
This type of multi-layer encryption means each node, or server in the chain, knows which server your data came from and which server to send it to next. It’s from this process of ‘peeling’ off the individual layers of encryption, like the layers of an onion, where ‘the onion router’ gets its name.
#Tor search engine sites series
When you connect to the internet using Tor, your data goes through multiple phases of encryption before it’s directed through a random series of servers called ‘nodes’.Įach node decrypts your data one layer at a time so it can be interpreted, then sent to your intended dark web destination.
#Tor search engine sites software
It’s a free, open-source software using a global network of servers to help you stay anonymous online.

So what is Tor? Tor stands for ‘the onion router’. The dark web lives on the Tor ecosystem and can only be accessed through the Tor browser. Dark sites frequently change their URLs to maximize privacy. While the goal of websites on the surface web is to be found as easily as possible, this is often not the case on the dark web. It contains the submission sites for major news organizations such as The Guardian, Associated Press, The Washington Post. For example, SecureDrop is a site on the dark web allowing whistleblowers to submit sensitive information or anonymous tips to news organizations. Dark web links are also almost impossible to remember. onion look like gibberish compared to what we’re used to, as seen above. Alongside this, the URL characters preceding. co or others you would be used to seeing. You’ll notice the URLs of dark websites end in. They contain text and images, clickable content, site navigation buttons and so on. On the surface, dark websites look pretty much like any other. The dark web can only be accessed using a special browser called Tor.

Dark web sites are so well-hidden they can’t be accessed with normal browsers such as Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Within the deep web is another part of the internet called the dark web. Some commentators use the term ‘the deep web’ incorrectly when they really mean ‘the dark web’. It’s the parts of your internet activity that aren’t hidden per se, but can’t be accessed by others online. Your email inbox, online banking and Google Drive folders are undiscoverable via a web browser. In fact, it makes up about 90% of the entire web.įor instance, your Facebook posts are unindexed and won’t be found via a web browser. You probably access the deep web every day. This isn’t as mysterious as it may sound. The deep web contains material not indexed by search engines. While the terms, “deep web” and “dark we” are often used interchangeabley, they are not the same. However, this part of the web is just the tip of the iceberg. In other words, every part of the web you can see and access by browsing normally. Everything you can find with a Google search is part of the surface web. The surface web (also referred to as the indexed web or visible web) is web content indexed by search engines. The world wide web can be divided into three categories-the surface web, deep web and dark web.

But there’s so much more that happens on the dark web. It’s where scammers and bad actors buy and sell leaked confidential information, like credit card information, email addresses, and in some cases, home addresses, too. You can only access the dark web with the Tor browser, which prevents tracking, surveillence, and ad targeting.Īs previously mentioned, the dark web is commonly used for illegal trade. It allows you to access and browse websites anonymously, using masked IP addresses. The dark web is a part of the internet hidden from search engines. Get leading antivirus, fast VPN, real-time safe browsing and instant ad blocking - all in one app. Let’s dive in to clear up what exactly the dark web is (and what it isn’t) and how it’s different to the web you know. Infamous criminal sites live there, but so do popular, well-known sites and brands. It’s not illegal, but a lot of illegal stuff happens there. Did you know that Facebook has a site accessible via the dark web? So does the New York Times. However, not all dark web activity is illegal or nefarious.

As unreal as it sounds, this is an underworld that exists and trades online with real-life implications. Or maybe you’ve heard about Besa Mafia, the more sinister marketplace for violent activiies like mafia activity, contract killings, blackmail, sex trafficking, arms deals, and terrorist organizations. Launched in 2011, it is known to be one of the first online platforms of the dark web. Perhaps you’ve heard the infamous stories about Silk Road, the online marketplace used to sell illegal drugs with bitcoin behind the veil of the Tor browser. Click here to learn How you can protect yourself from identity theft.
