Everyone needs to know how to protect their personal privacy in the age of the Internet because we all have the right to protect our legal privacy from surveillance and invasion. Frankly speaking, it is impossible to protect all our privacy from surveillance under the surveillance of big data; we can only do our best.
In this situation, how can we use the Internet safely, and how can we access information through a browser while protecting our privacy? We ought to understand and utilize a mysterious but powerful online tool – the Dark Web.There are many ways to access the dark web, and one of the most common and easy-to-use ways is to use the Tor Browser.
What is the Dark Web?
In the present time of technological informationization, the Internet is a tool that we need to use every day, and the area of the Internet that we visit every day is called the explicit network or surface network.
As the above pic shows, the surface web includes commonly used websites such as Google, Wikipedia Bing, YouTube, Facebook, etc. This is the part of the Internet that most people use every day and can be easily found through standard search engines. Below the surface web, there is the Deep Web and the Dark Web. The Deep Web contains the Dark Web, which contains content that is not indexed by standard search engines and usually requires specific access rights or licenses to view.
Within the Surface Web and the Deep Web, there is also an intentionally hidden area of the Web that requires special software or configuration to access – the Dark Web.
The Dark Web is a collective term for a group of websites on an encrypted network that hides their IP addresses, all of which provide users with strong anonymity protection. Of course, the Dark Web is intentionally hidden, and there are specific thresholds for its use that are not directly accessible to anyone – it’s an area of the Web that requires special software or configuration to access.
Accessing the Dark Web requires specific tools that provide users with anonymity and privacy protection, such as the Tor Browser or I2P (Invisible Internet Project). The Tor Browser provides users with more anonymity and privacy protection than search tools in the surface network.
Key Features And Risks Of The Dark Web
The dark web is the mysterious zone in the network, which can also be said to be the huge tip of the iceberg of the Internet.
Key Features:
- Anonymity: The dark web was originally designed to protect the identity and location of users. Through multiple layers of encryption and routing, users’ online activities are difficult to trace. This anonymity makes the Dark Web a hotbed for both legal and illegal activities.
- Specialized domain names: Dark web sites often use the “.onion” extension, and these sites can only be accessed through browsers that support the Tor network. Because the Tor network transmits data through multiple relay nodes, it ensures that a user’s real IP address is not exposed.
- Diversity of content: While the dark web is often associated with illegal activities (such as drug dealing, arms trafficking, and personal information theft), it also has legitimate uses, such as protecting the anonymity of journalists and activists, and conducting secure communications and research.
Based on the characteristics of the dark web, it tends to be a hotbed for many criminal activities, where users may come into contact with stolen information, black market transactions, and other content that is not only illegal but may also lead to legal risks for the user. While the dark web is often associated with illegal activities, there are some legitimate activities and uses. For example:
- Protecting freedom of expression: In some countries where there is strict government censorship, the dark web provides a secure platform for users to freely express their views and share information without fear of government surveillance or reprisal. This is particularly important for journalists, activists, and political dissidents.
- Anonymous communication: Many people use the dark web to communicate anonymously, especially when there is a need to protect one’s identity. For example, journalists can communicate securely with their sources through the dark web to avoid being traced.
- Access to censored information: In some countries, the dark web can be used to access news and information that has been blocked or censored by governments. This allows users to gain a more comprehensive perspective on international news and events.
- Research and education: A number of researchers and academics have utilized the dark web for research, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity, sociology, and criminology. The Dark Web provides a unique environment to observe and analyze cybercrime and anonymous behavior.
- Anonymous market research: Some businesses may conduct market research on the Dark Web to obtain feedback on sensitive topics without revealing the identities of the participants. This approach can help companies collect data without compromising user privacy
You may ask, so is it illegal for ordinary people to use the dark web? It depends on the intention of the behavior you use the dark web for, if you simply browse and are not involved in those behaviors that are considered illegal by the governing body you belong to, then it is safe and legal.
However, there are still some risks associated with using the dark web, and users are not involvedin malware, scams, and other cybersecurity threats. Therefore, extra care needs to be taken when using the Dark Web to ensure that proper security measures are in place, such as the use of stable proxies and secure browsers (e.g. Tor Browser). The following are the step-by-step usages of downloading and installing the Tor Browser.
How To Securely Visit The Dark Web With Tor Browser
Tor stands for The Onion Router, a unique browser designed to make your online status anonymous.
Step 1: Go to the official Tor website to download the Onion Browser, which is currently available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Android, and for iOS mobile, you can go to the Apple Store to download it. You can also use the offered link to download the latest version online：
- Windows Version：tor-browser-windows-x86_64-portable-14.0.3.exe
- MacOS Version：tor-browser-macos-14.0.3.dmg
- Linux Version：tor-browser-linux-x86_64-14.0.3.tar.xz
- Android app Download：torproject.org/download/#android
Step 2：After successfully downloading and installing, click the “Connect” button to connect to the network.
In this step, you need to use a VPN first, if you are the first time using the state, it will take some time to successfully connect to Tor (depending on your network environment), and later the speed will become much faster.
Step 3: Tor supports importing the contents of your bookmarks in Chrome and other browsers. It is an easy setting.
What is Tor Bridges?
As the Tor officials suggest, Tor Bridge is an important tool in Tor Browser, it is a store-and-forward device used to connect LANs at the data link layer and pass data between LANs. Just like ordinary Tor relays, bridges are run by volunteers; The difference is these bridges are not listed publicly, so an adversary cannot identify them easily.
Using bridges in combination with pluggable transports helps to conceal the fact that you are using Tor. However, it may slow down the connection compared to using ordinary Tor relays.
There are three options under the Tor Bridge menu:
- Your Bridges: This shows the bridges that have been added, and supports copying bridge addresses and share it to others.
- Replace Bridge: Replace an existing bridge. Users can add bridges manually or choose the built-in bridge.
- Find More Bridges: This is a new feature added to Tor this year that brings together all the ways to get bridges, including Telegram bots, Tor websites, and sending emails. In addition, you can click “Request a bridge” next to it to have the Tor Browser’s built-in bridge bot automatically assign and set up a bridge for you.
After successfully downloading, installing, and connecting, you can adjust the security settings. It is recommended that you set the security level too high to prevent malware and other security threats. In addition, the default search engine of Tor Browser is DuckDuckGo.
Frequently asked questions about Tor Browser
Question 1: If your antivirus or malware protection software prevents you from using the Tor Browser
Answer: Most antivirus or malware protection software allows users to “whitelist” certain processes that would otherwise be blocked. Open your antivirus or malware protection software and look for “whitelisting” or something similar in the settings. Next, add the following processes:
- Windows
- firefox.exe
- tor.exe
- lyrebird.exe (if you use a bridge)
- snowflake-client.exe
- MacOS
- Tor Browser
- tor.real
- lyrebird (if you use a bridge)
- snowflake-client
Question 2: What is Tor’s list of legitimate sites or links to sites that provide content? (Darknet versions of popular sites)
Here is a list I’ve found on the Wiki:
- Tor Project:
http://2gzyxa5ihm7nsggfxnu52rck2vv4rvmdlkiu3zzui5du4xyclen53wid.onion - The New York Times Secure Drop：
http://ej3kv4ebuugcmuwxctx5ic7zxh73rnxt42soi3tdneu2c2em55thufqd.onion/ - BBC News ：
http://bbcnewsd73hkzno2ini43t4gblxvycyac5aw4gnv7t2rccijh7745uqd.onion/ - The Pirate Bay：
http://piratebayo3klnzokct3wt5yyxb2vpebbuyjl7m623iaxmqhsd52coid.onion/ - Facebook：
http://facebookwkhpilnemxj7asaniu7vnjjbiltxjqhye3mhbshg7kx5tfyd.onion/ - CNN：
http://qmifwf762qftydprw2adbg7hs2mkunac5xrz3cb5busaflji3rja5lid.onion/ - Z-library：
http://zlibrary24tuxziyiyfr7zd46ytefdqbqd2axkmxm4o5374ptpc52fad.onion/ - Just Another Library：
http://libraryfyuybp7oyidyya3ah5xvwgyx6weauoini7zyz555litmmumad.onion/ - educate.onion：
http://educate6mw6luxyre24uq3ebyfmwguhpurx7ann635llidinfvzmi3yd.onion/ - OnionShare：
http://lldan5gahapx5k7iafb3s4ikijc4ni7gx5iywdflkba5y2ezyg6sjgyd.onion/
For more information, check out the relevant links on the Wiki:
- The Hidden Wiki:
http://zqktlwiuavvvqqt4ybvgvi7tyo4hjl5xgfuvpdf6otjiycgwqbym2qad.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page?ref=hackernoon.com
Question 3: How to use the above links?
- Answer: It’s easy to use, all you need to do is paste the link to the website into Tor’s address bar and enter.
Question 4: Can I be assured that my personal information will not be monitored using Onion Browser?
- No. It is not 100% guaranteed, but it will be safer and more private than using a regular browser. Because your real IP address and location information are hidden, Onion Browser enhances online privacy and anonymity but does not guarantee that users will not be tracked or spied on.
Question 5: Can I switch languages in Onion Browser?
- Yes, you can. Find “General” in Settings, and slide down to “Language and Appearance” settings, you can switch languages and select an alternate language plan, after switching languages you need to restart the browser.
Question 6: Can I be detected using the Tor Browser?
- It depends on your behavior. If you use the Tor Browser to browse a website, people generally won’t know your real information. However, many websites require you to fill out web forms to obtain more personal information than is necessary for the user, e.g., if you fill out personal information such as your name, e-mail, address, or phone number, you are no longer anonymous to that website.
Conclusion
Finally, we remind our reader-users that they should never share any personal information on the dark web, including their real name, address, and contact information, and that remaining anonymous is key to ensuring security. Additionally, if payment is involved, the use of cryptocurrency is recommended. There are many potential risks on the dark web, including malware, scams, and illegal activities. Always be careful not to click on suspicious links or conduct transactions with untrustworthy individuals. If there are more questions, feel free to leave a comment.