Dark Webs are somewhat complicated. Usually, these parts of the internet are accessed via private servers, allowing for communication via specific technologies. The high level of anonymity provided by this technology makes it difficult for authorities to shut it down.
As a result, Dark Web has been turned into a place where many illegal activities occur.
What is hidden on the Dark Web?
If you’ve ever heard of cybercrimes, you might know that cybercriminals these days are after more than just money. In short, they take anything valuable, including credit card information and personal information. The Dark Web offers these commodities for sale, purchase, and trade.
Besides that, there are also illegal dealings that can’t be conducted over the surface of the Web. The Dark Web is a place where anything – for a price – can be bought. A variety of items could be available, including firearms, illegal drugs, illegal wildlife, and even the services of a hitman!
How to Access the Dark Web Websites?
Here’s a guide that will show you how to explore the Dark Web, its sites and take measures. Accessing the deep Web is also way similar to accessing the dark Web.
Be very careful when browsing the dark Web: It can be hazardous. If you explore it to conduct illegal activities, you could be prosecuted and jailed.
It is also possible to be a victim of scammers and cybercriminals if you visit certain websites or download specific files. These individuals might infect your computer or steal your personal information.
Check out: How to Browse Deep and Dark Web Safely: Guide & FAQs
So, let’s get on to the process.
1. Get the TOR browser and install it
Despite its current popularity as a browser that can access parts of the Dark Web, TOR (aka. the dark web browser) was initially designed to help safeguard U.S. security. Basically, as an Intelligence online communication system.
Currently, it is the most popular way to access .onion websites on the Dark Web.
TOR is a modified version of the Firefox web browser that lets users browse the Web anonymously. The browser is designed to prevent users from doing things that may reveal their identities, such as resizing their browser window.
While you’re waiting for TOR to download, make sure to tape the webcam lens with dark tape. It’s impossible to predict what might happen next.
2. Use Virtual Private Network service or VPN
It is essential to use a VPN when accessing the Dark Web. But why? Because of the legal system, of course.
Technically, you are free to access this Internet layer provided that you do not engage in any illegal activities. However, a recent rule from the U.S. Supreme Court determined that even casually browsing the dark Web can put you into serious trouble.
Thus, if the authorities intercepted your darknet connection request, they would have had good reason to search your house and confiscate the computer used to browse. Do yourself a favor, and install a VPN before you venture into the dark Web. To choose the right VPN, check out this article on Best VPN for dark Web.
3. Install a V.M. or a disposable O.S.
For browsing the Dark Web, I suggest preferring virtual machine software instead of your locally installed Windows. What is the reason? Because virtual environments are more accessible to control than natural environments since they can contain malware.
Virtual Machines are available in various formats: Oracle V.M. Virtualbox, Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix XenServer, Red Hat Virtualization, VMware Fusion and Workstations, QEMU, and Xen Project, to name a few.
When eliminating physical storage devices, you can use a disposable operating system, something you can deploy and easily remove if you run into difficulty. It will only take you a couple of minutes to install it with an 8 G.B. thumb drive.
4. You can trust DuckDuckGo
The Dark Web is slightly different from the standard Web. We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘Google is your friend,’ don’t we? Unfortunately, Google has a severe privacy issue, and you don’t want to carry around that albatross with you while browsing the Dark Web.
Search engine DuckDuckGo doesn’t track your every move and won’t keep track of what sites you visit.
5. Sign up for a secure email account
Having decided to go this route, you need to sign up for an untraceable email address. Most .onion websites require an email address to register, so you cannot sign up with Gmail.
You might find these suggestions useful:
- ProtonMail
- Bitmessage
- RiseUp
- Tarbox
- Lelantos (paid service)
- Mail2Tor
It’s also worth noting that these have .onion domains, which require the TOR browser to access. A standard web browser like Chrome or Firefox won’t work.
6. Explore the Dark Web
Dark Web domains have a .onion extension. These domains are similar to regular ones but cannot be accessed unless you use a specialized browser, such as TOR.
The following addresses are relatively harmless, and you can test them:
- DuckDuckGo Search Engine
- Hidden Wiki
- ExpressVPN
Alternately, you can begin your search with a Dark Web Search Engine like Ahmia.
Note: These links point to .onion sites, which you cannot view in a regular browser.
Is it all set up and configured now? Fantastic! It’s time to surf. Tor appears to be no different from your regular browser in the beginning – it has a search bar, quick-launch buttons, and the onion icon right in the center.
Even though search engines can’t index dark web content as much as the clear Web, you can still use them to find things. Grams and Hidden Wiki are the two most prominent players in this field.
YAY, now my heart has everything it longs for. No. Search engines like Wiki and Grams often return incorrect results because the Dark Web relies on privacy and anonymity. You can start by exploring the Hidden Wiki, no matter what the quality is.
7. The Hidden Wiki – your Wikipedia for Dark Web
The Hidden Wiki is like the evil twin of Wikipedia: it looks the same but has links to dark web categories. These categories may include editor’s picks, volunteer work, introduction points, blogs & essays, hosting providers, financial services, commercial offerings, email\messaging, darknet radio, drugs, hacking services, literature ( black hat and ethical hacking resources).
The dark Web is also full of links to stuff that would make a typical website pitch-black dark. These include contract killers, rape, torture, and murder on demand, and child pornography.
Luckily, in Hidden Wiki, each website comes with a short description to know what to expect and whatnot. I would suggest you stick with the editor’s pick. If you’re looking for coding resources, you can also check out the blogs & essays section.
Whenever you feel like chatting, you can always enter a chat room. Through Random Chat, you can connect with random users of the same service. It’s totally up to you what happens next.
It’s best to ignore anything labeled as “porn,” “card skimming,” “PayPal hack.” “Firearms,” “fake I.D.s and passports” should also be avoided. It’s not surprising. There are a lot of them to choose from, and each one of them is watched over meticulously. Not to mention you will be exposed to some stuff that will make you take a lot of cold showers.
Does Google block Tor?
The Google search engine blocks Tor entirely because it may be used for scraping. Tor Browser usually uses DuckDuckGo as its search engine. It doesn’t track you like Google.
Check out: How to Detect And Prevent Cryptojacking?