The Tor Browser is the most popular browser for the dark web, but other popular options exist, like Brave, Comodo Dragon, Epic and SRWare Iron. Keep in mind that in some regions like China and Russia, it’s illegal to use anonymizers. If you’re in a restrictive country, you’ll be crossing the red line and authorities could be at your heels.
Alternative Anonymous Networks
Even commerce sites that may have existed for a year or more can suddenly disappear if the owners decide to cash in and flee with the escrow money they’re holding on behalf of customers. Still, for those willing to put up with the inconvenience, the dark web provides a memorable glimpse at the seamy underbelly of the human experience – without the risk of skulking around in a dark alley. As I’ve previously said, it’s a good idea to keep your interactions with the dark web to a minimum, unless you can absolutely trust the people you’re dealing with. You’ll often see a sign in stores that says “look, don’t touch,” and it’s not a bad adage to bear in mind as you navigate around the dark web.
The use of the dark web usually means that you are attempting to engage in activity that you could not otherwise carry out in the public eye. At first glance, Tor doesn’t look that different from your regular browser – it has a search bar, lots of quick-launch icons, the peeled onion icon smack in the middle of the screen. I strongly recommend surfing on the dark web using virtual machine software instead of your locally installed Windows. Because it’s easier to contain malware in a virtual environment, which can be fully controlled. There’s no broad consensus on dark web safety, but you at least need to use Tor and VPN together.
DuckDuckGo is built into the Tor browser, making it a convenient option for looking up dark web websites. However, before you start your search, toggle the button beside “Onionize” to anonymize your session. This hides your activity and personal identifiers so you can browse safely, protected from prying eyes and identity theft. From its inception, Ahmia has been committed to ethical principles, filtering out content related to child pornography and maintaining a blacklist to mitigate abusive services. This commitment underlines the search engine’s dedication to providing a safe and constructive environment for dark web exploration.
Unlike many imitators, this is the official Hidden Wiki that maintains a curated directory of legitimate .onion services. During my testing, I found its categorized index particularly helpful for discovering trustworthy sites across various topics. If your work or lifestyle requires you to use the dark web, however, there are ways to protect yourself.
Of The Best Dark Websites Google Won’t Let You Find
This service is a good source of statistics if you have a school project requiring research on Tor and the dark web. However, note that the site only uses non-sensitive and public data for the metrics. The Tor Metrics is a good place to get more information about the Tor project. It collects data from the public Tor network and archives historical data of the Tor ecosystem.
Tor Over VPN Or VPN Over Tor? Dark Web Access Explained
There’s even an option to set a timer on your most sensitive messages so they disappear after a set time period. However, Facebook’s dark web version will still log your data, so keep that in mind. While your IP address is hidden, the site can still collect information you share on your profile.
- The dark web is also a place for scammers to attract vulnerable and unwitting victims.
- Like regular browsers with domain names, the Tor browser also has its own domain designation.
- When you visit dark web sites, even if you don’t have any ill intentions, you support the dark web ecosystem, which serves as a medium to conduct various illegal activities.
- That said, it can be difficult for users to find the material they are looking for on the dark web.
- They cater to criminals or individuals seeking to commit identity fraud or avoid legal scrutiny.
Onion Links: How To Access Them
For safer browsing, it is highly recommended to also use a VPN and antivirus software. The dark web is a part of the internet that you only step into with a specific tool (Tor, more on this later in the article). Though people usually think of dark websites as the wrong online place, that’s not the complete truth. Although the underground internet world is rife with everything bad, it also hosts positive elements.
Verified Social Channels And News Sites
The deep web is made up of email platforms, workplace portals, subscription services, and banking websites — basically anything that requires a login. The “surface web,” on the other hand, is the publicly available part of the internet that search engines index. In addition, know that while accessing the dark web is legal in most countries, engaging in illegal activities (buying or selling contraband, hacking services, etc.), is illegal everywhere. You should be aware that law enforcement agencies may be monitoring the dark web and that visiting certain websites or engaging in illegal activities can result in criminal charges. You can also check out this ultimate dark web safety guide to browse safely.
How To Get On The Dark Web Safely & Anonymously In 2025?
Users leverage these platforms to organize protests, whistleblow, share survival guides, or share files P2P. Some markets are relatively short-lived (thanks to law enforcement), but others are notorious enough that they survive, for instance, Silk Road, AlphaBay, and Hansa. Also, you can set a strong password to protect your message and choose how long it will take to expire. The good news is that the platform will not see what you copy/paste.
But if you connect to the VPN before connecting to Tor and an IP leak occurs, only the VPN’s IP address will be exposed. Yes, but you need to be cautious because there are many malicious sites on the dark web. The best way to do that is to get the link from legitimate sources, like The Hidden Wiki. What’s more, you should always use a VPN (like ExpressVPN) with Tor to protect yourself from IP leaks. I also recommend using an antivirus (like Norton 360) to protect your device from malware infections.
There are many places in the world where access to international news sources is blocked. To serve these people, several independent news outlets offer onion mirrors, making them invaluable sources of information. The Guardian Tor site is a mirror of its regular Tor site, offering the same news, analysis, and opinion as its regular web portal. The only way to access Tor sites that the Tor Project recommends is to use Tor Browser(new window), a modified version of Firefox that routes all connections through the Tor network by default. Tor was originally an acronym for The Onion Router, which references Tor’s multiple layers of security.
- Despite this, similar markets have continued to emerge, fueling the Dark Web’s reputation as a haven for illegal trade.
- The dark web isn’t entirely bad, but it’s clear that it can be deeply dangerous.
- That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a thriving community there though.
- The dark web is content that exists on dark nets, which require specialized software (like the Tor Browser), configurations and authorization to access.
- The Australian Federal Police (AFP) participated in a Europol-led investigation that in 2024 shut down LockBit’s primary platform along with 34 servers across the US, the UK, Europe, and Australia.
ProPublica exposes corruption and abuses of power through investigative journalism. The articles are in-depth and informative, and the site is completely free to access — no random paywalls pop up in the middle of articles. For cryptocurrency enthusiasts, Wasabi Wallet is considered an indispensable trading tool and one of the safest ways to buy, sell, and manage cryptocurrency on the dark web. Wasabi Wallet isn’t free to use, but, for a small fee, you get reliable and anonymous cryptocurrency transactions. Before diving in, please note that this guide does not encourage or condone unlawful actions.
The blog contains tons of useful guides about how you can avoid online surveillance. SecureDrop is an open-source submission system that nonprofit organizations (NGOs), journalists, and news organizations can use to share and receive sensitive files securely. It’s used by 50+ news organizations, including ABC, Bloomberg News, CBC, and The New York Times. The best news is Torch updates its sites every single day, so you’ll always be able to browse the latest news and access new services and sites. It lets you search both clearnet and dark web sites, but it blocks all trackers, doesn’t use your location data, and never stores your search history. The most notorious marketplace to date was Silk Road, an online black market for drugs, which was shut down by the FBI in 2013.
Many dark web search engines on the darknet suffer from spam, because these spammy sites want to be indexed and found by the search engines as opposed to genuine onion sites. Vorm Web focuses on quality over quantity and splits findable results into three security categories, from secure to risky. Because of its anonymity, the dark web is filled with illegal services and is used by numerous criminal groups, including ransomware gangs. It is also used by whistle-blowers, journalists, and other individuals who are not involved in illegal activity but need to protect their communications and identities.
