A bit like space and the stars, the Internet too is an almost boundless universe made up of billions of sites, not all of which can be visited and searched with the normal computer browser. The part we visit every day thanks to search engines and direct links (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.) is only the "surface" of the Internet : in the obscurity of the net we find many sites not indexed by any known search engine (including Google). In this guide we will explain in detail what is the Deep Web, what is the Dark Web (the deepest and most dangerous part of the Deep Web) and finally we will show you the safe methods to be able to access this hidden part of the Internet (always with the due cautions, since we can come across dangerous or illegal sites).
Due to the nature of the article, Navigaweb assumes no responsibility for the improper use of the proposed material: if you continue reading, you will browse the Deep Web at your own risk!
What is the Deep Web
By Deep Web we mean all the sites or Web pages that can be accessed only by knowing precise HTTP addresses, IP addresses or by re-directing from "surface" sites, composed in most cases by a login page.
So in fact we use the Deep Web every day : every time we open a personal login page (for home-banking, for our personal cloud, to access WordPress management, for our telephone account, to access a forum etc.) we access a part of the Internet that is not indexed by any search engine and readable only by us (or by a select few, if we are users of a forum). Obviously we are happy that the search engines do not know our personal bank or credit card page, since it would be exposed to hacker intrusions!
Precisely because of this, the sites that make up the Deep Web are 90% of the total Internet sites, but the negative meaning that the name suggests (Deep in English means Deep), suggests that all the Deep Web is negative, when in reality it is more widespread (and safe) than is believed.
Obviously within the Deep Web there are also sites with state documents, secret documents and scientific reports, but they are accessible only to those who know exactly the page to be opened and the credentials to be used for login.
What is the Dark Web
Going even deeper we find the real "dangerous" sites, that is, those which, in addition to not being indexed, offer access addresses completely different from the standard sites (they often change continuously, even several times a day), having to hide information on illegal material such as weapons, drugs, money laundering and much more.
This very deep part of the Internet is called the Dark Web and it is quite difficult to access it safely (in the sense without being tracked and monitored during the visit), given that these sites are the target of the computer investigative nuclei of all the armed forces (even the Italian ones). . To make a long story short: if we have a wrongful act or are looking for material prohibited by law, the only way to "buy" it from home (by paying in cryptocurrency ) is to visit the Dark Web at the right addresses.
How to safely access the Deep Web (and the Dark Web)
If we intend to take a "peek" at the Deep Web or the Dark Web (these latter sites are often mistaken for word of mouth, therefore we will hardly find Dark sites still active and functioning), we must first of all equip our computer to access these contents safely, avoiding being tracked. Before leaving for this deep journey, make sure to install the Tor program on our computer, the anonymous proxy system with multi-user stratification, able to hide our original IP address and the traffic generated during the visit to the Deep Web.
Once you have downloaded everything you need, just open the dedicated Tor browser, click on the onion-shaped symbol at the top right and prepare to navigate. To be sure not to be identified, we visit the Tor Check page or one of the many sites to find out about our public IP (like My-IP.it). Tor can also be used on smartphones and tablets, by downloading the Tor app for Android and iOS.
If we want to enhance the security of browsing the Dark Web, we can add a VPN connection to Tor, as recommended in our guide Best free VPN services and programs to surf safely and freely .
NOTE : browsing with Tor or with VPN + Tor is extremely slower than the normal connection (even if we have 100 or 1000 Mega in download); however, this is not a big problem, since the most hidden Deep Web pages are very simple from a graphic point of view, often with a style reminiscent of the Web pages of the early 2000s.
List of some Deep Web sites
The hidden sites of the Deep Web and the Dark Web often present a .onion top level domain, preceded by a random alphanumeric string (which can also change quickly over time), to immediately highlight their "hidden" nature. These sites are accessible only behind the Tor network, so they will not be visible on a normal browser. Obviously there are also other sites with different domains, but little known (or known only to those who frequent the secret site, with a sort of agreement with the "Fight Club").Some of the sites on the Deep Web that can be visited easily (from Tor Browser and not from Chrome or Firefox) are:
- //louhlbgyupgktsw7.onion to open OnionMail free, encrypted and anonymous e-mail service structured to work on the TOR network, proof of espionage by government agencies.
- //torbox3uiot6wchz.onion/index-en.php to open TorBox: another free e-mail service closed, i.e. all messages are exchanged only between TorBox users.
- //rougmnvswfsmd4dq.onion/ to open TorMetrics: all the information we can get on the Tor network, with the latest news on anonymity methods.
- //76qugh5bey5gum7l.onion/ to open Deep Web Radio: the official Deep Web radio, with thousands of amateur radio stations to accompany us in navigation.
- //ow24et3tetp6tvmk.onion/ to open OnionWallet: site that offers a virtual wallet for the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, protected from prying eyes.
- //mail2tor2zyjdctd.onion/ to open Mail2Tor: another free anonymous email service created to protect privacy.
- //hosting6iar5zo7c.onion/ to open Real Hosting: hosting service for Dark Web with support for Apache, PHP5, MySQL, SFTP Acces, and .onion domains. Accept only Bitcoin for payments.
- //kowloon5aibdbege.onion/ to open Kowloon Hosting Services: another hosting service for low cost onion servers, with payments in Bitcoin.
- //p53lf57qovyuvwsc6xnrppyply3vtqm7l6pcobkmyqsiofyeznfu5uqd.onion/ to open ProPublica: an information site that deals with reporting abuses by governments, companies, instructions (normally censored from free sites).
- //eludemaillhqfkh5.onion/ to open EludeMail: excellent e-mail service to receive free and Tor mail, with advanced end-to-end encryption protocols and integrated OpenPGP.
- //secrdrop5wyphb5x.onion/ to open Secure Drop: portal created with the aim of allowing activists and journalists to send information anonymously and securely (avoiding censorship and persecution).
- //msydqstlz2kzerdg.onion/ to open AHMIA: search engine for hidden content.
- //3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion/ to open DuckDuckGo: famous anonymous and logless search engine, to search for content filtered by Google.
- //xmh57jrzrnw6insl.onion/ to open TORCH: simple search engine on Tor network.
- //hss3uro2hsxfogfq.onion/ to open Not Evil: anonymous search engine for hidden content in the Tor network.
Conclusions
After fully understanding the difference between Dark and Deep Web, we are well aware of the risk we run, especially if we browse the most hidden sites. Knowing the existence of the Dark Web is still important to find censored sites, sites considered illegal in some countries without freedom and interesting information for those who make journalistic investigations or those looking for secret documents.To increase our security when we surf from a public place (not necessarily in the Deep Web), we recommend you read our guides on how to surf safely on public, free or unsecured wifi network and secure, anonymous Linux systems for using the computer without traces .
