is the Dark Web? How to Access It Safely?

Since the dark web is a whole mystery, it is difficult to know how many websites are active at the moment. Although you can find multiple websites that meet your needs, we recommend you learn about dark web safety.

The best way to access the dark web while maintaining your security and privacy is via a top-notch security-focused VPN, preferably paired with anti-malware software.

Accessing Dark Web securely – Quick guide

Best Dark Web VPNs – Quick list

VPN NAME	WHAT MAKES IT SO AMAZING?
	NordVPN Excellent option with a ton of customization options, It also includes the Onion over VPN feature for increased anonymity. Try it
	ExtremeVPN Offers strong connection speed and advanced encryption. It operates with a strict no-logs policy and offers a .onion web version, for anonymous user registration. Try it
	Surfshark A budget-friendly option that offers complete anonymity, security and speed. It also accepts crypto payments. Try it

The Dark Web — How does it work?

The darknet or dark web is a tiny part of the larger deep web block. This deep web exists outside the indexes of major search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. To access the darknet, you need software designed with special attention to anonymity, like The Onion Router and the Freenet I2P.

The deep web holds information, such as government documents and personal records, safe from prying eyes and the general public. Even though it is not accessible to all, it forms a sort of “backend” that feeds the surface web applications — a store for credentials and passwords, for example.

The deep web hosts on private servers which communicate through specified routes. This is the main reason why the dark web is harder to regulate and easier to hide in.

However, this anonymity is not solely for malicious and nefarious actors. The dark web also hosts whistleblowers and journalists who need to spread the news without compromising their true identity.

Difference between dark, deep, and surface web

The “World Wide Web” is a layered and complex network containing other networks of databases, servers, and web pages perpetually operating. However, even this definition fails to describe its true nature; what most people know as the internet is actually just the surface.

The open web or surface web

This “surface/open web” is also called the “visible web” and describes the internet section you can access using traditional search engines like Bing, Google, and Yahoo. This surface web, which makes up just 5% of the whole, contains databases, web pages, and online resources within traditional search engines’ indexes.

The content on the surface of the web is easily accessible with standard browsers like Chrome and Internet Explorer. These websites are labelled with operators like “.net”, “.org”, and “.com”. Accessing these indexed pages is known as “crawling”.

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The deep web

This section of the web holds up to 90% of all known websites, even those that aren’t indexed by the major search engines. In this section of the internet, you can find private databases, academic journals, and more content that may be hidden behind the walls.

The content of the deep web comprises legal and illegal content, the latter famously making up what’s called the dark web. Below are a few other components of the deep web:

• Databases can be publicly or privately protected and only visible and accessible within the database.
• Intranets are the internal networks utilized by learning institutions, governments, and businesses to communicate and manage aspects privately.

Without knowing it, most of us actually use the deep web daily, especially when accessing our banking app. Accessing the deep web is harmless to your computer but is otherwise hidden from it. Other websites hidden in the deep web include:

• HIPAA-sensitive information like medical documentation
• Legal files
• Private enterprise databases
• Financial accounts like banking and retirement
• Email and social messaging accounts

Most of the content on the deep web does not harm your computer, you may stumble onto harmful pages unintentionally. The web pages can redirect you, routing your traffic through tangential pathways with malicious pages on their end.

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The dark web

As said earlier, the dark web is a section of the deep web that can be accessed using specialized privacy browsers. The dark web has a reputation for illegal activities, but that’s not only what happens there. It also offers anonymity for journalists and whistleblowers who need to get uncensored news out to the public.

Below are a few reasons that make the dark web effectively anonymous:

• The web is inaccessible using traditional browsers.
• It is not part of the indexes of any surface web search engines.
• Its network infrastructure is random and capable of creating virtual traffic tunnels.

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What content does the dark web offer?

The dark web comprises a wide variety of legal and illegal content. Some links lead to harmless sites with valuable resources. Some can lead to obscure and weird links containing disturbing content.

To keep you aware of the dark side of the dark web, we compiled a list of illicit content or activities you will encounter there:

Illegal substances

The dark web contains links to pages that trade in illegal and even prescription drugs. Drug dealing is so popular on the dark web that the Guardian market is called “the eBay of drug dealing“. The dealing of illicit substances is also popular on the Silk Road. You can find toxic chemicals dealings on the web, too.

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Stolen private data and forged credentials

When a user or company experiences a data breach, the dark web is the next destination to be sold to willing buyers. You can find information like hacked Netflix accounts, bank card details, social security numbers, fake passports and IDs, and more.

The most common forged credentials hackers sell on the dark web are credit card details. They usually sell the card number with PIN at a price starting from $25 and claim a $200 – $300 balance.

We recommend routing your data through a VPN like NordVPN to protect yourself from future data breaches. The best thing about this VPN is that it also offers dark web alert features that tell you if your credentials get compromised.

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Harmful and disturbing items and services

For the right price, you could be the proud owner of the most obscure, harmful and disturbing items or content on the dark web. For example, from the right place, you can buy weapons, toxic chemicals, drugs, child pornography, hitmen services, etc. You can encounter things and services that you have never imagined.

There are even reports of human trafficking as a service on the dark web.

The payment method parties use for the harmful products and services are cryptocurrencies, as their transactions are anonymous and untraceable.

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Uranium

Unsurprisingly, the radioactive isotope necessary for the production of nuclear weapons can be found, bought and sold on the dark web. People purchase it for harmful and useful uses, including explosives, nuclear testing, etc.

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Weapons

You can also get your hands on standard weapons for criminal activity, along with dangerous explosives.

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Hitmen

The dark web can also connect desperate people with killers for hire. However, the research claims that many of the hitmen services are fake and result in scamming desperate people.

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Poisonous chemicals

Anonymous dark web vendors can make a living selling poisonous substances like ricin for nefarious use.

However, authorities are continuously tracking people who are coming to these websites and purchasing such products. In 2015, a computer engineer got caught while buying ricin from the dark web, resulting in 8 in prison.

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Forged credentials and certificates

The dark net also has users who create fake college and university documents. People who don’t want to study or are high school or college dropouts come to this website to get fake certificates. However, most of them often got scammed.

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Unfounded news and Hoaxes

The dark web can also host a lot of fear-mongering and fake news meant to stir unrest and confusion.

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Social network

Like the surface web, the dark web has its social network known as the Dark Web Social Network (DWSN). Users can set up accounts and add friends on this social network, just like on regular platforms.

You can also find dark web versions of major, regular social networks such as Facebook. These variants work across all subtypes of the internet, not just the dark web. The good part of these dark web variants is that they allow users to stay anonymous while registering.

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Terrorism

The anonymity of the dark web affords adequate cover for nefarious individuals and groups to assemble, plan and execute their plans. The strict crypto-economy also allows these terror groups to transact without fear of getting traced or tracked.

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Illegal pornography

Porn is otherwise legal and displayed on the surface web, but the dark web contains taboo and extreme versions of pornography. 

In fact, one major constituent of the porn found is child pornography. It is also the significant content of the general dark web, accounting for 80% of its internet traffic. Other forms of porn content include animal porn, sexualized torture and revenge porn.

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Financing and fraud

Since the dark web offers total anonymity, it is perfect for fraudsters and individuals who profit from counterfeiting.

Fraudulent activities also include the sale of fake products, fake identity sales, and phishing scams. The dark web’s anonymity makes it challenging for law enforcement to monitor these criminal activities, which leads to an increase in them.

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Hacking services and groups

The dark web also hosts cybercriminals who are hackers for hire. They can either be solo contractors or part of a group. Not everyone will use these hackers for evil purposes, though; some people use hackers to track down and expose paedophiles.

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Bitcoin services

This is an unfortunate circumstance when the anonymity of the dark web meets that of the cryptocurrency payment method. The dark web is thus littered with services accepting crypto payment methods in exchange for illicit activities.

Because of this, most cybercriminals and criminals can now rely on the dark web to hide their activities.

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Dangers to look out for when using the dark web

Since the dark net is a section of the internet outside of indexing or regulation, there is a good chance you can encounter pages with inappropriate, malicious, and often illegal stuff. Because of this, it is advised to only access sites from curated libraries and don’t go fishing for random ones yourself.

In that light, here are a few of the dangers lurking on the dark web:

Malicious software

The dark web is littered with malicious software and contains malware for sale. While there is malware for sale, safe behind a transaction, there is malware floating around that can infect your device.

Since the web does not operate with the same principles that would normally protect users from harmful files, you could essentially encounter the following:

• Botnet malware
• Keyloggers
• Phishing malware
• Ransomware

To protect yourself from these threats, you need to first ensure you’re connected through the Tor network and then install a VPN. The former offers fair security and privacy but not enough to block monitoring or tracking, so the VPN is extra important. Also, VPNs are legal in most countries.

The VPN encrypts your data, making it unreadable. It can also hide that you’re using a VPN from anyone who can monitor your traffic.

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Scams

Certain services on the dark web are unsurprisingly false advertisements or scams. Stuff like “killers for hire” and other unsavory services are meant to lure desperate people into parting with reasonable sums of money.

This isn’t to say that such services, like paid assassinations or sex trafficking, are not prevalent on the dark web; they are. The scam relies on the victim believing they’ve met a legitimate “seller”; all the while, they’re about to be scammed.

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Exposure to extreme media

On your trek through the Onion Web, you are bound to come across deeply disturbing content like child pornography, extremist or terrorist groups, and more inappropriate content. Downloading content from these sites or even participating in any activities there will attract law enforcement to you. 

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Illegal marketplaces

Since there is no limit on what can be found or sold on the dark web, it is no surprise that illegal items are traded. These marketplaces trade in goods and services like counterfeit documents, malware, stolen information, drugs, weapons, hacking services, etc.

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Dark web and deep web — Ways to safely access them

Knowing that the dark web holds a lot of illegal content, it is essential to point out that you’d be accessing the darknet at your own risk.

But you can stay safe as you surf the dark web if you adhere to the following steps:

Download the Tor browser

This is the most important step in staying safe on the dark web. You must only access the dark web using browsers designed for anonymity. Your standard browsers will either be unable to access it or will be too exposed to tracking, attacks, and malware.

As a result, if you must access the dark web, we recommend using the Tor browser. This browser is perfect for accessing .onion links, which are the majority of sites on the dark web.

The browser is free to download and easy to install, simply go on the homepage, click the download icon and follow the prompts.

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Is it legal to use the Tor browser to access the dark web?

Well, using Tor is fairly legal and perfectly safe. It is designed to maximize privacy when you access the dark web. Individuals like journalists and whistleblowers rely on this quality to dispense valuable information that would otherwise get them in trouble.

The Tor network also helps block surveillance by ISPs, monitoring bodies and government agencies. While Tor itself is legal to use, the activities on the network are not automatically legal either.

The tool is only as good as its user, and thus there are enough cases of people using this network for nefarious and illegal activities. Thankfully, the Tor admins can and will call the attention of law enforcement if they suspect you’re engaging in harmful and illegal behaviour while on their network.

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Use a VPN

The second important step is getting a VPN. This helps encrypt your data and keep you hidden from any surveillance.

The Tor browser provides some protection and anonymity, but your online traffic is still readable to law enforcement. The VPN ensures this is no longer a possibility.

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Comparison of the best VPNs for the dark web

VPN Service	Tor Support	Number of Connections	Onion Over VPN	No-Logs Policy	Encryption	Price
NordVPN	Yes	10	Yes	Yes	AES-256, ChaCha20	$3.99/mo
ExtremeVPN	Yes	10	Yes	Yes	AES-256	$3.29/mo
Surfshark	Yes	Unlimited	No	Yes	AES-256,ChaCha20	$2.19/mo

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Best Dark Web VPNs – Detailed list

A VPN is a necessary tool for accessing the dark web. It provides you complete anonymity and security, keeping you safe from cybercriminals and hidden from law enforcement agencies. With a VPN, you can safely visit the dark web and engage with any content you desire, free from monitoring or tracking.

We have put together three top VPN choices based on research and tests for accessing the dark web.

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NordVPN

NordVPN comes equipped with specialized Tor over VPN servers that let it route your traffic twice: First through its servers and then through the Tor network. This VPN also offers the DoubleVPN feature, allowing users to double their encryption, but it might reduce the connection speed a bit.

Thanks to its no-logs policy, 256-bit AES encryption, and IP/DNS leak protection, NordVPN guarantees user privacy. Compatible client apps are available for every popular operating system and device, including Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

NordVPN has an extensive server network with over 6,000 servers in 100+ countries. You can subscribe to the NordVPN premium plan for just $3.39/month.

Moreover, NordVPN offers cryptocurrency payment methods to further increase user anonymity.

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ExtremeVPN

You can also access the dark web securely and privately with ExtremeVPN. It offers an additional layer of protection to what you can expect from the Tor network. This service can also make your online traffic appear as if you’re not connected to a VPN with a feature known as Obfuscation.

ExtremeVPN protects your data thanks to its industry-grade security features and privacy protocols. These include 256-bit AES encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, a kill switch, and perfect forward secrecy.

It is also great for users looking for VPN services that offer total anonymity. ExtremeVPN also has compatible client apps for multiple operating systems and devices.

ExtremeVPN has an impressive server network of over 6,500 servers across 78+ countries. Start using ExtrmeVPN today for only $3.29/month, backed up with a 30-days money-back guarantee.

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Surfshark

Thanks to over 3,000 servers in more than 100 countries, this VPN is an excellent choice for quick and stable connections. Surfshark is the perfect dark web VPN and delivers high-quality service at a very affordable cost.

Regarding compatibility with the Tor network, Surfshark works seamlessly, offering advanced features that enhance online privacy and block third-party tracking. It achieves this level of protection thanks to its advanced security and privacy capabilities, including IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection, 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy.

A Surfshark subscription costs $2.19/month with unlimited device connections. Finally, Surfshark allows users to conveniently and anonymously pay for a subscription with cryptocurrency, which is untraceable.

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Methodology on how we tested these VPNs

With so many VPN services in the market today featuring varying qualities of service, it’s important to pick the best option. Below are some of the factors we considered before deciding on the best VPNs for the dark web:

• Jurisdiction and logs policy: The best VPN for the dark web does not keep logs and operates from a location that has privacy-friendly legislation.
• Anonymous payment methods: A VPN should offer anonymous modes for payments like cryptocurrency so that nothing is left to public records. 
• Obfuscation: A VPN that can hide your online traffic is a basic expectation. But we checked to ensure that our dark web VPN makes it look like you’re not even using a VPN. 
• Security: The best VPN for the dark web should be equipped with advanced encryption algorithms and other security features for your safety.
• Speed: Last but not least, a good dark web VPN should offer fast connection speeds, allowing you to surf and download content from the dark web free of lagging.

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Install TAILS

The Amnesic Incognito Live System (TAILS) is a Debian-based version of Linux designed to wipe your device history of user activity. This feature makes it perfect for accessing the dark web.

TAILS does not store files or cookies without your approval, and it greatly reduces the risk of getting “page out” data dumped into your disk. This software also comes with the Tor browser pre-installed, so you save time on double installations.

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Be extra cautious

This should go without saying, but exercising great caution when using the dark web is important. Be careful of the people you communicate with and pages you interact with, and ensure you divulge as little personal information as possible.

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Use cryptocurrencies for transactions

No matter what you do on the dark web, avoid making payments with your actual bank cards or personal accounts. If you have to make any purchases, use cryptocurrency only.

If the seller has traditional payment methods, don’t let that lure you; insist on the crypto option. Even with the anonymous crypto option, your activities can still be tracked due to address reuse, connected nodes, and blockchain analytics.

To circumvent this, you can employ Bitcoin mixers or cryptocurrency tumblers or choose the Monero and Zcash options.

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Only visit sites you know

The surface web has all its pages indexed by Google and other search engines, so you can easily find whatever link you’re looking for. This is not the case with dark web users, who can have a genuinely tough time looking for the right web links for their needs.

This means they can accidentally encounter largely unsafe links or pages with inappropriate content. To get around this, we advise using a good dark web directory. These pages collate the best and most active darknet pages into an ordered list for easy access.

If you stumble across the wrong link or page, quickly close the page and refresh your browser.

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Leave no tabs running when you finish

Finally, conclude your dark web session by closing all opened tabs and pages. Often, users forget and leave pages running after they finish, leading to problems for them and their systems.

To stay safe after using the dark web, close all opened tabs and reboot your computer. For Mac and Windows, a restart is sufficient, but TAILS users should shut down the operating system and reboot.

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How to safely access the Dark Web using your Android

For Android users looking for a safe way to access the dark web on their devices, follow the steps below:

How to safely access the Dark Web using your iPhone

Tor browser is not available on the iOS App Store, but there are a few unofficial versions that work just fine. Here’s how to access the dark web using your iPhone:

Additional safety tips for using onion sites

We are confident you have amassed enough safety tips to follow if and when you access the dark web. To go over them briefly, get a VPN, download the Tor network, pay only with cryptocurrency, and close all tabs after use. 

But some more tweaks and practices can improve your safety and security. They are listed below:

Toggle the Tor security setting

The Tor browser has a built-in slider for adjusting the security levels. To access it, click on the onion icon and select Security Settings.

It is advisable to slide it to where the cursor points to the safest position so that you can visit any website without JavaScript interference.

This setting will, however, result in the absence of images and symbols.

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Resize or minimize the Tor browsing window

Not many users know this, but we’re letting you in on this secret anyway. You can get tracked on the dark web depending on the dimensions of your active tab.

So, we recommend minimizing your Tor window once you’re ready to explore.

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Shut down Tails

This is very important. Do not leave TAILS running, remember to shut it down and reboot the OS to wipe out the session history completely.

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Pros and cons of the dark web

Even though the dark web has a bad reputation, it has many benefits. We intend to explore the pros and cons of using the dark web so that you are well-informed before committing to venturing into the murky and uncertain waters of the dark web.

Pros

The dark web’s anonymity can be a good thing; here are a few individuals who can benefit from it:

• Whistleblowers and journalists looking to collaborate anonymously to expose corrupt government agencies and corporations.
• Citizens living under an oppressive government or dictatorship are looking for a way to access uncensored news sources or private communication channels.
• Political activists need cover while setting up protests against the oppressive actions of their governments.
• Individuals looking for medical advice but have specific questions and require special treatments or other remedies without revealing their identity.

Next is a list of benefits that may or may not be legal but are certainly not nefarious. The dark web helps people looking to:

• Access research resources that may be hidden behind paywalls. 
• Use search engines without pesky ads for increased privacy and security.
• Access geo-restricted content or pages due to censorship.
• Manage other digital assets or safeguard cryptocurrency wallets.
• Privately use social media without fear of surveillance or tracking.
• Locate special content like obscure sites, sensitive forums or specialized communities.

However, the dark web’s bad reputation isn’t misplaced. There are real reasons to be wary of it

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Cons

Below are a few safety issues to consider while on the dark web:

• Criminals: You may encounter pages with criminals as the admins. These criminals can either sell you illegal items or try to exploit you.
• Law breaking: Being on the dark web will expose you to illegal pages. It is important not to willingly engage in any to avoid attracting law enforcement.
• Suspicious links: Avoid clicking links you can’t recognize or confirm if they’re safe. Also, do not click on weird or suspicious download links.
• Law enforcement: For individuals going on the dark web to carry out or engage in illegal activities, it is essential to know that law enforcement is always watching.
• Viruses: Dark web pages can be littered with viruses and other harmful files that can latch onto your device.
• Hackers: While the dark web has hackers offering their services at a price, some rogue hackers can also hack your system.
• Webcam hijacking: With a remote administration tool (RAT), a hacker can hijack your WebCam and spy on you via the camera lens.

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Popular dark web criminal cases

A ton of atrocities are committed in or with the help of the dark web every day, much of which don’t make the news. We’re going to talk about the ones that made a loud enough noise to be high-profile stories.

The Playpen case

Playpen is a child pornography website on the dark web involved in a scandal commonly referred to as “The Playpen Case”. By the time law enforcement caught up with the site, it had amassed a following of over 200,000 users in only seven months.

The FBI, with help from an unnamed agency, secretly accessed the site’s host servers and laid there in wait for two weeks. They did this in order to quietly capture over 1,000 visitors’ IP addresses, leading to more than 900 arrests, which includes Steven Chase, the creator of the site.

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Silk Road

Created by Ross Ulbricht between 2011 and 2013, the Silk Road is now-defunct dark web marketplace that is notorious for the sale of illegal items. These illegal items include drugs and services, all of which were transacted using Bitcoin.

At the time of its crackdown, the Silk Road had over 1.2 billion dollars in its “store” from trading in ‘hits’, counterfeit cash, drugs, firearms, and hacker tools.

Because of its wild popularity, the IRS, GBI, and other government agencies became aware of the activities. This led to the arrest of the creator, Ross, in 2013.

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AlphaBay

Soon after the Silk Road crackdown, sites like AlphaBay rose to fill the void left by the dark web.

In 2017, this dark web marketplace was shut down due to a series of missteps by Alexandre Cazes, the site’s founder. First, they used their real email address to communicate with prospective customers, then they used the same pseudonym for accounts on the surface and dark web.

Alexandre Cazes was found dead in his cell only days after his arrest, allegedly dying by suicide.

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The Ashley Madison Case

Most of you know the dating site Ashley Madison, but you don’t know it was the target of a hack attack in 2015. The hackers acquired sensitive user data and threatened to expose it unless Ashley Madison and its sister platform, Established Men, were shut down.

The dating site failed to meet the deadline, so the hackers posted the extracted user data on the dark web. This contained over 30 million IP addresses, including the CEO’s. The hackers justify their actions by saying that the dating site was forcing users to pay to get their accounts deleted.

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How big is the dark web?

The dark web can appear to be a very large entity, but that’s not accurate. According to research from Recorded Future, the dark web is estimated to contain more than 55,000 existing .onion domains, of which around 8,000+ (or roughly 15%) of these sites are actually active. This means the “actual” total network of active dark web sites amounts to roughly 0.005% of the size of the surface web.

Dark web domains are largely inconsistent, meaning you will find new ones that appear and disappear randomly. This could be due to the fact that these sites can be shady and can’t afford to stay active too long to evade law enforcement.

Fun fact: about 78% of the content on the dark web is written in English.

What happens on the dark web day to day?

This is a tricky question to answer since any search engine’s index does not cover the dark web. However, the dark web is shrouded in so much negativity that it’s safe to assume the activities there are largely illegal.

However, this article confidently states that aside from the illegal activities, some positive aspects occur on the dark web.

Is it legal to access the dark web?

It is perfectly legal to visit the dark web, but you would be in so much trouble if you use it for illegal activities. Below are some of the reasons you can access the dark web:

For anonymous internet use

The chief quality of the dark web is its anonymity, and it is a great haven for users looking to use the internet securely and privately.

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Buy rare or hard-to-get items

In cases where certain important items or resources are hard to get or banned in certain locations, the dark web can be a great help. The dark web allows users in need to access these items through secure networks.

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Purchase legal goods secretly

The dark web hosts dozens of platforms that act as hubs for trade in whatever the user desires. These dark web “marketplaces” give the utmost assurance of privacy and confidentiality on any purchases.

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Exchange information in countries’ internet censorship

Few countries censor their internet, streamlining what the citizens can consume or share with the outside world. However, with the dark web, these restrictions simply do not exist. These countries include Turkey, Cuba, China, Russia, and Qatar.

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Exposing abusive and oppressive regimes

Thanks to the dark web, political activists can securely share stories about their oppressive governments without risking exposing their identity.

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FAQs