You’ve probably heard the terms Tor and dark web in the media. However, accessing these websites isn’t nearly as dangerous as they appear. Actually, it’s easy to get up and running.
The dark web is a set of pages that aren’t found by search engines such as Google. It’s a part of the web where data and other information that would otherwise be private is stored. For instance email inboxes and emails online banking logins, online banking inboxes and Google Drive folders live on the deep web – they aren’t accessible to users using a regular browser.
On the dark web, there are several sites that have legitimate goals. For instance, the website SecureDrop is a dark web site that permits whistleblowers to submit sensitive information to news organizations without revealing it. There are other websites where users can purchase and sell stolen credentials, like passwords and credit card numbers. These websites are often referred to as “marketplaces” and the most well-known examples are Silk Road and AlphaBay, however there are many others that have been around for a while.
The key to browsing the dark web is a network known as Tor that carries your data through a number of servers run by volunteers that are located all over the world. This makes it difficult for anyone to monitor your activities. Tor’s name comes from the fact that the data it encrypts is layered like the layers of a pizza. This helps protect your privacy.