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Best VPNs To Access The Dark Web Safely

How Do You Find the Dark Web?

Hidden Answers — Ask Your Questions Anonymously

The dark web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through standard web browsers. It is often associated with illegal activities, but it also hosts legitimate content and services. If you’re interested in exploring the dark web, here’s how you can find it.

Use a Dark Web Browser

• Freenet’s release to the public in 2000 helped activists to bring attention to the need for a way to stay anonymous online.
• Cybercrime specialists typically sell their goods and services on dark web message boards, Discord servers and Telegram channels, and are generally paid in cryptocurrency.
• 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.
• Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, called for an investigation by federal authorities including the DEA and Department of Justice to shut the site down.
• Despite claiming to offer privacy, they can track what you do on the darknet and potentially sell that info to anyone interested.
• When searching for things on the dark web, avoid using your default browser.

Starting from your email address, a persistent malicious hacker or scammer can scrape numerous details that can be used for financial fraud, identity theft, and many more types of cyber attacks. While personal information may seem invaluable to you, cybercriminals trade personal information for a mere few dollars on the black markets that exist on the Dark Web. Jory MacKay is a writer and award-winning editor with over a decade of experience for online and print publications. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Victoria and a passion for helping people identify and avoid fraud. She’s passionate about Aura’s mission of creating a safer internet for everyone.

Buy login credentials to a $50,000 Bank of America account, counterfeit $20 bills, prepaid debit cards, or a “lifetime” Netflix premium account. Internet users may be inclined to access the dark web to start browsing anonymously or to satisfy their curiosity. Gaining access is not challenging; however, it can be difficult to actively engage in dark web activities without the appropriate networks and technical knowledge. It’s imperative that any dark web exploring is done with extreme caution.

If you need a great Tor VPN, I recommend ExpressVPN — all its servers allow Tor traffic, it has excellent security and privacy features, and it provides fast browsing speeds. You also get strong security features, as the VPN has RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, an audited no-logs policy, and DNS leak protection. But I think it’s a shame how it’s missing WebRTC and IPv6 dark web sites 2024 leak protection (ExpressVPN has full leak protection) — still, I never experienced any leaks in my tests. Surfshark is also really user-friendly, as its apps are all intuitive and make it very simple to find and connect to servers. Private Internet Access (PIA) has very user-friendly and customizable apps, allows Tor traffic on all servers, and provides great security.

To access the dark web, you’ll need to use a specialized browser such as Tor. Tor is a free software that allows you to browse the internet anonymously. It routes your internet connection through a onion link series of volunteer-operated servers, making it difficult for anyone to track your online activity. You can download Tor from the official website and install it on your computer or mobile device.

Despite using a VPN, accessing the dark web still leaves users exposed to cyberattacks. When navigating the dark web and visiting different sites, avoid downloading any files, as they likely contain malware and highly increase the chances of devices getting infected. Despite the benefits, many may have reasonable doubts and concerns about accessing the dark web.

A recent law enforcement crackdown saw a coordinated takedown of many, many servers because if they miss one single server, the whole thing stays running, says Owenson. “So, if all enforcement goes after one server, they’ve got servers all over the world that automatically fill in and replace when those servers are taken down,” he says. Knowing the right people or paying for access is usually the most common way to gain access to invite-only forums, what is the purpose of darknet market according to Ryan Estes, intrusion analyst at WatchGuard Technologies. “You could also build trust with members of these groups or forums, but that is usually something that law enforcement officials acting undercover do,” he says. However, thanks to its potential for anonymity, the dark web also features a lot of sites you won’t find on the surface web. For instance, the dark web is where a lot of journalists exchange information anonymously.

Find Dark Web Sites

Once you have Tor installed, you can start browsing the dark web. However, finding sites on the dark web can be challenging because there is no central directory or search engine. Instead, you’ll need to use special links known as onion links. These links end in .onion and can be found on forums, social media, or dark web directories. Be cautious when clicking on links, as some may lead to malicious websites or scams.

Use a Dark Web Search Engine

While there is no central search engine for the dark web, there are a few specialized search engines that can help you find sites. Some popular options include Ahmia, Candle, and NotEvil. These search engines work similarly to traditional search engines, but they only index .onion sites. Keep in mind that the results may not be as comprehensive or accurate as those on Google or Bing.

Follow Recommendations

Another way to find dark web sites is to follow recommendations from other users. There are many forums and communities on the dark web where users share links to their favorite sites. However, be cautious when following recommendations, as some users may have malicious intentions. Always do your own research and verify the legitimacy of a site before visiting it.

What kind of things can you see on the dark web?

Given its anonymous nature, the dark web is also used for illicit and even illegal purposes. These include the buying and selling of illegal drugs, weapons, passwords, and stolen identities, as well as the trading of illegal pornography and other potentially harmful materials.

Can you use DuckDuckGo to search the dark web?

Some of the more popular dark web search engines include: DuckDuckGo: This is the Tor browser’s default search engine. DuckDuckGo’s main selling point is its privacy features. Because it does not track users, people can use it to browse the dark web anonymously.

Does Tor track your history?

By default, Tor Browser does not keep a record of your browsing history, and therefore, you will need to enable it manually. To do this, click on the burger menu on the top right corner of the browser and select “Preferences.” From there, select the “Privacy and Security” tab and scroll down to the “History” section.