{"id":5379,"date":"2017-11-16T15:19:22","date_gmt":"2017-11-16T20:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/?p=5379"},"modified":"2023-03-27T14:15:34","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T18:15:34","slug":"what-is-the-dark-web","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/what-is-the-dark-web\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Dark Web?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The dark web is the place where the search engines can\u2019t find you<\/h2>\n

When most people hear \u201cDark Web\u201d it strikes up about the same understanding as the phrase \u201cblack market.\u201d And that\u2019s actually appropriate because on today\u2019s internet, the dark web functions in many ways as a black market. But what is the dark web, exactly? Who uses it? How does it work?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll cover all those questions and more today as we Hash Out: what is the dark web?<\/p>\n

What Is the Dark Web?<\/h2>\n

The dark web is made up of content and sites that exist on darknets, or overlay networks that use the internet but require the use of specific software and configurations to access.<\/p>\n

The best metaphor I\u2019ve seen for explaining the surface web vs. the deep web vs. the dark web is an iceberg. With the iceberg example, you have the very small portion of the berg that exists above the water \u2013 which is visible to everyone \u2013 and that\u2019s the surface web or clear web.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s sometimes referred to as clear because of the level of transparency available there. Though the surface web is taking steps to remedy this<\/a>, the general lack of encryption means that your activity can be tracked as if it’s occurring in broad daylight. Additionally, everything on the Clearnet is very easy to find because it\u2019s all capable of being indexed by search engines.<\/p>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

And being indexed is a big deal. That\u2019s what divides the 5-10% of the web you can see, the Clearnet, from the 90-95% you can\u2019t, the deep web.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/span>\n

What Is the Deep Web?<\/h2>\n

The Deep web is just the portion of the internet that exists beyond the reach of search engines. If you think about how you use the internet, your browser serves as your de facto portal to the web and everywhere you go is by virtue of search, entering the URL yourself or clicking a link. This is how search engines crawl the web, too.<\/p>\n

However, there exists a ton of walled off content online, too. Pages, domains, internal networks and other IPs that exist beyond the reach of standard search. This is the deep web.<\/p>\n

This is not, however, the dark web. The dark web is a part of the deep web, yes, but the dark web exists on networks that can only be reached by the use of specific software that obscures both user identities and the identity of the host.<\/p>\n

What Is on the Dark Web?<\/h2>\n

The dark web, despite its name and its reputation, is not inherently dark. Sure you can find online black markets where you can purchase illegal drugs, weapons and possibly even traffic in people. But there are also plenty of normal, legitimate things on the dark web, too. Things like book clubs and social networks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s be honest, you\u2019re not here for any of that. The biggest selling point of the dark web is anonymity, so pretty much anything you would want to purchase or consume anonymously is right there at your fingers tips. Whether that\u2019s conducting an illicit arms deal or just watching some really messed up porn, it\u2019s all right there. Well, provided you know where to look.<\/p>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

But, before you think about sneaking on to the dark web to buy that bindle of Peruvian meth you\u2019ve been eying, bear in mind. The authorities may be watching, too.<\/p>\n

Who Uses the Dark Web?<\/h2>\n

Because of the dark web\u2019s layers of anonymity, it is used for a number of purposes by a whole range of different people. Of course, you have your criminal enterprises, using it to sell weapons, drugs, stolen personal credentials, launder money, etc.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also used by pedophiles to share child pornography, and there are plenty of reports and stories about hitmen for hire, sex trafficking, and kidnapping, too.<\/p>\n

But, again, let\u2019s be realistic. While that exists the dark web is also used for legitimate purposes as well. For instance, many journalists use it to communicate with sources, or with one another, in dangerous areas of the world where press freedoms are under siege. Edward Snowden famously used to the dark web to leak information about the NSA spying on US citizens. The dark web can also be a tool for good to combat severe censorship in some cases, too.<\/p>\n

How Do I Access the Dark Web?<\/h2>\n

Again, we really don\u2019t suggest taking tourist trips to the dark web unless you know what you\u2019re doing. Could you log on, look around and get off scot-free? Sure. It\u2019s not illegal to go to the dark web, after all. Just bear in mind that the dark web is the true wild west of the internet.<\/p>\n

In order to access the Dark Web you\u2019re going to need to download a specialized browser. There are several like Freenet<\/a> and I2P<\/a>, but the most popular is Tor<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

Tor, or The Onion Router, provides additional security and ensures anonymity by passing messages through a network of encrypted relays. I could write an entire article on the encryption technique behind Tor (and one day I will) but for now just know that the encryption keeps you anonymous. A site can\u2019t track a visitor\u2019s location or IP and the visitor can\u2019t get information about the host.<\/p>\n

Rather than traditional URLs, Tor uses onion addresses that end in the TLD \u201c.onion.\u201d Again, these websites are not indexed by traditional search engines. You literally have to know where to find these sites using the right browser and the right host name.<\/p>\n

Dark Web Search Engines<\/h2>\n

The darknet isn\u2019t indexed by traditional search engines, but that doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t search engines for the dark web. They may work a little differently, consider them more like directories, but it\u2019s a better way to get around than flying blindly.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the more well-known Darknet Search Engines:<\/p>\n