Onion sites are websites on the dark web that use the “.onion” top-level domain instead of “.com,” “.net,” “.gov,” etc. Onion sites use The Onion Router (Tor) software to encrypt their connections and enable anonymous communication. Deep web websites have to be hosted somewhere, and Impreza Hosting is one of those anonymous dark web hosting services.
Tails always starts with a clean slate and any evidence of the activities you engage in while using Tails disappears when you shut down Tails. This includes evidence of any websites you visit, files you open, passwords you use, and even any other devices or networks you connect to. Tails never writes anything to the computer’s hard drive, running only from the RAM of the computer, which is wiped clean when the computer is shut down.
The Hidden Wiki & Co

For maximum anonymity, you should never install additional Firefox add-ons, and should use the default browser window size. By doing these things, you make your Tor Browser look like every other Tor Browser, minimizing websites’ ability to fingerprint(new window) you. Because Tor is very slow, many dark web-only websites avoid complex designs and fancy graphics to deliver a faster experience. Dark websites, on the other hand, can only be accessed with Tor (or something similar).
RAMP (Russian Anonymous Marketplace): Post-Colonial Pipeline Surge
Starting with ProPrivacy and now Proton, Douglas has worked for many years as a technology writer. During this time, he has established himself as a thought leader specializing in online privacy. He has been quoted by the BBC News, national newspapers such as The Independent, The Telegraph, and The Daily Mail, and by international technology publications such as Ars Technica, CNET, and LinuxInsider. Douglas was invited by the EFF to help host a livestream session in support of net neutrality. At Proton, Douglas continues to explore his passion for privacy and all things VPN. Another problem is that Tor makes the IP addresses of all public Tor exit nodes public(new window), which makes them very easy for governments to block.
In 2008, the first Tor Browser was released, making it easier for any internet users to access the dark web. In 2002 the dark web began to grow significantly when researchers backed by the U.S. The Tor Network provided a way to open safe communication channels for political dissidents, while also offering a channel for American intelligence operatives to communicate from around the globe.
When you use Tor, which routes your internet traffic through many different relay nodes, your online activity is obscured because you’re browsing anonymously. It’s possible to buy and sell illegal drugs, malware, and prohibited content in darknet marketplaces. Some dark web commerce sites have dangerous chemicals and weapons for sale. Tor is a web browser that lets you stay anonymous online or access the dark web.
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You may be targeted by law enforcement, exploited by hackers, or threatened by criminals using the dark web for nefarious purposes. You can access it on the regular web or using its .onion website, but all links are .onion links. Only onion sites that opt in are crawled by AHMIA, and AHMIA maintains a blacklist of abusive and dangerous sites. This makes AHMIA a relatively safe way to access content on the dark net. You can tell you’re on the dark web if you’re accessing websites with .onion addresses on the Tor Browser or a similar anonymity network.
Industry-Specific Cyber Threat Intelligence Powered By Agentic AI
- Tor is a web browser that lets you stay anonymous online or access the dark web.
- In 2008, the Tor Browser was released, which made it easy for anyone to get on the darknet.
- There are huge challenges for law enforcement trying to prosecute those who produce and/or distribute child sex abuse material online.
- Thankfully, you don’t need to use your official name or email; just use a fake username (we tested it successfully).
- Now that you’ve completed the download, it’s time to install the Tor browser on your device.
If you know how to use Microsoft Word, you’re typically working with large files that span multiple pages. So, you’ll be happy to know there are several easy ways to delete a page in Word, including both blank pages and those you simply no longer need. This subreddit exists to debunk urban legends and share real verifiable information from the far reaches of the Tor dark web. The U.S. government created the dark web as a way to help their spies communicate and exchange information while remaining untraceable in the process.

Also known as Not Evil, this dark web search engine offers access to a wide array of .onion content. It is that hidden corner of the internet that is hidden from the public and can only be used by a limited number of people. Hackers, journalists, and security companies use this hidden corner to exchange information and gather intelligence that’s not accessible through the regular internet. Facebook’s official dark web version helps users access the platform in countries where it’s blocked. During testing, I confirmed it provides the same functionality as the regular site while adding Tor’s privacy benefits.
So take this guide as you explore where to go on the Tor Browser without risking your online security. Dark web domains are generated in a cryptographically secure way, so they look like random strings of 16 characters or more (like 3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion, for example). For example, I looked up google.com and was able to find a snapshot of Google’s home page from 2008. Archive.today allows you to take a snapshot of a web page, which will remain online even if the original web page disappears. The site saves text and images, but it can’t save videos and sounds. The Mail Plus plan adds up to 15 GB of storage, unlimited messages, and 10 email addresses, plus advanced email settings (like automatic forwarding).
Financial Times

These sites aren’t accessible via standard web browsers or search engines. DuckDuckGo is a search engine available on the Tor network that lets you browse the surface and dark web. Essentially, it’s a search engine like Google or Safari, but unlike other search engines, it doesn’t track your browsing activity or collect user data. So, search results won’t be based on your browsing history, location, or anything else. And I liked that if I visited a site that had a .onion version, it prompted me to switch to that version.
Scroll on to learn more about dark web links (also called Tor links or onion sites), get the right links for some of the best Tor sites, and find out how to visit them safely. Safety concerns on the dark web include encountering criminal-run websites offering illegal goods and services, with the added risk of exploitation and theft. Engaging in illicit activities can lead to prosecution, as the law applies equally in this hidden part of the internet. Suspicious links and downloads pose a threat too, potentially leading to exposure to unwanted material or malware infections. Law enforcement’s presence, operating anonymously, aims to curb criminal activities, but it also underscores the dark web’s legal dangers. Typical search engines and standard secure browsers can’t access the dark web.
Why Is Tor So Slow?
For these reasons, it’s a good idea to safeguard your online activities with NordVPN while using the dark web. We ensured that the dark web sites we chose had reviews and feedback from real users on other forums; this way, we can be sure of the site’s reliability and legitimacy. The search engine has indexed over 400,000 pages, and you can ask it to match your exact search term.


Absolutely no one knows who’s surfing on the dark web, who is selling, who is buying or anything like that – as long as you take the correct safety and online privacy precautions. The majority of the web is called the “deep web” (often referred to as the “invisible” or “hidden” web). The deep web is basically all the content that you can’t find using Google or Yahoo search. So, that means that the number of pages increased by over 100 trillion in just over three years. Hypothetically speaking, Google may be aware of well over 200 trillion individual pages (these are obviously NOT all indexed in the search engine). So, sites that contain a domain extension like .com, .org, .net, .biz, .info, etc. can be found on the surface web.

We don’t know how much we’re being aggregated behind the scenes or how that information will be used in the future. Riseup is an invite-only email and communications service that doesn’t hold onto any of the data you generate when you use it. It describes itself as a tool for social change and “a project to create democratic alternatives.” Riseup requires you to have the onion link as well as an invitation. SecureDrop uses Tor to provide a safe way for whistleblowers to contact various news outlets.
It is based on Chromium, the open-source of Google chrome but the developers claim to have removed all Google tracking software and that the browser stops other companies from tracing you too. Darknet markets facilitate transactions for illegal goods and services. Silk Road was one of the first dark web marketplaces and it allowed users to trade multiple types of nefarious goods and services, including weapons and identity fraud resources. While many dark marketplaces have been shut down by authorities, new ones soon appear in their place.