Naval Research Laboratory scientists expanded that resiliency into “onion routing,” layering encryption so no single relay knows both sender and destination—a foundational idea for anonymous communication. The deep web includes any online content that lives behind a login screen, paywall or other access restriction and therefore remains invisible to search‑engine crawlers. Journalists, security professionals and everyday users alike rely on its anonymity tools to safeguard whistleblowers, protect sensitive research and evade censorship. With rising concerns about data privacy, surveillance, and censorship, more people are exploring the dark web to browse anonymously, communicate securely, or access content that might be blocked elsewhere.
A digital content writer passionate about tech, marketing, and cybersecurity. Avoid doing these illegal things online. Here’s how to access the dark web safely.
Step 4: Access I2P Sites (Eepsites)
Since using Tor can itself draw suspicion, a VPN masks the fact that you’re using it. A VPN hides your internet activity from your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Such people can be opposition figures from dictatorship-led countries, politically oppressed individuals, whistleblowers, or journalists. They exchange sensitive information and data, and, at times, have to risk their lives or those of their informant if they don’t share data under the safety of the deep web. Given the dark web and the dark net’s anonymity principle, individuals can express themselves on unpopular issues but within the law.
Your Data Can End Up Landing Anywhere
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. For example, a popular commerce site called Dream Market goes by the unintelligible address of “eajwlvm3z2lcca76.onion.” Browsers with the appropriate proxy can reach these sites, but others can’t. Even one of the best search engines, called Grams, returns results that are repetitive and often irrelevant to the query.
Well, VPN over Tor is basically its opposite – instead of going through the VPN first, the signal passes through the Tor network, before going through the VPN. Not very safe, but it’s still useable. Well, it’s really not that complicated – using the Tor over VPN method means connecting to a VPN service before using the Tor browser.
Training Employees On Online Safety
In short, it’s ideal for torrenting, streaming, and gaming. While you can visit the obscure part of the internet without a VPN, it’s better to go with one. What about websites that restrict Tor connections? The downside is that some websites block Tor connections by detecting its exit node. For one, the VPN can’t see your online activities because of VPN encryption. It encrypts your traffic right away, beneficial if you don’t want your ISP to see that you’re using Tor.
That means that even if an ISP is monitoring all of the known Tor relays, they may not be able to block all of the obfuscated bridges. Unfortunately, some oppressive regimes have figured out a way to block Tor traffic. One of the major advantages of using Tor in overly-restrictive countries is that it keeps your online travels private. Check out my article for more information about the dark web and how to access it while staying safe. This is why I strongly advise anyone visiting the dark web to exercise the greatest of caution during their dark online travels. It is also used to facilitate human trafficking, money laundering, and worse.
Dark Web Sites
- In addition, all domains on the Tor network end with the top-level domain .onion (instead of .com).
- Before visiting any dark websites, get comprehensive cybersecurity software to help protect yourself from threats you may encounter.
- Tor Browser already comes with HTTPS-Only mode, NoScript, and other patches to protect your privacy and security.
- These browsers have tracking technologies that compromise anonymity.
- It has been estimated that a large percentage of dark web traffic is related to illegal pornography that includes underage victims.
However, there are several “.onion” search engines like “onion.city”, “onion.to”, and “notevil” that you can use to find suitable marketplaces. Be warned that this may cause some websites to not work properly. Instead, you need to get the Tor browser to access the dark web. It’s impossible to access the dark web with a regular browser like Chrome or Safari.
Most corporate and public sites work hard to make sure that these web crawlers can easily find them. Browsers such as Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo act like virtual librarians, sorting and cataloging materials so they can be easily searched. The books are there, they’re precisely organized by theme and title, and you’re free and able to look everywhere. Before you even turn on the device, search engines have crawled through the web, looking for information, evaluating the sources, and listing your options. In order to understand the dark web properly, you need to understand that the internet is a huge and sometimes disorganized place. Use it to understand the boundaries of online freedom—and if you choose to explore it, do so with care, purpose and respect for the laws that govern your digital footprint.
What Is The Dark Web? + 6 Tips To Access It Safely
Tor Browser aims to make all users look the same, making it difficult for you to be fingerprinted based on your browser and device information. All anyone monitoring your browsing habits can see is that you're using Tor. My work bridges the gap between technology and cybersecurity education, helping to inform and empower others in the ever-evolving cyber landscape. Embrace these strategies to confidently navigate the Dark Web, preserving your privacy and security in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Best VPNs To Access The Dark Web Safely
With this information, the ISP will know you’re on the dark web because Tor is mainly used for this purpose. Your ISP can see that you’re connected to Tor, as the encryption takes place after you connect to the browser. This node decrypts your traffic, and it reaches the destination, i.e,. It works by routing your traffic through multiple nodes.
Simply accessing the dark web is not illegal in most countries, including the United States. As well as attracting cybercriminals who use the anonymity it provides to offer hacking and phishing services, the dark web is awash with illicit forums, malware, and other potentially dangerous content. Without a VPN, your ISP or network administrator may be able to detect, monitor, or block dark web access; Tor-over-VPN provides an extra layer of privacy. The dark web is a murky part of the internet that isn't accessible via a normal browser — and can be dangerous to visit if you don’t know what you’re doing. While it certainly hosts illicit marketplaces and dangerous services, it also provides sanctuary for activists, journalists, and individuals who value their anonymity in an increasingly monitored digital landscape.
Can You Use The Tor Browser On A Mobile Device?
Instead of easily memorable names like CNN.com or Google.com, Tor sites typically consist of a random series of numbers and letters. When on the dark web, you will need a search engine designed for that environment. To navigate more effectively, you can use a dark web search engine.
Enhancing Security With A VPN
- Cybercriminals often disguise malware within legitimate-looking files to trick users into compromising their own security.
- It’s often used for anonymity, both for legitimate privacy reasons and for illegal activities like black market trading or data leaks.
- All the websites and content that isn’t being shown on the “surface web” is generally referred to by many as the “deep web”, “dark web”, or “invisible web.”
- The dark web often carries a negative connotation, largely due to its association with illegal activities.
- The deep web simply encompasses everything that sits behind a login, paywall or other access control—corporate intranets, streaming queues, medical records, even your private Google Docs.
The worst part of the network is that you don’t have control over the nodes your traffic is routed through. This makes it difficult for interlopers to monitor the traffic or trace any legal or criminal activity back to you. The Tor network’s principal benefit is that it routes your traffic through numerous servers, wrapping it in several layers of encryption. Yes, accessing the deep web and dark web is perfectly legal. You’ll need a purpose-built browser that uses The Onion Router (TOR) to access dark web content. Content and services on the deep web are accessible through a regular browser.
The dark web is a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by search engines. It's something built into the password management services offered by Apple and Google as well, so you don't need to trawl through data leaks manually yourself. With all of that in mind, you need to tread carefully when browsing, in terms of the sites you visit and the other users you interact with. You might often see news stories about criminal activity involving the dark web, and because of what's happening in some corners of the dark web, it tends to put off law-abiding companies and users alike.
