What’s on the Dark Web?

The Deep Web is that part of the internet which doesn’t get indexed by major search engines such as Google or Bing. Most of this information is simply of no interest to anyone and includes things like databases or password-protected sites and content. On the other hand, we have the Dark Web, which exists within the Deep Web and can only be accessed by using special tools. It might surprise you to hear that most of the internet is deep rather than clear. The sites you visit every day are just the tip of an enormous iceberg. Hidden within the ‘Clearnet’ there are hidden services, arcane corners and a dark world of intrigue.

The Dark Web was made by online activists who were attempting to share content utilizing the most private strategies. Point of fact, there is a cluster of spots in this strange forest of the web that individuals ought to maintain a strategic distance from no matter what. But it’s quite easy for people to access and is also a good lesson in how to best anonymize your web surfing.

What is the Dark Web?

The Dark Web is a collection of thousands of websites that use anonymity tools like Tor (originally called The Onion Router), and I2P to hide their IP address. The key is decentralization, meaning that no regular browser (Chrome, Firefox) can access these websites. Instead, the user must obfuscate their online identity to be granted access.

When you visit it, the first thing that strikes you about the dark web is how slow it is. However, some sites are effectively “hidden”, in that they have not been indexed by a search engine and can only be accessed if you know the address of the site. Special markets also operate within the dark web called, “darknet markets”, which mainly sell illegal products like drugs and firearms, paid for in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

How does the Tor browser work?

The most popular is Tor Browser because it is one of the easiest software packages to use. Tor  provides  secrecy and anonymity  by passing messages through a network of connected Tor relays, which are specially configured computers. As the message hops from one node to another, it is encrypted in a way that each relay only knows about the machine that sent the message and the machine it is being sent to. Rather than conventional web addresses, Tor uses ‘onion’ addresses, which further obscure the content. There are even special versions of search engines like Bing and Duck Duck Go that will return onion addresses for Tor services

Still, for those willing to put up with the inconvenience, the dark web provides a memorable glimpse at the seamy underbelly of the human experience – without the risk of skulking around in a dark alley. Here you can buy credit card numbers, all manner of drugs, guns, counterfeit money, stolen subscription credentials, hacked Netflix accounts and software that helps you break into other people’s computers.

Some example of .onion sites:

DuckDuckGo
https://3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion/

It gives you much more privacy as search activity isn’t logged by design. It gives decent results without tracking your activities

Block chain for Bitcoins
https://blockchainbdgpzk.onion/ 

You will need to spend a bit of money to enjoy the dark web at its peak (Beware all, it’s a dangerous place). This wallet helps you keep bitcoins anonymously and is quite secure (even has HTTPS certification).

Hidden Wiki
http://zqktlwi4fecvo6ri.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

This is the place to start if you are new to dark web. This website indexes a wide variety of websites and sources running on the dark web. A lot of them are spams and also illegal, so beware.

The real Facebook 

https://www.facebookcorewwwi.onion/
I really don’t know the reason behind the presence of Facebook onion URL. (Beware! This could be a phishing site. Hackers use phishing sites which look like familiar websites. Once you log in with your id, you do get directed to Facebook, but at the back your login id and password are mailed to the hacker, making you and your account vulnerable.)

Confess Your Secrets:

https://www.secretsxsrvlpawm.onion/

If you have a secret you don’t really want to share with anyone you know or who can trust you, and get grilled by strangers, this is the site for you!

Utilization of TOR for cyber-attacks

The anonymous nature of the Tor network is increasingly used to hide criminal activity. Cyber attackers become more sophisticated, they use the Tor network to exploit the data they capture from critical infrastructure and financial firms. This will make it increasingly difficult for defenders to track and protect against cyber intrusions

CONCLUSION:-

Not everything on the dark web is illegal. The Tor network began as an anonymous communications channel, and it still serves a valuable purpose in helping people communicate in environments that are hostile to free speech. Tor is not completely untraceable. In the event that a website is gotten to, it can in any case conceivably discover data about whoever is getting to the site in light of data that is shared, for example, username and email addresses. Those who want to remain totally unknown need to utilize special anonymity services to conceal their character in these cases.