Using the Tor browser is simple, but knowing when to fire it up is more complicated. Another challenge is CAPTCHAs; because Tor behaves differently than other browsers, it’s more likely to trigger the bot-hunting system, so be prepared to face more of them than usual. Gannicus Oliver is an experienced tech journalist (he loves writing on emerging techs and digital privacy issues) and an online business consultant.
Access The Dark Web Safely With Tor Over VPN
The users of the dark web are typically aiming to block governments from snooping on them. This can often be for political reasons, but also because they may be involved in illegal activities, such as the ones listed above. Unlike the surface and deep web, you can’t access the dark web via a standard or specialized search engine.
How To Download And Use Tor
That means that only 0.024% of all the known pages are findable in Google’s search engine. The users only have access to a fraction of the available data and web pages. Pixel Privacy believes in digital privacy and does not believe in using it for heinous and/or illegal activities, and so the focus of this article will be on legal activities. The dark web is just misinterpreted; it is not intrinsically dangerous.
What Is Onion Over VPN — And Do You Still Need It?
You should avoid downloading files via Tor to maximize your anonymity. For example, in Safer mode, JavaScript is turned off on non-HTTPS (insecure) sites, but in Safest mode, JavaScript is turned off entirely for all sites. Images load normally in Safer mode, but some complex images may not load in Safest mode.
The Three Layers Of The Internet
Proton VPN makes it easy to safely gain access to the dark web by connecting users to the Tor Network in a single click. Its server network includes dedicated nodes set up to reroute internet traffic through the Tor network. Tor Over VPN servers are identified with an onion symbol and found in the country list. It is estimated that the deep web makes up the vast majority of the internet, possibly 90-95% of it. The dark web is a part of the internet that is not accessible through traditional search engines and requires specific software or configurations to access.
Apps are independently audited for security and are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Connection speeds are very fast, and you should be able to stream HD and 4K content without buffering. Surfshark works well with streaming platforms and is able to access geo-restricted content from the likes of Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and Disney+. Explore this FAQ section to get answers to some common queries about this hidden part of the internet.
Marketplaces For Everything Illegal
The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that requires a special browser like the Tor browser to access it. Normal search engines like Google and DuckDuckGo don’t index this part of the web due to its illegal nature. Law enforcement officials can exploit that weakness using “Tor-exit-node” monitoring techniques to expose users’ IP addresses and potentially trace activity back to the original users.
While it has its dangers, it also serves as a hub for privacy-focused communications and access to resources. However, stepping into this part of the internet without preparation can expose you to risks. The dark web is full of malware, phishing scams, and other malicious threats that can compromise your device and personal data. Cybercriminals often disguise harmful files as legitimate downloads, making it easy to get tricked. Always verify a site’s legitimacy before visiting – onion addresses are long, random strings, making it easier for malicious actors to create lookalike addresses for phishing. A little typo can lead you to a clone designed to trick users into handing over sensitive data.
How To Use A VPN To Access The Dark Web
If you are in a position to report the incident safely, you should report it to the authorities immediately. It’s recommended not to be too vigilant here and leave the investigation to the professionals. It’s important to note that although the dark web has many valuable services, it is also a hangout for cybercriminals.
Often, these sites are made to look just like real, trusted platforms, such as banks, social media sites, or email providers. However, there are also perfectly legal, safe sites within the dark web, like privacy-focused forums, marketplaces, and more. Even large, trusted organizations, like The New York Times and Wikipedia, have official dark web domains of their own.
- Following these practical tips will help you securely explore the Dark Web, reducing risks while protecting your privacy and digital security.
- Outside of work, she is a travel enthusiast, music lover and avid learner interested in global cultures, spirituality, psychology and neuroscience.
- I strongly recommend surfing on the dark web using virtual machine software instead of your locally installed Windows.
- That said, it comes at the cost of a massive security and privacy breach.
ZDNET tested the best VPNs available based on speed, number of servers, security features, price, and more. ExpressVPN is our pick for the best VPN overall, thanks to its fast and reliable connection and the wide range of platforms it works on. A VPN will mask your location and stop the online breadcrumbs that can lead back to you. Connections made while a VPN is active will also be encrypted, helping you stay protected from eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. You can usually select the location you want to appear to originate from and VPNs will use a collection of servers and relays to make tracing your IP difficult.
Whether you’re digging into whistleblower leaks, downloading files via secure .onion links, or just curious about what lives beyond the Google index, you need to lock in a VPN first. Not just to stay anonymous online, but to stop your ISP, government, or even opportunistic creepers from tracking your every move. That may seem an extreme way to browse the web, but such protections are increasingly worth considering, says Sarah Jamie Lewis, executive director of the Open Privacy Research Society. The dark web isn’t only about illegal activities; it is specially designed to provide maximum anonymity by making your connection private online through encrypted servers. While the dark web is famously known as an illegal platform for criminal activities, that’s not all about this part of the web. The darknet is a private place where nobody can intercept, monitor, and steal anything online from you.
This is a free software tool that allows users to access the dark web and browse anonymously. Personal and corporate information, including email addresses, passwords, and even intellectual property, is often monetized in hidden marketplaces. The impact of such breaches extends beyond financial loss, as it can erode trust and damage reputations. With Brandefense’s Dark Web Monitoring, businesses gain visibility into where and how their data is being exploited, allowing them to take immediate action to prevent further harm. The dark web itself also has plenty of dark web site directories.
Do not log into any of your personal accounts, such as social media platforms, email inboxes, or bank accounts, when exploring the dark web. Just know that Hotspot Shield’s free plan is ad-supported, and while they don’t log your activity, the privacy policy is a bit looser compared to Proton VPN or Hide.me. So if you’re ultra-paranoid about tracking, this one’s best reserved for lighter, less sensitive sessions.
This guide explores how to access the dark web safely on different devices while also covering both the benefits and risks of delving into this part of the internet. That said, if you’re serious about staying secure and anonymous long-term, NordVPN is clearly the best VPN for accessing the dark web. With long-term plans starting at just over $3/month, it’s also one of the most affordable ways to get premium-level privacy while browsing the dark web.
