Dark Web: what is it and how to access it in 3 clicks?

Did you know that you traditionally only have access to a tiny part of the Internet? It is estimated that barely 10% of content is accessible to the general public via the “Clean Web”. As you can see, the remaining 90% is part of what we call the Deep Web. This category brings together private sites not indexed by the usual search engines. The Dark Web represents a subcategory and a tiny part of the Deep Web.

In the collective imagination, the Dark Web is a “dark” part of the Internet which contains illegal black market sites. We often tend to associate it with e-commerce platforms that sell illegal goods such as drugs, weapons and other false documents. This fantasy is only partially true in reality. In fact, some people or organizations simply do not want to be listed on the traditional internet.

Find out in this article what the Dark Web really is and how some Internet users manage to access it without taking any risks. With our tutorial below, you will be able to connect to the Darkweb in just a few clicks. To avoid creating unnecessary mystery, VPNs are general public solutions that allow everyone to easily access this hidden interface of the web.

Below, you will directly find the 3 best VPNs for accessing the Dark Web safely:

Dark Web, Deep Web and Darknet: no longer confuse

The Dark Web is often confused with the Darknet or the Deep Web, yet each term has a meaning and these incorrectly associated expressions define different things.

TheDeep Webconstitutes the non-visible part of the web. These are the pages and contents that are not indexed by indexing robots. For example, we find databases, non-public parts of banking sites or storage files.

TheDarknetis a set of Internet subnetworks that are not accessible via traditional search engines but using specific techniques. There are several tools allowing you to access it such as Freenet, I2P or even Tor, the best-known Darknet network. Tor means“The Onion Router”or the onion router in reference to its layers of protection. It provides access to hidden services including part of the Dark Web, which is why it is often associated with the Dark Web.

TheDark Web, also known as the dark web, encompasses hidden and largely illicit content found only on the Darknet. But despite its “dark” name, not all content is related to cybercrime. Originally, the Tor project was created by US Navy laboratories to guarantee the confidentiality of their exchanges.

Today, Tor helps circumvent censorship and promote freedom of expression for dissidents and political refugees. The Tor network, however, is a network that is not perfectly anonymous. Indeed, some FBI agents have already managed to go back up the chain to find people who had used the Tor network. To benefit from complete anonymity on the darkweb, you must therefore pair this device with other software (such as a VPN).

Is the Dark Web legal?

If the Dark Web fuels fantasies and often represents a mysterious space associated with illicit activities and cybercrime, browsing this network is not illegal. Some journalists and political dissidents go there to communicate and inform without endangering their security. Since the deep web operates on the basis of a different communication protocol, it significantly enhances anonymity. It is for this reason that many Internet users wishing to preserve their identity turn to this parallel network.

That said, this anonymity is double-edged. Indeed, malicious people will necessarily feel more protected when browsing the Dark Web and they will be more able to engage in illegal activities. It is true that there are more illicit platforms and illegal sites than on the Internet that we all know.

Access the Dark Web in 3 steps

As we have explained, the Dark Web is therefore only accessible using specific tools. As this virtual space is not regulated, it presents, by its nature, many risks and there are some important rules to know before going there. If you intend to operate there anonymously, you will necessarily need to use a VPN. The latter has the particular merit of deleting all logs: neither your ISP, nor the VPN provider itself, nor hackers will be able to scrutinize what you do there. It's more secure and faster than Tor.

1. Activate your VPN

Even though Darknet networks include anonymity features, it is essential to protect yourself up front, even before you access the Dark Web. For this, it will be necessaryequip your connected device with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). By encrypting your data end-to-end, VPNs are your best allies in hiding your online activity, whatever it may be.

This way, your Internet Service Provider will not be able to know that you are going to the dark web. It also won't be able to see if you're using Tor. Since the best VPNs keep no logs (all traces of your internet browsing), no one will know what you did on the dark web. This is the ideal way to hide and not expose yourself to any risk of surveillance or data leaks. Be careful, you must choose a reliable and quality VPN, likeNordVPN or ExpressVPN.

Discover NordVPN

In addition to encryption, VPNs allow you to hide your source IP address. The IP address that will be temporarily assigned to you will be that of the VPN server to which you are connected.Quality providers like ExpressVPNand NordVPN have thousands of IP addresses that guarantee the anonymity of all users. Their audited no-logs policy is also essential to guarantee the protection of its data. Your ISP won't even know you've accessed the Dark Web.

2. Download specific software

Since Dark Web pages are not indexed by usual search engines like Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari, you should download software that allows you to access this small part of the Deep Web. This is a much lighter solution than downloading Tor itself. While ensuring the same level of security, it is above all much faster.

The most well-known network for reaching the Dark Web is Tor and access to Tor requiresdownloading Tor Browser. This browser, similar to Mozilla Firefox, will allow you to access sites containing the extension.onion, specific to Tor and hidden versions of certain sites. Remember that the use of Tor Browser is not illegal, it is the illicit activities carried out on this network that potentially make it illegal.

3. Accessing the Dark Web via Tor Browser

To access hidden sites in.onion, it is necessary to use link directories such as The Hidden Wiki, a directory listing .onion sites, or Torlinks. By browsing the web, you will be able to find dozens of links to directories or forums. These can also list URLs with links to websites.

You will then find a whole bunch of more or less legal services on the darkweb. Our tutorial ends there, it was mainly about explaining to you how to access the darkweb. However, we advise you not to contact dubious platforms on the dark web to obtain anything. That said, it's still interesting to take a trip there for its general knowledge.

In any case, to avoid risking anything on the dark web, arm yourself with caution... and a good VPN to preserve your privacy. Once you activate the latter (and therefore it is running in the background), you can open the Tor Browser browser. That's all, you will then have access to the hidden universe of the darknet.

Testing NordVPN

FAQ

To make this guide truly complete, we offer some questions and answers about browsing the Dark Web. If you ever have any other questions, do not hesitate to let us know so that we can answer them later.

Is it possible to access the Dark Web on your phone?

Yes, it's entirely possible, whether you have a phone running Android or iOS. However, the process will be slightly different because in the case of an iOS device, you will not be able to rely on the use of the Tor browser.

The first thing to do in both cases is to go to the official application catalog (Google Play Store or App Store). If you are on Android, look for the “Tor Browser” app. And if you are on iOS, we advise you to use the “Onion Browser” application to access the Dark Web.

Once the application is downloaded and installed, all you have to do is use it to browse the Dark Web. Note, however, that it is betterequip yourself with a VPN on iPhoneor aVPN sur Androidbeforehand. Let us remember thatNordVPNetExpressVPNare the best VPNs for going to the Dark Web. Remember to activate VPN protection BEFORE you start using the browser that allows you to surf the Dark Web. This way, you will enjoy a more secure experience.

What is Tor?

Tor is an Internet browser that is used to access the Dark Web anonymously. This browser is based on Firefox and the interface is very similar to that of the conventional Mozilla browser.

As we were able to mention in this article, it is perfectly possible to use Tor with a VPN in order to boost your anonymity on the Dark Web. If you are looking for a reliable, secure, and efficient VPN, we advise you to look atNordVPN.

Is the Dark Web Safe?

Contrary to popular belief, wandering on the Dark Web is not necessarily more dangerous than browsing the surface web (the one we are used to using on a daily basis). Especially when you use Tor and a VPN, since both improve your security and anonymity.

That being said, you must keep the usual good practices in mind. This includes only going to trusted sites and not clicking on any link that comes your way. By following all of this (and using antivirus), you don't have much to worry about.