What is the darknet, how to get there and how dangerous it is
Educational Program Technologies / / December 28, 2020
Everything you wanted to know about the hidden network, but hesitated to ask.
What is the darknet
The Darknet is a network for anonymous data exchange. It is called the hidden part of the Internet. They also host sites there, but they cannot be opened through a standard browser or found in a regular search engine. To get into the hidden network, you need special software.
An important part of the darknet is TOR (The Onion Router). It is a data encryption and transmission technology developed by the US Navy Research Laboratory. The project was created in the 1990s for military purposes. But later, the authors made the TOR code publicly available so that the technology would serve to protect the rights and freedoms of ordinary people. Now you can use it to access the darknet.
The TOR architecture impedes user tracking and control over the transmission of information. Therefore, the darknet resists eavesdropping and censorship. For example, journalists often communicate through the TOR network with informants. Facebook, The New York Times and the BBC are using it to work in totalitarian countries where they are blocked. For this, companies have created TOR versions of their sites on the darknet.
Unfortunately, anonymity and lack of control quickly led criminals into a hidden web.
In Russia, as in most other countries, the use of TOR is not prohibited. But many activities that take place on the darknet are prohibited. With the advent of bitcoin, which allows money to be sent anonymously, the hidden network has become a virtual black market. In addition to legal sites, the darknet is flooded with child pornography sites. stolen data, drugs, weapons and other illegal goods.
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How to get on the darknet
Connecting to a hidden network is easier than you might think. To enter, TOR-browser is most often used. It can be downloaded for free from the official website of The TOR Project, which develops this technology.
Once launched, the program will display prompts to help you configure it. As soon as the browser menu opens, you can start surfing.
Hidden network sites have special addresses in the zone .onion. If you do not know where to start your acquaintance with the darknet, you can visit these safe resources through TOR:
- Directory of links to popular darknet sites The Hidden Wiki: http://zqktlwi4fecvo6ri.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page.
- Facebook: https://facebookcorewwwi.onion.
- BBC International Version: https://www.bbcnewsv2vjtpsuy.onion.
- DuckDuckGo search engine: https://3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion.
Use only official versions of TOR-browser and update it regularly to keep the program as stable and secure as possible. Please note: due to the peculiarities of iOS, there is no official TOR application for this operating system.
Download TOR ‑ browser from the official website →
Why the darknet is dangerous
There are enough criminals on the dark web who not only offer illegal goods and services, but also try to steal or exploit other users. Attackers can use both malware and social engineering techniques. Of course, such people are also present on the regular Internet. But anonymity the hidden network allows them to operate more effectively.
If you yourself intend to break the law and believe that TOR will provide you with impunity, think again. The network itself is private, but through carelessness or due to technical illiteracy, you can still reveal your identity. For example, it is enough to accidentally download a Trojan from the darknet or leave contacts in an inappropriate place.
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