There’s plenty of illegal content, products, and services available on the dark web. Anonymity doesn’t make carrying out illegal acts any more permissible, so be cautious about making purchases or downloading content. As mentioned, the deep web and the dark web sometimes get confused. Technically, the dark web is a niche or subsection within the deep web. It consists of websites that aren’t indexable and can’t be readily found online via web search engines.
There are many reasons why a search engine would not index a page—perhaps it is an old page with no identifiable keywords, or it is part of an organization’s members-only site. The deep web could also be used to house private information and information that needs to remain secret, such as legal or scientific documents, medical records, or competitor information. Accessing the deep web doesn’t require a special browser or unique protocols. The dark web, however, can only be accessed through the Tor browser. The encrypted nature of the browser means everyone trying to access the dark web remains anonymous by default. What’s more, URLs in the dark web are starkly different from regular web addresses.
Understanding the Dark Web
The dark web is a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by standard search engines. It requires specific tools and knowledge to access. This clandestine section of the web is often associated with illegal activities, privacy, and anonymity.
You can connect to the Tor network using the Tor browser, a custom web browser designed specifically to work with this network. A popular Surface web browser called Brave browser now also has the ability to connect to the Tor network, so we’ll look at that too. The Surface Web (also referred toy as the Visible Web, the Indexed Web, the Lightnet, and the Clearnet) is the part of the World Wide Web that most of us are familiar with. If you can find a page with a standard search engine (Google or DuckDuckGo) and visit it with a standard web browser (Chrome or Firefox), it is part of the Surface web. Often, dark web visitors use cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin to engage in such e-commerce transactions anonymously with reduced risk of being caught. Anyone who wants to access the dark web on their iPhone while also being concerned about their security should use Tor and a good VPN like NordVPN.
This information can be used to target ads and monitor your internet usage. Second, shutting down or controlling access to the dark web would be a huge undertaking and could have unintended consequences. Finally, many people see the dark web as a necessary tool for privacy and freedom of speech. In fact, there is an entire section of the dark web dedicated to pornographic content. However, it is important to note that not all of this content is legal. Freenet is still an experiment designed to resist denial-of-service attacks and censorship.
Is It Illegal To Access The Dark Web?
How Do You Get on the Dark Web?
Dark web monitoring tools are not illegal, but they do not take any action to remove your information from ending up on the dark web. This is because the dark web has anonymous users, several layers of encryption, and no customer service. Data gleaned from ransomware and data breaches is available on the dark web.
Accessing the dark web is not as straightforward as browsing the surface web. Here are the essential steps to safely navigate this hidden part of the internet:
- Download Tor Browser:
In this article, we’ll explain how you can access the dark web safely on a phone — both iPhone and Android. Because of the built-in anonymizing features and encryption, the Dark Net is also host of many criminal websites, marketplaces and networks. Some alleged services like the professional “hitmen” may just be scams designed to profit from willing customers. Reports have suggested the dark web offers many illegal services, from paid assassinations to trafficking for sex and weapons.
To access the dark web, you need the Tor Browser, which routes your internet connection through multiple servers, anonymizing your activity.
- Install a VPN:
Although the Tor network provides anonymity, using a VPN adds an extra layer of security by encrypting your data.
- Turn off scripts:
Government cyber teams can take such websites down, arrest the owners and then use the website to track and follow users that show activity on the website. However, there are several “.onion” search engines like “onion.city”, “onion.to”, and “notevil” that you can use to find suitable marketplaces. Later on, the underlying Tor code was released into the wild under a free license, leading to the formation of the Tor Project.
Ensure that scripts are disabled in your Tor settings to protect against potential vulnerabilities.
You don’t need a server to upload content to Freenet, as long as your content is popular, it will remain. But, like I2P, Freenet won’t give you access to.onion links — only content uploaded to Freenet. Freenet is another Tor alternative, but more of an anonymous place for peer-to-peer content sharing. Users can form their own private groups for content sharing, called darknet mode. Or, they can use opennet mode to be randomly assigned to other peers on the network.
- Access .onion sites:
Use specific URLs with the .onion domain to navigate the dark web. These links are not accessible through standard browsers.
Important Safety Precautions
Before you venture into the dark web, it’s crucial to prioritize your safety. Here are some tips:
- Do not share personal information: Your anonymity is vital, so avoid sharing any identifying information.
- Use encrypted messages: If communicating with others, use encryption tools for extra security.
- Stay away from illegal activities: Engaging in criminal activities can lead to severe consequences.
- Be cautious of links: Many links on the dark web can lead to dangerous sites; ensure you only visit trusted sources.
FAQs About Accessing the Dark Web
- The dark web is a section of the internet that can only be accessed by using special software, such as Tor (The Onion Router).
- Addresses also change frequently due to the transient nature of many dark web actors.
- The term “deep web” refers to all web pages that that are unidentifiable by search engines.
- Just because you can’t get there by popular search engine, doesn’t automatically make it nefarious.
- Naval Research Laboratory mathematicians and computer scientists in the mid-1990s.
Q: Is accessing the dark web illegal?
A: Accessing the dark web itself is not illegal; however, many activities hosted there may be illegal.
Q: Can I use my regular browser to access the dark web?
A: No, the dark web requires specific browsers like Tor, which are designed for anonymity.
Q: What are the risks of using the dark web?
A: Risks include exposure to illegal content, potential hacking, and data theft. Always prioritize your security.
Q: How can I stay safe while browsing the dark web?
A: Use a VPN, turn off scripts, avoid sharing personal information, and be cautious of the links you click.
Conclusion
Understanding how do you get on the dark web involves more than just downloading a browser. Prioritizing your security, being aware of the risks, and adhering to safety guidelines are essential for navigating this hidden part of the internet safely.
