The dark web is part of the internet that isn't visible to search engines and requires the use of an anonymizing browser called TOR (The Onion Router) to be accessed.
The World Wide Web (WWW), much like real life, is so massive that it would take you a lifetime to traverse every nook and cranny.
To compound that fact, by the time you were halfway done, so much more content would have been created and updated that you’d have to start all over again.
All of this is well known, but how many of you are aware that the content you usually encounter on the web is barely the tip of a massive iceberg of information?
Imagine a real iceberg – The top protrudes above the water and is visible, yet the real bulk of the iceberg is below that, unseen.
The WWW is similar, in which the regular sites we visit are the top of that iceberg. This includes common sites such as Wikipedia, Google, and even the millions of blogs that come and go daily.
Beneath the water lurks the deep and dark, hidden from view for various reasons, the Dark Web.
Less nefarious is the information that skims the surface of the Dark Web, in a zone called the Deep Web. That belongs to large corporates or governments and is never exposed to the public, such as medical records, government reports, financial records, and such. These are kept away from search engines and behind powerful firewalls to protect them.
It’s truly in the depths of the Dark Web that things get more shady – and oftentimes dangerous.
In the case of the Deep Web, since personal records, government documents and such are not meant for public view in the first place, those are understandably kept safe.
The Dark Web is slightly more complicated. This part of the WWW is often run on networks of private servers, allowing communication only via specific means. This enables a high degree of anonymity and makes it difficult for authorities to shut down.
Despite its current usage as a browser that is often used to access parts of the Dark Web, TOR (aka. the Dark Web browser) was originally developed to help safeguard US Intelligence online communications.
Today, it is one of the few ways to access .onion websites, which are located on the Dark Web.
TOR is a variant of the popular Firefox web browser, modified to allow users to browse the web anonymously.
The browser is designed to block or advise against user attempts to do things that might reveal their identity, such as resizing the dimensions of the browser window, for example.
While you’re waiting for TOR to download, take the time to stick a piece of dark tape over your webcam lens.
You never know what might happen.
And also – check out the following introduction video by TOR.
Consider using a VPN service
The term “virtual private network” (VPN) might sound intimidating, but they’re easier to use than you might think.
These servers mask your origin and may emulate locations from many other places in the world. Data that passes through VPN tunnels is also encrypted.
Although TOR masks your identity, it does not hide your location.
VPN software protects your information by masking your device’s IP address. The software encrypts your data and routes it through secure networks to servers in far away states or other countries. A VPN hides your online identity, allowing you to browse the internet anonymously.
VPN stands for virtual private network. In basic terms, a VPN provides an encrypted server and hides your IP address from corporations, government agencies and would-be hackers.
A VPN protects your identity even if you are using public or shared Wi-Fi, and your data will be kept private from any prying internet eyes.
A VPN circumvents your personal ISP, instead of sending your internet connection to a hosted server.
With servers located all over the world, users then have the ability to “relocate” themselves and access the internet from nearly anywhere.
Encryption adds an extra layer of security, particularly for businesses that are frequently utilizing remote access. It can also be a helpful tool for travel, gaming and streaming.
While a VPN is a great tool to help separate your location (and in many ways, you) from your data, it doesn’t obscure everything about you.
If you take a Facebook quiz or like a post on Instagram, the app you are using while connected to the VPN is still able to use your behavior to tailor in-app ads and content.
They might not know where you are browsing from, but they will still know what you are doing on their apps.
Similarly, if cookies are enabled on your computer, companies can follow you while you are on their site—and after.
Your full data isn’t obscured with a VPN alone.
Combining a VPN’s protection with TOR, an open-source tool that allows you to browse the web anonymously, and other security measures are necessary for a fuller security.
