The onion site is especially beneficial for people in regions with heavy censorship or restricted access to media. When people go on about the so-called dark web, they’re usually talking about onion sites, which aren’t searchable via Google or accessible via standard browsers. On the regular web, domains such as are translated into their actual IP addresses via the domain name system (DNS). To access .onion websites securely, you’ll need the Tor Browser, a privacy-focused tool designed specifically for anonymous browsing.
What Are The Best Dark Web Websites?

Despite some skepticism about its origins and privacy due to its military development, Tor remains the preferred choice for safe dark web navigation. This part of the internet is notorious for illegal activities, facilitated by the anonymity it offers. Crimes range from data theft and selling illegal goods for cryptocurrencies to human trafficking and more severe offenses. Lokinet is easier to set up than I2P, and it may run faster than Tor in some cases, especially when visiting regular websites through its secure network.
Many of these Reddits have rules prohibiting linking to illegal sites and services, so you likely won’t find anything illegal there. There are multiple search engines on the dark web that can help you find what you’re looking for. DuckDuckGo’s no-track dark web search service can be accessed in the Tor browser and is an excellent resource for information about the dark web.
Step-by-Step Guide: How To Access The Dark Web Using Tor Browser
Though secure against everyday threats, Tor is vulnerable to targeted attacks from state-level actors. The Safer option disables all potentially dangerous website features, while the Safest option enables only the features necessary for basic website functions. By default, Tor has stricter privacy settings than most standard web browsers. Users can take further steps to maximize privacy when browsing with Tor. For example, we typed TechRadar.com into the address bar and accessed the website without any issues. To enable it, check the Always connect automatically button on the homepage.

What Percentage Of The Internet Is Dark Web?
The major advantage of using a live OS such as Tails is that, on shut down, the OS wipes itself from the thumb drive you’ve installed it. Tor has an in-build slider which lets you adjust the level of security. This means that the JavaScript will be disabled by default on every website and some symbols and images will not be displayed.

Step 3: Install And Launch Tor
You might’ve heard of the domain extension called “.onion“, which sits at the end of each dark web website. Indeed, these websites use “atypical” names and domains to present themselves. So, instead of “facebook.com”, the URL can look like “12ls834mfdg8.onion”. The Internet is a vast and complex landscape, much larger than the familiar interface we use every day. It offers outstanding privacy features and there is currently a discounted rate available through this link. Simply accessing the dark web and using the Tor browser may already raise government suspicion.
- A top-of-the-line VPN network that ensures maximum security while accessing dark sites online.
- These attacks overwhelm servers by flooding them with massive amounts of fake traffic, making legitimate access nearly impossible.
- Before you connect to the dark web, protect your computer with a VPN and one of the best antivirus apps.
- For example, connecting to Facebook’s regular site over Tor is known to be problematic – the unusual IP addresses Tor chooses as your exit nodes can make you appear like a bot.
- Pastebins are text sharing services, useful for sending and sharing large snippets of code or text.
Cybersecurity Best Practices For Protecting Your Digital Assets
In a world of bulk data collection, surveillance, and personalized ad tracking, it’s up to us to take control of our personal privacy. In this article, we look at some of the best legitimate Tor websites on the dark web. Protect your business with end-to-end encryption and compliance-ready security. By consistently following these verification practices, you can greatly reduce risks and confidently navigate the dark web, ensuring your security and peace of mind. The dark web is infamous as a dangerous place, where drugs are bought and hitmen hired, but it can be a safe way to browse the internet if your privacy is serious concern.
What Are Dark Web Websites?
This ensures greater security and privacy, making it much more difficult for snoopers to get in. In addition, its technology is open-source, and it doesn’t keep your data, which proves it is safe to use. To send a message or image via ZeroBin, you just need to copy the desired content and paste it into ZeroBin’s editor.
Alternative Networks: I2P And Freenet Overview
The compromised Tor exploit might trace back to you, but then again, your VPN will lead it somewhere else – which makes it impossible to be traced back to you. It’s not a secret that ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and the FBI are tracking Tor users. Obviously not all Tor users, but you never know whether someone might be looking into you. It’s important to arm yourself with a good VPN (Virtual Private Network) when you want to enter the dark web to protect your privacy and anonymity. Hacker services against banks and other financial institutions are offered there.
Despite its relatively high profile, the dark web makes up a vanishingly small portion of the World Wide Web, perhaps less than 0.01 percent. The rise of cryptocurrency, and in particular Bitcoin, significantly increased the dark web’s use in illegal trade. Users could exchange funds online without sharing credit card numbers or other identifying information.
Stand Up For Privacy And Freedom Online
If so, it’s better to use the onion address instead of the standard one. The above mechanism conceals your location and browsing activities from third parties like internet service providers (ISPs), advertisers, and web monitoring apps. Data can still be exposed if you log in to certain sites or download files over the network.

SimplyTranslate is an onion based language translation service using the google translate engine. It’s an easy and simple way to de-couple your internet usage from Google’s monopoly over the web. Example uses for this would include accessing a site available only to addresses of a certain country or checking if a certain node is working. Prior to Keeper, Darren served as an advisor to JiWire, now called NinthDecimal. NinthDecimal is the leading media and technology service provider for the WiFi industry. He was formerly the Chief Financial Officer and a principal shareholder of Apollo Solutions, Inc., which was acquired by CNET Networks.