What is the Dark Web
The term “Dark Web” is loaded with negative connotations and feels like it should be something we want to steer clear of.
It’s true that criminals hide their behaviour on the dark web by using sites like these.
Therefore, would it be illegal for one to just visit the dark web? If you ever find yourself on a questionable website, having a built-in virtual private network (VPN) as well as other helpful features is really necessary.
This post won’t deal with analogies and misunderstandings. In this article, we’ll dispel some of the myths and misunderstandings surrounding the dark web. Let us now begin.
Is it legal to access the dark web?
Gaining access to the dark web and navigating it is not against the law in any way. The “black web” is regularly linked to many forms of illegal activity.
Daniel Moore and Thomas Rid, researchers at King’s College London, believe that the vast majority of hidden websites are in fact used for engaging in unlawful activities.
They found that the majority of dark websites are used for the distribution of illegal substances, the laundering of illicit funds, and the trade of stolen credentials.
That is exactly right. In the event that any of your personal information is ever exposed due to a data breach, virus, or phishing attack, there is a significant likelihood that it will be transferred to the dark web in order for a buyer to be discovered.
You have most likely heard of Silk Road, the infamous online bazaar where illegal drugs were traded in exchange for bitcoin via the Tor browser. It was first introduced to the public in 2011, and now it is widely considered to be one of the dark web’s initial online platforms. In today’s world, there are a great deal of systems just like this one.
Or, it’s possible that you’re familiar with Besa Mafia, the more sinister marketplace for violent activities such as mafia activity, contract murders, extortion, sex trafficking, weapons exchanges, and terrorist organisations. There is a criminal underworld that lives and trades online, and its activities have consequences in the real world even if it may seem preposterous.
However, not all of the activity on the dark web is illegal or malicious. Do you know that Facebook also has a website that can be accessed on the dark web? The New York Times shares this view.
You can see why people are becoming confused over this. Stay away from that location if you don’t want to risk being arrested for engaging in such activity.
There are well-known criminal websites there, in addition to well-known businesses that have a strong online presence.
Let’s take a deeper look at the dark web so that you can have a better understanding of how it varies from the web that you are familiar with and from the web that you are.
What is the dark web?
The area of the internet known as the dark web is one that cannot be accessed by search engines such as Google and Bing.
It gives you the ability to access and browse websites anonymously by using IP addresses that have been masked. The Tor browser is required in order to access the dark web because it prevents users from being tracked, monitored, or targeted by advertisements.
As has been proven in the past, the dark web is often used for the conduct of illegal business. Where dishonest people like con artists and thieves sell stolen information like credit card numbers, email addresses, and even physical postal addresses.
However, there is a great deal more activity that takes place on the dark web.
There are three distinct layers that may be found on the World Wide Web: the surface web, the deep web, and the dark web.
The surface web
The content that is indexed by search engines is referred to as the indexed web (also often referred to as the visible internet). Everything that can be found via the use of a search engine such as Google has a surface web equivalent.
Everything that can be seen and accessed when you browse the web as you normally would. The average person only has access to a very tiny part of the information that is on the web.
The deep web
The deep web is the next step down after the surface web. Despite the fact that the terms “deep web” and “black web” are sometimes used synonymously, there is a significant difference between the two. The deep web contains material that is hidden from view by search engines like Google and Bing.
It is not necessary to be a detective in order to find this out. I’m going to assume that the deep web is a resource that you utilise often. In point of fact, it is responsible for the majority of the material on the internet.
For example, a web browser won’t be able to locate the changes that you make on Facebook. Your email, online banking, and the folders in your Google Drive cannot be accessed via a web browser. They can all be found at one location. The “dark web” refers to the parts of your online activity that are hidden from view by other users of the internet and are thus protected from prying eyes.
It is rather typical for commentators to have “the deep web” and “the dark web” confused with one another. The truth is now out in the open!
The dark web
The deep web includes a subset known as the dark web, which is comprised of more information about the internet.
If you try to access a dark web site while using a browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, you will not be successful.
The Tor web browser is the only one that can provide you access to the dark web.
What does the dark web look like?
DARK WEBSITES APPEAR TO BE LIKE ANY OTHER WEBSITE FROM THE EXTERIOR. Text and graphical content, as well as connections to more content and aspects of site navigation, are included on each page. There are, however, a few significant differences between the two.
The constituent parts of the name. URLs of dark websites end in.onion rather than other popular suffixes like.com or even.co. This is to avoid detection by search engines.
URLs that are tough to recall in one’s mind. In addition to all of this, the letters in the URL that come before the suffix.onion are meaningless, as can be seen above. In addition, it is very impossible to commit the hyperlinks on the black web to memory.
Whistleblowers have the ability to give news organisations with confidential information or tips while remaining anonymous via the use of the dark web services such as SecureDrop.
It is possible to access major news outlets such as The Guardian, AP, and the Washington Post via this location.
Moving about all the time in different places. The distinction between the surface web and the dark web might be considered to be rather significant. In order to preserve users’ anonymity, the URLs of sites on the dark web are often updated.
