What is the dark web?
The dark web is a specific part of the internet that regular web browsers cannot access and that search engines like Google or Bing do not index. It falls under the broader term deep web, but it is deliberately hidden and often used as a platform for illegal activities.
How does the dark web work?
To access the dark web, a special browser is needed – most commonly Tor Browser. This browser uses an anonymization system that hides the IP addresses of users and website operators, ensuring a high level of anonymity and privacy..
Websites on the dark web use specific domains ending in .onion, which cannot be accessed through standard means. One cannot enter this part of the internet without the appropriate software, correct configuration, and necessary knowledge.
What is the dark web used for?
The dark web is notoriously known as a place where various illegal activitiestake place, including:
- drug and weapon trafficking,
- sale of fake documents and stolen data,
- hacker services,
- leaking secret or classified government materials,
- and in some cases, content related to criminal activities such as child pornography.
However, it should be noted that not all content on the dark web is illegal – some use it for legal purposes, such as protecting freedom of speech in repressive regimes or secure communication between journalists and informants.
The difference between deep web and dark web
These terms are often confused, but they are not the same:
- Deep web refers to all parts of the internet that are not indexed by search engines – for example:
- bank accounts,
- private emails,
- internal networks of schools, companies, or government institutions,
- secure databases or documents requiring login.
- The dark web represents a subset of the deep web that is deliberately hidden and accessible only through anonymization tools. It is in this part of the internet that illegal activities most frequently occur.