Just like Facebook, this is no random namesake; it is a legitimate platform from which to reach the CIA anonymously. You can even apply for jobs and request information, among other things. People like spies or whistleblowers often contact the CIA via the dark web to keep themselves hidden. But we are on the dark web, you can’t trust anyone, so there may be sites containing illicit content.
DuckDuckGo — A Dark Web Search Engine
ActiveX and Java frameworks are susceptible to being exploited by hackers. Since you are navigating in uncharted territories with all the myriad threats today, you’ll have to disable them in your network settings to stay safe. You should never use your personal information on the dark web anywhere else in your life.
This space for private free speech also carries the risk of exposing you to harmful content. Hidden Answers is one of the biggest question-and-answer dark web sites. This makes Riseup a vital tool for people in oppressive environments or anyone concerned with online privacy. ProPublica is independent, so you’ll find trustworthy news reports on topics ranging from corruption to inequality and environmental issues.
Onionname
Although the underground internet world is rife with everything bad, it also hosts positive elements. Unless you know where you’re going, there’s always some risk connected to clicking on dark web search engine links. The dark web is just a part of the internet where users can communicate and browse privately, often beyond the reach of standard government monitoring. In fact, you can even find many government and corporate websites on the dark web. Yes, governments can still monitor onion sites if they really want to.
BBC News In Your Language
To increase the security level, add password protection and determine the expiration time for messages. It has a vast library of over 1.5 billion indexed pages that lets you find whatever you are looking for. However, the threat of clicking on the wrong link always remains, so be cautious while you use it.
Opening the onion links is very easy from the Tor browser, which you need to download and install in advance. To search for onion links for any website on the surface web, just copy-paste the URL in a Tor browser window. It will display a message, Onion available, if onions are available for the website. You can also search for onion links on DuckDuckGo’s onion page by clicking Onionize.
Government
Torch is funded primarily through advertising—purchased in BTC, of course—which is why you’ll find the front page blanketed with old-school banner ads of dubious origins. Still, since they exist within the dark web, there is a high chance that malicious entities have co-opted one or more for illegal activities. Thus, staying connected to a VPN when you access these sites is vital. Since you cannot access a library of dark web links using the regular Internet, you can check out platforms dedicated to indexing these sites, like The Hidden Wiki. Hence, even if you hide your IP address, you aren’t completely secure.
Forums And Communities
Access to “.onion” domains and anonymous surfing made possible by specialised software like the Tor Browser allows entry only. While not an onion site, Tor Metrics can provide a fascinating peek “under the hood” of the dark web. It tracks Tor user activity by region, showing trends in access and adoption without collecting personal data.
- Besides, victims of crime may want to hide their identities from their perpetrators.
- On the dark web, traffic is routed through multiple server nodes that don’t log activity, obscuring the user’s origin and enabling anonymous communication.
- Proton Mail is an anonymous email service that operates an onion site.
- Your IP is still being revealed to one of the nodes in the onion, meaning your activity and identity can be unmasked.
- Download the Linux version from torproject.org, extract the file, and run the start-tor-browser script.
Tor Metrics
These sites are a hybrid tutorial-underground where wannabe hackers ask questions and professionals sell their services or stolen data. Onion links have no regular domain names registered under the domain name registry. Instead, they are designed using a cryptographic key and can be accessed only through software like the Tor browser.
Anyone can access the dark web, and it’s not that complicated to do so. Just remember, if you want to explore the dark web, be very careful. The advantage of using a dedicated computer just to browse the dark web is that your main computer isn’t exposed to any of the threats or risks tied to entering the dark web.
This is largely due to harmful elements in the dark web, and Ahmia contains certain questionable and largely illicit links. Therefore, use NordVPN to view search results and browse anonymously. The Daniel site also had a status check feature that updated users on which sites were active. Unfortunately, the site’s admin could not keep up with the time demands and has taken down the links on the site as of August 2023. Few countries operate with strict censorship on citizens’ internet access, preventing them from getting information in or out. BBC is the most popular news source and is the best example of restrictions on International media.
Knowing this, we tested many dark websites, and only the safest and most reliable ones made it to our list of 29 best dark web sites you should know in 2025. Having trouble deciding what dark web sites are safe and reliable? As long as you are not looking for anything illegal in the real world, it’s perfectly legitimate to use the dark web to find whatever you need. Nevertheless, the dark web is home to certain disturbing and illegal content you’ll never find on the surface web. It’s not that you can’t find prohibited content on the surface web – it’s just harder to look for it, as Google or Bing filter the most harmful sites. If you stumble upon any websites that seem illegal, just close the window.
Their URLs (aka dark web links) have .onion as the domain, instead of the common surface web domains like .com or .net. With NordVPN’s double VPN feature, your traffic is routed through two servers for double encryption. It also includes a dark web monitoring feature that crawls the dark web and alerts you if your details show up anywhere. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to safeguard your online activities with NordVPN while using the dark web.
Given the regularity with which .onions sites go offline and disappear, the more directory sites you know about, the better. Whether you’re looking for personal advice while shopping on the dark web or you want to discuss a wide range of topics, Dread has you covered. And unlike Reddit, this darknet site offers its users complete anonymity.
In fact, journalists, privacy advocates and academics use it every day to protect their identities and get to material that has not been blocked. Following the closure of deep dot web, it is currently my opinion that there are no reliable central indexes of onion sites. ZDNET tested the best VPNs available based on speed, number of servers, security features, price, and more. ExpressVPN is our pick for the best VPN overall, thanks to its fast and reliable connection and the wide range of platforms it works on. To access a dark web address, you must use a VPN and a suitable browser (it should be Tor). The aim is to reduce your online footprint as much as possible, anonymize your traffic, and disguise your location.
