Before we get into monitoring the dark web, let’s quickly learn what it is.
The dark web is a hidden part of the Internet that is generally not accessible through standard browsers and search engines. Access to the dark web is achieved using special browsers (e.g., Tor Browser) and technologies.
One of its most distinctive features is that it offers an environment where users and websites remain anonymous. This provides an avenue for both legitimate and illegal activities.
Access to dark websites is provided through private networks such as Tor (The Onion Router). These networks provide anonymity by hiding users’ real IP addresses.
Darkweb sites usually have the “.onion” extension and can only be accessed through the Tor browser.
There is a lot of different content on the dark web. While these include legitimate content such as political activism, censorship evasion, journalism, and more, unfortunately, the Darkweb is also used for illegal activities, drug dealing, arms sales, cybercrime, and much more negative content.
Extreme care should be taken when navigating this area, as it is a popular area for cybercriminals. Malware, fake sites, and other threats pose a constant risk to visitors.
The dark web can be likened to the part of the internet just below the surface of the iceberg. While the so-called “Surface Web” constitutes only a small part of the internet we use on a daily basis, the Deep Web and Dark Web are larger and more difficult to access parts of the internet. Conscious and ethical use of these concepts is especially important for cybersecurity professionals.
Well, we talked about three different concepts: “Surface Web”, “Deep Web,” and “Dark Net”. It would be very useful to take a quick look at what these are.
Surface Web
It covers the websites we use daily and can access with standard web browsers. For example, news sites, social media platforms, online shopping sites, etc.
Access to information on the Surface Web is possible through standard search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.).
It usually contains information that is recorded and publicly available. Most of the content is publicly available.
Deep Web
It is a part of the internet that is not indexed by standard search engines. Therefore, it is difficult to access these contents without a direct access link.
Deep Web content can be accessed via direct links, database queries, or private networks. For example, academic databases, private social media profiles, personal email inboxes, and some government resources are included in the Deep Web.
The Deep Web makes up a large part of the internet. This only includes information that is not indexed or accessed with special permissions. Although it has a “profound” name, most of the content is innocent.
DarkWeb
The Dark Web is the anonymous part of the Internet accessible only through private browsers and networks, such as Tor and I2P. It often hosts illegal activities, but it also has legitimate uses such as activism and uncensored communications.
Access to the dark web is achieved using special browsers (e.g., Tor Browser). These sites usually have special domain extensions such as “.onion”.
The dark web provides users and operators with a high degree of anonymity. This provides an avenue for both legitimate and illegal activities. Although it is used for drug dealing, arms sales, cybercrime activities, and similar illegal activities, it can also be an important platform for journalists, activists, and individuals under repressive regimes to evade censorship.