The dark web sounds like a spooky and scary place. We’ve all heard scary stories about it. However, the dark web isn’t all filled with criminals and devils trying to murder you. It’s a place where illegal deals take place and stolen goods or information is sold. The owners of the websites over the dark web are anonymous, so privacy plays a pivotal role if you wish to navigate it.
Google and other search engines only show a limited amount of content. Overall, the internet contains 500 times more content that is hidden or non-searchable. It’s known as the “deep web” or “invisible web”. In this article, we’ll take a look at the necessary steps needed to access the dark web.
What Is the Dark Web?
The dark web is a small part of the deep web which is hidden. The best part is that it’s hidden on purpose. The most common websites associated with the dark web are marketplaces. In essence, stolen goods, narcotics, weapons, and stolen information are sold to the highest bidder.
Moreover, in the dirtiest corners of the dark web, an individual can hire hitmen and even engage in something as hideous as human trafficking. The most notable feature of the dark web is the anonymity there. Nobody knows who they’re talking to or doing business with.
How Do You Access It?
The dark web isn’t that difficult to access. All you need is the right tools and a heart made of steel to find it. The websites in the dark mask their identity by masking their IP addresses. The only way to access them is by the help of encryption-friendly tools.
Here’s how to access the dark web step by step:
- Plan Ahead
You can access the online underworld for many reasons. However, that can put you in a pickle. You need to plan and ask yourself why you want to access the dark web. Many companies usually navigate the dark web and use dependable dark web monitoring tools to look for stolen confidential information. Individuals surf it to find evidence of identity theft. Whatever your reasons are, have a specific goal and work towards it. Find what you’re looking for and safely log out. Don’t try to ponder about what else is there. Once you have what you need, log out safely.
- Obtain a Flash Drive
To access and navigate around, you’ll need to obtain a flash drive. Having a flash drive is necessary because you’ll need to install the encryption tools such as Tails. Ensure that the USB has a storage space of 8 GB or larger for the best results. Moreover, it’ll be better to get a new flash drive on which to install nothing but Tails.
- Secure Your Machine
You can use the system you already have, but it’s a promising idea to use a fresh laptop or PC. Even though it can’t be an option for the majority of users and they may have their reasons for it as well. Once you’ve made up your mind to access the underweb using an old system, then you should back up all your data and critical information and files. Moreover, it’ll help greatly if your hardware is up to par and is malware-free and optimized.
- Extra Security
You can never be too careful when it comes to accessing and navigating the dark web. There’s always room for improvement. To be extra careful, it’s a great idea to use a VPN for accessing the dark web. However, ensure that you use the best dark web VPN to be as safe and secure as possible. It’ll safeguard your information and your identity as well.
- Download Tails or TOR
The last and final step is to download the encryption tool. You can download TOR and Tails from their websites. After you’ve successfully downloaded them, connect your flash drive and follow the instructions on their website to safely start surfing. You’ll need to browse safely as well. For that, you can make use of the most common and secure browsers such as Torch, Grams, and Onion.link.
Accessing the dark web isn’t that much of a hectic task. The critical issue is hiding your identity and securing your information so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. You need to have a specific purpose in mind when navigating it because it isn’t a pleasant place to spend your time, nor is it secure. The steps mentioned above can ensure you, your information, and your identity remains safe but there’s always room for error and one small mistake can be devastating. Have a singular objective when accessing it and once you realize you’ve accomplished your goal, log out safely and swiftly.