The dark web. Sounds shady, doesn’t it? It brings to mind a lawless underground where only hackers and criminals dare to tread. The reality is a little more mundane, but no less dangerous.
Unlike the clear web, which can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection, the dark web requires specialized software to access. This is because all connections into the dark web are inherently encrypted, which makes it particularly useful for criminals. However, there’s also a lot of positive uses for the dark web you won’t hear about as much.
Come take a quick safari through the dark web and you’ll learn exactly what goes on down there.
What is the dark web?
The dark web is a hidden part of the internet. You won’t find it through Google or Bing. In fact, it’s easier if you think of it as a separate internet altogether. There’s varying definitions, but most people agree that the dark web isn’t accessible through traditional search-engine indexing. Some argue that it’s any internet service that requires anonymising software to access, while others refer specifically to content hosted on the Tor network as the dark web.
Either way, the common theme between all definitions of the dark web is software-enforced anonymity. I’ll be using the Tor network as an example of how this works, but most dark web software works similarly.
The clear web, also known as the surface web, consists of websites and services that are indexed by search engines and accessible through standard web browsers. It includes everything from news sites and social media platforms to online stores and streaming services. The clear web is regulated and monitored by various governments, making it relatively difficult for people providing illegal content and services to operate on the clear web.
Next, we have the deep web which encompasses all online content not indexed by search engines. The deep web includes private databases, academic resources, and other non-public information. In essence, you either need to know about content on the deep web ahead of time in order to access it.
The dark web is a subset of the deep web which is difficult to regulate. Spaces on the dark web are specifically designed to offer anonymity and remain accessible only through specialized tools like Tor.
The dark web's focus on privacy makes it a haven for both legitimate and illicit activities. On one hand, it provides a platform for activists, journalists, and whistleblowers to communicate securely and access censored information. On the other hand, its anonymity attracts illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal arms sales, and cybercrime.
How do you access the dark web?
Accessing the dark web isn't as straightforward as browsing the clear web. To venture into this hidden part of the internet, you need specific tools. I’ll be using Tor as an example, but I’ll explain how Tor works first.
Tor is a decentralized network in which each Tor node is a user on the network. Tor works by routing your internet traffic through multiple user nodes around the world before eventually reaching an exit node. Each relay decrypts a layer of encryption to uncover the next destination, much like peeling an onion, hence the name "The Onion Router."
This process effectively masks your IP address, making it extremely difficult for anyone to trace your activities back to you. While most Tor users use this routing to send their traffic to the clear net, there’s another use for Tor routing.
Web servers can be hosted inside the Tor network, taking advantage of the anonymity afforded by onion routing to ensure that nobody hosting or using a service inside the Tor network can associate a real IP address with any traffic sent through the network. By using a combination of encryption and peer-to-peer encapsulation, it’s impossible to observe what traffic is being sent to services on the Tor network.
So, to access the dark web you’ll need to download and install the Tor Browser. You’ll then need to know the .onion address of the site in question you want to visit. These sites can’t be visited by normal browsers, but you’ll be able to search for their links through Google. Keep in mind that .onion link directories can list illegal sites, so proceed with caution.
While Tor provides some level of anonymity, using a VPN in conjunction with Tor adds an extra layer of security. Some internet service providers (ISPs) may restrict or throttle Tor traffic, so using a VPN can help you bypass these restrictions and access the Tor network without interference.
Why do people use the dark web?
The dark web has a well-deserved reputation for harboring criminal activity. While you might be able to find websites on the clear web advertising drugs, stolen data, or weapons, these sites are few and far between. The anonymity the dark web offers allows criminals to act with relative impunity, free from government reprisal short of highly-targeted takedown operations by Interpol.
That’s not to say that everyone who uses the dark web is a criminal.
Journalists and activists often use the dark web to communicate securely with sources and avoid censorship, especially in countries with oppressive regimes. The dark web also provides a secure platform for dissidents and whistleblowers to share information without fear of retribution. It enables them to communicate, organize, and expose injustices while protecting their identities thanks to always-on encryption.
What's the difference between the dark web and the deep web?
The terms "dark web" and "deep web" are often used interchangeably, but they one is really a subset of the other. The deep web encompasses all parts of the internet that aren't indexed by traditional search engines. This doesn’t mean you need special software to access the deep web - it might be as simple as logging into your school or work’s intranet.
The deep web is vast, comprising the majority of the internet. It's essential to note that the deep web is not inherently nefarious. Most of its content is legal and serves everyday purposes such as online banking, accessing academic research, and managing personal accounts.
As such, the dark web is just a small subset of all the internet content you can’t find by accessing a search engine. It’s easy to conflate the two, because they both represent parts of the internet not accessible through standard means, but in practice they imply vastly different things. They also both sound similar, which doesn’t help much.
Is the dark web safe to use?
While not every user of the dark web is a criminal, the dark web is a hotbed of criminal activity. It’s essential to employ a high level of caution when using it. Just because you’re given a baseline level of anonymity doesn’t mean you won’t fall foul of other users on the dark web, especially if you hand out your real name, location, or bank details.
That said, the dark web is policed a lot more than you’d expect. Intelligence agencies regularly compromise drug and weapon trafficking sites to use as honeypots. While these marketplaces remain open, the agency in question attempts to capture as much data as possible on their users in preparation for eventual arrests. Engaging with these markets can expose you to legal risks and potential scams. It’s not worth thinking about, so don’t do it.
The dark web is also rife with malicious software and scams that can’t be taken down. The decentralized nature of the dark web means that it’s nigh impossible to find a website host to complain to about malware distribution, so there’s malware everywhere. Downloading the wrong file from the dark web can install malware that can steal your personal information, lock you out of your data, or monitor your activities.
Using a VPN in addition to Tor can help mitigate the security risks of visiting the dark web. If you’re using a VPN with automatic virus scanning and traffic analysis, you’ll be warned ahead of time if you try to download a file that contains a known virus. Using a VPN also helps anonymise you if you don’t fully trust the Tor network, as well as hiding the fact that you’re visiting Tor from your ISP.
This is particularly useful if you’re browsing from a country where Tor traffic may mark you as a potential political dissident or whistleblower.
