10 Things You Didn't Know About The Dark Web

10. It’s Accessible Through A Browser Known As The Onion Router (aka TOR)

You can't use standard access methods to gain entry into the Dark Web.
The most common method is through the Tor network, an anonymous network created from nodes that disguise online activity. To use Tor,
 you need the Tor browser, and may also need to be issued an invitation
to access certain .onion domains hidden within the Dark Web.

9. Dark Web Sites Use A Special Domain Ending In .onion

An .onion address is the result of Onion networking -- low-latency
communication designed to resist traffic analysis and surveillance.
The use of Onion networking is not a perfect solution to maintain anonymity,
 but it does help disguise who is communicating with whom.

8. It Is Not Illegal To Browse The Dark Web

The idea that they’re committing a crime by doing so. This is not true.
In reality, no crime is committed unless someone views specifically illegal content on the dark web. It’s against the law to even click onto certain sites.
But if you go to various dark web marketplaces and look at the content without
buying anything, you are probably not committing a crime until you make the purchase.
It is also legal to browse or even talk in many forums on the dark web as long as you
do not use them to set up illegal business transactions or engage in illegal activities.

7. Most Websites Are Scams

Whether you take a risk with buying bargain designer clothes on the Clear Web or sink a few Bitcoins in purchasing
 illegal items through the Dark Web neither is risk-free.
Vendors and sellers might be trying to avoid the eyes of legal enforcement in the darker side of the Internet, but this doesn't stop scams from taking place. Scam vendors and quick grab-and-run schemes run rampant -- especially as
 there is no way to follow up with failed sales down the legal route.

6. Not All People Use The Dark Web For Crimes

The Dark Web is used for more than buying and selling.
So-called "ethical" hacking and political forums, archives of forbidden books,
tips on how to care for your cat -- there are potentially thousands of private .onion
addresses hosted which go beyond marketplaces. There, they can have more open discussions about various things than on the open Internet (aka the “clearnet”).

5. Silk Road The First Modern Darkest Market 

Many of us heard when the underground marketplace Silk Road, one of the largest hidden within the Tor network, was taken down following an investigation by US authorities. However, there are many more vendors peddling their wares within the Dark Web. While drugs are the most commonly-thought
 when it comes to the secretive area, you can also purchase a plethora of other illegal goods. Weapons,
 porn, counterfeit money and fake identities, hacked accounts, and even hitmen can be found if you have the cash. If someone annoys you, sending over a SWAT team as a "prank" is also possible.

4.Most Sales On The Dark Web Use Bitcoin (BTC)

How do you trade without being linked to bank accounts? Virtual currency is the most common method, which includes
"tumbling," a laundering process that destroys the connection between a Bitcoin address which sends virtual currency and the recipient in the hopes of covering a user's tracks. Some vendors offer escrow services that hold Bitcoin in trust until goods have been delivered and both parties are happy -- although value fluctuations linked to Bitcoin use to make this move risky.

3. Reddit is used as a communication platform for Dark Web transactions

Marketers can use Reddit to know more about the dark web and its user bases. Reddit is being used as a sort of knowledge hub for useful information about dark web topics, transactions, resources, and more.
Reddit also has forums for dark web market users where they can meet buyers, exchange information, and share reviews of various sellers on the dark web. They also provide advice through these forums regarding safe drops and zones for picking up packages bought on the dark web and how to escape the grip of law enforcement from falling on you.

2. People Might Use Hidden Wiki Sites To Find Links

There are many different “Hidden Wiki” sites, some of which are even on the clearnet. These sites are useful in finding .onion
 links to explore. Luckily, most Hidden Wikis do not include links to sites that are illegal to click on. Some people even say that the FBI sets up Hidden Wiki sites to give criminals easier access to sites used in sting operations.

1. The ‘Deep Web’ Is Not Necessarily The ‘Dark Web’

The Deep Web: The deep web is a subset of the Internet that is not indexed by the major search engines. This means that you have to visit those places directly instead of being able to search for them. So there aren’t directions to get there, but they’re waiting if you have an address. The Deep Web is largely there simply because the Internet is too large for search engines to cover completely. So the Deep Web is the long tail of what’s left out.

The Dark Web: The Dark Web (also called Darknet) is a subset of the Deep Web that is not only not indexed, but that also requires something special to be able to access it, e.g., specific proxying software or authentication to gain access. The Dark Web often sits on top of additional sub-networks, such as Tor, I2P, and Freenet, and is often associated with criminal activity of various degrees,
 including buying and selling drugs, pornography, gambling, etc. While the Dark Web is definitely used for those things more than the standard Internet or the Deep Web, there are many legitimate uses for the Dark Web as well.