What is the Dark Web?

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 has legitimate uses. In this article, we will explore what the dark web is, how it works, and what you can find on it.

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This can be seen in the facilitation of the first illegal online transaction using ARPANET in the early 1970’s. Though the dark web seems like an invention of the new millennium, its history dates back farther than one might think. A few pioneers built the dark web into what it is today, a hidden underbelly of the Internet with content ranging from innocuous to downright illegal. Keep reading to learn the history of the dark web and how it has shaped the Internet as we know it. This creates an opportunity for people to create illegal websites on the dark web using Tor to hide the locations of both their operations and their customers. Tor, now one of the main access points for the dark web, is popular because it can hide the IP addresses of its users.

What is the Dark Web?

• I2P cannot be used to access .onion sites because it is a completely separate network from Tor.
• Also referred to as “non-indexed” content, it’s any content hidden behind some kind of access control such as a log-in or code word.
• However, it is generally believed that the majority of Hidden Services contain illicit material.
• It’s imperative that any dark web exploring is done with extreme caution.

The dark web is a collection of websites that are not indexed by search engines and cannot be accessed through standard web browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. These websites are hosted on darknets, which are networks that use the internet but require specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. The dark web is often associated with illegal activities, such as the sale of drugs, weapons, and stolen data, but it also has legitimate uses, such as providing a platform for activists and journalists to communicate anonymously.

How Does the Dark Web Work?

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To access the dark web, you need to use a darknet, which is a network that uses the internet but requires specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. The most popular darknet is the Tor network, which is accessible through the Tor browser. The Tor browser encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a series of volunteer-run servers around the world, making it difficult for anyone to track your online activity. Other popular darknets include I2P and Freenet.

What Can You Find on the Dark Web?

Bart is Senior Product Marketing Manager of Threat Intelligence at CrowdStrike and holds +20 years of experience in threat monitoring, detection and intelligence. Websites on the dark web end in “.onion” rather than in endings like “.com” or “.gov.” Users need special dark web browsers to access these sites. And just as an onion has many layers, Tor has many levels of encryption. Most of the dark web’s bad rep comes from all the illegal trade that’s happening there.

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The dark web is home to a wide range of websites and content. While it is often associated with illegal activities, such as the sale of drugs, weapons, and stolen data, it also has legitimate uses. For example, the dark web can be used to communicate anonymously, which is useful for activists and journalists operating in repressive regimes. It can also be used to access information that is censored in certain countries. However, it is important to note that the dark web can be dangerous, and there are many scams and frauds operating on it. It is essential to exercise caution and use reliable security measures when accessing the dark web.

Regular dark web visitors know that it’s possible to exploit the sketchy reputation of the space and the services offered. And though some dark web marketplaces offer user reviews, not all do. Lack of regulation by authorities or other users makes it easy for cybercriminals to carry out scams. Unlike typical web browsers, Tor Browser uses onion routing, which encrypts and routes traffic through multiple servers around the world to hide your IP address and provide private browsing. In addition, all domains on the Tor network end with the top-level domain .onion (instead of .com). The many layers of an onion represent the multiple layers of encryption in the Tor network.

Malicious Software

Illegal Activities

The dark web is often associated with illegal activities, such as the sale of drugs, weapons, and stolen data. These activities are facilitated by the anonymity provided by the darknet, making it difficult for law enforcement to track down the perpetrators. Some of the most common illegal activities on the dark web include:

• The sale of drugs, including prescription medications, illegal narcotics, and synthetic drugs
• The sale of weapons, including firearms, explosives, and military-grade equipment
• The sale of stolen data, including credit card information, personal identification information, and hacked databases

The deep web provides users a level of security or privacy, but it can’t offer full anonymity. In order to have that, you’ll need to go one step further down into what is called the dark web. You need a special browser that’s specifically programmed to access certain parts of the Dark Web. There are several systems, but a very popular one is Tor, or “The onion router.” Using the Tor browser gives you access to all domain names ending with “.onion”, also called the onion network.

• The provision of illegal services, such as hitmen, hacking services, and money laundering

Legitimate Uses

While the dark web is often associated with illegal activities, it also has legitimate uses. Some of the most common legitimate uses of the dark web include:

• Anonymous communication: The dark web can be used to communicate anonymously, which is useful for activists and journalists operating in repressive regimes. It can also be used to protect the privacy of individuals who are at risk of surveillance or persecution.
• Access to censored information: The dark web can be used to access information that is censored in certain countries. For example, it can be used to access news websites, social media platforms, and other resources that are blocked by government censorship.
• Research: The dark web can be a valuable resource for researchers who are studying the darknet and its culture. It can provide insights into the motivations and behaviors of darknet users, as well as the social and economic factors that contribute to the darknet’s growth and development.

The deep web is not necessarily nefarious, but it’s not easily accessible to the public either. According to the Journal of Electronic Publishing, the Deep Web contains 400 to 550 times more public information than the Surface Web. Search engines such as Bing and Google account for only 0.4% of the indexed Surface Web. Dark Web is a hidden universe within the Deep Web, a hideaway of the internet from conventional search engines. It allows users to visit websites without divulging information that could be used to track the people they surf the internet.

Conclusion

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 has legitimate uses. To access the dark web, you need to use a darknet, which is a network that uses the internet but requires specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. The most popular darknet is the Tor network, which is accessible through the Tor browser. The dark web is home to a wide range of websites and content, including illegal activities such as the sale of drugs, weapons, and stolen data, as well as legitimate uses such as anonymous communication, access to censored information, and research.

It is important to note that the dark web can be dangerous, and there are many scams and frauds operating on it. It is essential to exercise caution and use reliable security measures when accessing the dark web. If you decide to explore the dark web, be sure to educate yourself about the risks and take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your privacy.