You’ve probably heard about the terms Tor and dark web in the media. However, using these websites isn’t so dangerous as it sounds. It’s actually quite simple to get started.
The dark web is comprised see of pages that aren’t indexed by search engines such as Google. It’s the part of the internet where data and content that would otherwise be private is stored. For example, email inboxes, online banking logins and Google Drive folders live on the deep web. They aren’t visible to users using a normal web browser.
On the dark web, there are also many sites that serve legitimate purposes. SecureDrop is one example. It is a dark-web site that allows anonymous submission of sensitive data by whistleblowers. There are also websites that allow people to purchase and sell stolen credentials, such as credit card numbers, passwords and social security numbers. These are referred to as “marketplaces.’ The most famous examples are Silk Road, AlphaBay and many others.
The key to surfing the dark web is a network dubbed Tor that carries your data through a series of volunteer servers, which are spread around the world. This makes it difficult for anyone else to monitor your activity. The name “Tor” comes from the fact that the data it encrypts is layered, like the layers of a pizza. This is a way to ensure your privacy.