The websites you visit each day represent only a small fraction of the entire Internet. Beyond the “surface web” lies the deep web, and within it, the dark web. Find out what the dark web is and how you can access it. Also, find out how to protect your personal data.
What is the dark web?
The dark web refers to the content that search engines do not index and that requires authorization or some special software to access it. Dark web content resides on the dark web – a part of the web that is only accessible by certain browsers or certain network configurations.
The dark web is designed to provide anonymity by ensuring the privacy of communications by encrypting and routing online content through various web servers. This is where the “dark” part comes in: accessing the dark web requires using specific software that gives you anonymity.
While the dark web is often described as a lawless forum for criminal activity, this is not necessarily true. The dark web is simply an anonymous space on the web that can be put to misuse or useful use.
dark web vs. deep web: what’s the difference?
The difference between the dark web and the deep web is that the deep web refers to the websites and pages that are not indexed by search engines, such as login pages and payment gateways. The dark web, for its part, is configured in dark networks, which are online networks that can only be accessed with special software and techniques.
The deep web is made up of whatever content exists behind payment gateways, authentication forms, logins, or passwords. Much of the content that the average person sees on the Internet is part of the deep web: email, online banking accounts, private social media accounts, and subscription services. No one wants their email history to be available on the web surface for anyone doing a search to see.
Much of the content that the average person sees on the Internet is part of the deep web: email, online banking accounts, private social media accounts, and subscription services.
The dark web is part of the deep web but is based on dark networks: overlay networks that are on the Internet but cannot be accessed without special tools or software like Tor. Tor is an anonymization software tool, which stands for The Onion Router. You can use the Tor network through the Tor Browser.
Unlike typical web browsers, Tor Browser uses the onion router, which encrypts and directs traffic through various servers around the world to hide the IP address and provide private browsing. Additionally, 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.
A: The surface web includes searchable public websites (blogs, e-commerce, news pages, or YouTube).
B: The deep web is made up of sites that require a login to access (email, banking portals, or subscription services).
C: The dark web requires special tools to access, such as the Tor Browser, and is not indexed by search engines.
How can I get into the dark web?
The fastest way to access the dark web is to download and install Tor Browser, which will direct your traffic through the Tor network and give you access to the dark web. In Tor, you can type any URL you’d like to visit, including .onion domains from the dark web. How to access the dark web safely
How to access the dark web safely
The most secure way to access the dark web is through the Tor network. For added security, first, connect to a VPN and then use Tor in a practice known as Tor over VPN. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and governments may be suspicious of your use of Tor, and a VPN will hide your Internet activity and prevent anyone from knowing that you are using Tor.
- Connect to a secure and trusted VPN.Hide your IP address and encrypt your Internet connection with a trusted VPN like Avast SecureLine VPN. Although the traffic is encrypted in both cases, a VPN and Tor are not the same . A VPN will prevent your Internet Service Provider and anyone else from knowing that you are downloading and using Tor Browser.
