One of the most popular ways to get around the dark web is not to use a search engine at all. Just like in the old days of the internet, the dark web maintains numerous indexes of sites, like The Hidden Wiki. Haystak also offers a premium version that allows advanced search, access to historical content, and email alerts. Contact us today to learn more about how Brandefense’s dark web monitoring service can help you protect your business and achieve peace of mind. It is important to note that many of these tools and services are illegal, and using them can result in serious legal consequences.
How To Find New, Active Dark Web Links
Visiting onion sites on older Tor versions can needlessly expose you to added risks. Since most Tor websites are non-indexed and unregulated, the probability of scams is much greater on the dark web. Malicious actors can prey on unsuspecting users without leaving much of a digital footprint on Tor, so it’s often just a matter of time before you run into one.
Malicious Software
It is important to note that even browsing the dark web can be risky, as there is a high risk of encountering malicious content, scams, and other dangers. As when visiting ordinary websites, stay alert to security risks on onion sites. Don’t click on suspicious links, be skeptical of what you read, and avoid dark web marketplaces if you don’t want to stumble on illegal activity or content.
- You should also limit the number of financial transactions you make on Tor banking portals.
- Wikipedia manages one of the best Tor sites for encyclopedic knowledge.
- Simply put, accessing and browsing the dark web is perfectly legal.
- There are often copious amounts of how-to articles, software exploits, and hacked credentials for sale.
- A VPN hides your internet activity, making it harder for your connection requests to be traced back to you.
The Legality Of Accessing The Dark Web

It aims to preserve the internet’s scientific and cultural heritage. The BBC news website has a special .onion site, which you need to access via the dark web. Its goal is to offer anonymous access to the content without being censored, no matter where you live. The good news is that the BBC Onion site is an international edition. As a result, it not only focuses on the UK but also provides worldwide news. The social media giant is also aware of the many attempts by repressive regimes to restrict its access.
OnionShare
ExpressVPN is an excellent choice for Tor and accessing the Dark Web. It has a proprietary onion site in the Tor network to give you safe access even if your country restricts VPN usage. This includes military-grade 256-bit encryption reinforced with a 2048-bit DH key and SHA2-384 authentication to ensure your traffic arrives at its destination safely. This adds extra protection since opening Tor itself encrypts your traffic. The most interesting thing about NordVPN is its built-in Onion over VPN feature. It encrypts your traffic at the entry node and changes your IP address.
What Threats Are On The Dark Web?
Whereas the deep web is the part of the web not searchable by traditional search engines and requires special tools to access it. Also, you must log in or have a specific IP address or URL to access the deep web content. For instance, services like ProtonMail and SecureDrop (mentioned above already) have hidden sites for their users who live in countries with high levels of censorship. It works by sending internet traffic through volunteer-operated nodes all over the world.
ZeroBin is an attractive option for anyone looking to share sensitive information without compromising privacy. It’s particularly useful for journalists, whistleblowers, and those who urgently need to send or receive confidential data. Since the organization behind it is independent, it’s fully user-supported and relies on donations to keep its site up and running. All of this underscores Riseup’s prioritization of users’ rights over business interests.

Que Se Passe-t-il Si Vous Allez Sur Le Dark Web Sans VPN ?
However, it’s much harder to get at the people who are doing the uploading and downloading. Open up Tor, and you won’t suddenly see the dark web staring back at you. Not only do you need a dark web browser, you need a dark web search engine too. This search engine will get you to the sites you need, though you can also go directly to dark web addresses if you know what they are, as with standard URLs. Cybersecurity has to also cover everything physically on your computer too—which law enforcement or government authorities might have the right to seize if they come calling.
How To Use Tor, And Is It Safe To Access The Dark Web?
The dark web contains content that’s only accessible through networks like Tor. Sites in the dark web have .onion as their domain in their URLs. Tor browsers create encrypted entry points and pathways for the user, so dark web activity remains anonymous. The encryption technology routes users’ data through a large number of intermediate servers, which protects the users’ identity and guarantees anonymity. While people and organizations do host legitimate and useful sites on the dark web, it’s still best to tread cautiously. Despite Tor’s privacy-focused design, malicious entities are more likely to target your data in transit and on .onion sites.
Keybase also offers extremely user-friendly secure chat and file-sharing services through its app. This is a free software tool that allows users to access the dark web and browse anonymously. The dark web is also a dynamic and ever-changing space, with new sites and services constantly emerging and others being taken down by law enforcement or other actors. Therefore, any estimate of its size is likely to be imprecise and quickly outdated. One of the earliest and most well-known dark web marketplaces was the Silk Road, launched in 2011 by Ross Ulbricht. The site allowed users to buy and sell drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

These sites aren’t just important resources; they’re like lifelines used to serve readers living under oppressive regimes. Everything you find on the dark web is not necessarily illegal. As listed above in our article, even respected organizations like the BBC and ProPublica have a version of their site on the dark web. On the other hand, you’d also find dark, unfiltered, inappropriate stuff that most people should not be posting in the first place. Keybase is a fantastic onion website that lets you cryptographically bring your different online identities together.
It includes all the essential productivity software, including MS Word and an email client. Be sure that your experience with Whonix will be comparable to Tor because both programs share the same source code. I2P, or the Invisible Internet Project, allows you to access the ordinary and dark web. Specifically, the I2P darknet is accessible, while the Tor network is accessible through the Orchid Outproxy Tor plugin. An easy way to find content on the dark web is to receive a link from someone who already knows about it.

The dark web is known to host illegal and disturbing types of pornography, including child exploitation and violent content. Suppose you do not want to use the bridge connection feature of the Tor browser. You can first make a VPN connection, then open the tor browser and directly press the “Connect” button to connect.