The dark web, a hidden corner of the internet, often evokes images of illicit activities. However, it also serves legitimate purposes. Understanding its mechanics and uses empowers you to navigate this space responsibly.
How Does it Work?
The dark web is a tiny portion of the deep web that has been intentionally hidden away. Websites on this internet protocol generally need specialized tools to access them, but some markets may be discovered with a single search engine query or through links found on privacy-related forums and subreddits about the Tor network.
The Tor Network (the main gateway used to access the dark web) was developed by the US military in order for spies to communicate privately over the internet. The project wasn’t finished, but the US Military published its code and Roger Dingledine along with other researchers continued to develop the onion routing technology we use today. They founded their own project called Tor, which stands for The Onion Router, referring to its use of layers of encryption to obfuscate the identification of its users. It was deployed under an open license in 2002.
Why the Dark Web is Misunderstood
News and media love to sensationalize stories, and the dark web makes for a good bit of drama. The reputation of the dark web as a dangerous place is somewhat deserved, due to it’s ability to protect user identity, which opens it up as a market for banned substances. In addition, privacy services, hacking services and prohibited technology is also available for purchase.
The appeal of the dark web is that it allows users to be anonymous. This makes seeking for anything in particular much easier than ever before, since third parties like governments and businesses are unable to track or identify them!
This is not to say that the dark web is all bad. In fact, the CIA, Imperial Library, Facebook, and even the Bible have sites on the dark web. However, the most frequently visited websites in secretive online forums about the darknet include marketplaces where credit card numbers, IDs, and other banned goods are bought and sold openly.
The deepest parts of the darkweb is home to the shadowy regions of human civilization, which are utilized by organized crime who execute a variety of tasks and provide goods and services, ranging from personal security to illicit substances.
Journalists and whistleblowers frequently use the dark web and Tor to exchange sensitive information. Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and others have leaked classified material to alert the general public of government activities that the powers that be were trying to keep quiet: wiretapping citizens, conducting military operations that were not reported, and even spying on allies. Both men fled for their safety, but Assange was recently handed over to authorities for his crimes.
Dark Web Vs Deep Web
In common parlance, terms like “deep web” and “the dark web” are often used as synonyms to the point that the two terms have become interchangeable, but they refer to distinct things.
The deep web, on the other hand, is a collection of data that isn’t indexed by search engines and doesn’t require any special software or a browser on your phone (or computer). When visiting directories like The Hidden Wiki, for example, where there’s a convenient catalog of info about links to various dark web services information hidden away somewhere among countless other websites that are not connected in any way.
Many people are unaware of certain aspects of the deep web since they don’t have anything to do with them and their daily lives. This includes old databases that standard browsers cannot access, outdated data and legal records that are simply of no interest to anyone.
While the data on the deep web is technically still ‘there’, it is not indexed by Google. Sites like archive.org catalog some of the outdated info so that it is still accessible for anyone who wants to explore, but it is more or less hidden from sight, like a stone at the bottom of the ocean.
Deep Web
Various sites hosted on the dark web are only available to those who possess a specific combination of credentials like the specific onion link, which only works within the Tor or Tails browser systems. If you want to learn more about deep web links and how they could benefit your organization visit our website. We’d be happy to share our expertise and help you get started using this powerful tool safely and effectively.