You might have heard the terms dark web and Tor discussed in the media, but accessing these sites isn’t nearly as risky as it may sound. In fact, it’s easy to get up and running.
The dark web is comprised of websites that aren’t being indexed by search engines such as Google. The dark web is that part of the internet in which data and content would otherwise be kept private. Email inboxes and Google Drive folders are stored on the deep web. They aren’t visible to the general public when using a standard browser.
On the dark web, there are many sites that serve legitimate functions. For instance, the website SecureDrop is a dark web site that permits whistleblowers and other whistleblowers to disclose sensitive information to news agencies anonymously. There are other websites that assist people in buying and sell stolen credentials, like passwords, credit card numbers and social security numbers. These sites are called’marketplaces. The most famous examples are Silk Road, AlphaBay and many more.
The key to browsing the dark web is a network called Tor which routes your connection through a number of volunteer servers that are located all over the world. This makes it impossible for anyone to track your movements. Tor is so named because the information it encrypts is processed through a variety of layers, similar to the onion layering on a pizza, which helps ensure your privacy.