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The dark web is a subset of the deep web that is intentionally hidden, requiring a specific browser—Tor—to access, as explained below. No one really knows the size of the dark web, but most estimates put it at around 5% of the total internet. Again, not all the dark web is used for illicit purposes despite its ominous-sounding name. Use a secondary non-admin local user account for all daily activities. The native account on most computers will have full administrative permissions by default. Most malware must take advantage of this to execute its functions.
The deep web is a pretty safe place, especially when you compare it with the dark web. The deep web can help protect your personal information and privacy. However, remaining anonymous can be invaluable to protesters, civil rights groups, journalists, lawyers, and other vulnerable groups.
How to Access the Dark Web With a Regular Browser
Virtual private networks hide your real internet address in the event an attacker gains control of your VM. Items 1 to 5 below can be done using public wifi for better privacy protection. Accessing the Dark Web safely on your Mac is totally possible with the right tools.
Both a VPN and Tor should be used together and it is advisable to connect via a VPN to Tor, rather than vice versa, for the best protection possible. In addition, if you’re concerned about malware or exploits, you could also consider using avirtual machine. The Tor network is operated by thousands of volunteers worldwide who maintain the proxy servers used to protect your identity. You can download the Tor Browser for Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Android.
How to safely access the Dark Web
Choose Tor when you need to stay anonymous or want to get to the dark web. People protect their online identities for a variety of reasons. Http) and get universally marked as suspicious by normal browsers. Simply visiting a website like that could get you into trouble with malware.
While the dark web promises privacy to its users, it can also be used to violate the privacy of others. Private photos, medical records, and financial information have all been stolen and shared on the dark web. People often confuse the dark web with cryptocurrencies, which are often used to make purchases there. The dark web makes it easier to set up and access websites that offer a high degree of anonymity for everyone involved. Also called the darknet, the dark web is much like the broader web was in its early days during the late 20th century.
App Privacy
Some of the websites give you a link to the .onion extension – as sky-fraud does. Some others don’t do so, and you need to know the exact URL. The deep web accounts for over 90% of information on the internet.
- Therefore, before you open the Tor browser, you should close all the other apps on your machine, stop unnecessary services from running, and cover your webcam with a piece of paper.
- If you can’t get a personal recommendation from someone you trust, verify the URL from multiple different sources.
- Sites stored in the index are then ranked based on a variety of different factors, which is what decides how far up on the results page the sites appear in a search.
- With ClearVPN, you can browse the internet in private, without the risks and hassles of the dark web.
IPL’s repository of more than 500,000 academic essays is searchable. For free movies, there are several ad and user-supported platforms that can get you your media fix without costing you a dime. Deciding whether to explore the Dark Web or not relies on a few different factors. Depending on what you find, you might need a strong stomach, a brave demeanor and a willingness to ignore blatant violations of the law. The best way to think of the shape of the internet is an iceberg — what you see on the surface is only a small fraction of the actual web.
How to access the dark web safely: final thoughts
Regardless of being a business, parent, or any other user of the web, you’ll want to take precautions to keep your information and private life off the dark web. With many Tor-based sites being overtaken by police authorities across the globe, there is a clear danger of becoming government target for simply visiting a dark website. If you choose to pursue exploring any sites on the dark web, you put yourself at risk of being singled out and targeted for hacks and more. Most malware infections can be caught by your endpoint security programs. For government critics and other outspoken advocates, they may fear backlash if their real identities were discovered.
For those who may be a little faint of heart – we have listed down more than 160 updated Tor websites for you. However, Tor is not the only browser you can use to access the Dark Web. With the right configuration and setup, we can also use Firefox, Opera, or Whonix to access the Dark Web. Overall, navigating the dark web is about exercising caution and prudence. Pair that with the tips we’ve listed above and you should be fine.
