Does your inner ethical hacker want to break the next matrix? Do you also feel completely indispensible by using “Incognito Mode” while internet surfing? Sadly, you’re still not as “anonymous” as you thought.

The incognito mode allows receiving “anonymous” cookies that cannot be linked to one’s identity. However, if one logs back into Google before leaving Incognito Mode, Google will be able to retroactively link their browsing data to their account. This works by taking the previously anonymous cookies and then associating them with their Google account.

That’s where comes the Dark Web. And its NOT the same as the Deep Web.

darkweb

Deep Web is simply the content of databases and other web services that cannot be indexed by conventional search engines. Whereas Dark Web is an encrypted network that exists between Tor (formerly known as The Onion Router) servers and their clients. Using Tor’s software makes it difficult, if not impossible, for any snoops to see your web mail, search history or other online activities. Your traffic is routed from your computer and through an onion-like layer of servers. Furthermore, the IP addresses of darknet services are hidden so that their hosts cannot be traced. This can proves highly useful for journalists, activists and business people.

Tor

The dark web holds everything sweet and sour. Many websites in the deep web are not legal to visit (child pornography, snuff films, torture flicks, etc.). These websites often change addresses frequently and require massive effort in order to find them. Because of the nature of these websites, their visitors are monitored. Although law enforcement may do their best to have these websites shut down, the deep web is under no legal jurisdiction (hence, the reason for the deep web’s existence). The largest darknet market remains the The Silk Road 3.0, the ‘eBay of drugs’ being an anonymous platform for selling illegal drugs. What sustains these markets’ existence is – BITCOINS. Bitcoin is both a crypto-currency and an electronic payment system invented by an unidentified programmer, or group of programmers, under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto. But here’s the catch! It’s value is highly dynamic in nature, or as experts like to say- a bubble.

Bitcoin

In conclusion, even if your purpose of using the dark web is purely curiosity, you’re a lot more in danger than not. Get ready to come across real drug dealers, satanic cults, hitmans for takeaways, and people selling just carrots only to earn some bitcoins! Here are a list of links that will help you find interesting .onion URLs:-

But again, the deep web is not a tourist place. Stay anonymous, stay safe.

P.S.: Some real-life darkweb experiences:

“I downloaded TOR and within 20 minutes of downloading it and browsing random crap I got a phone call but there was no one there and they just hung up after 10 seconds. I didn’t even know if it was legal at the time so that was enough to freak me out and I stopped right there.”

Silk Road. Circa 2013. Purchased what was promised as a “mind-blowing” experience. Received a Dust Buster two days later. Strangely, no complaints on my end.

There was a german man selling pretzels, just pretzels.