The Dark Web: What It Is, How It Works, and Who Uses It
The World Wide Web, as most people know, is already unthinkably too vast to contemplate. However, there are still large parts of the internet that are not accessible to ordinary users and this includes the dark web.
Recently, two of the largest dark web marketplaces, AlphaBay and Hansa Market, were taken down by the U.S. Justice Department with some help from authorities around the world such as Europol.
With that, people are reminded of how vast the operations of dark web networks are. In fact, according to the U.S. Justice Department, for the two years of AlphaBay's operation, it was able to accommodate as much as 40,000 sellers and over 200,000 buyers from all over the globe.
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With big news linked to the use of the dark web, it is a good time to refresh what it really is, how it works, and who uses it.
What is the Dark Web?
The dark web is essentially a network of highly-protected websites. This means typical search engines and browsers are not able to access them because some types of encryption tools, such as Tor, are needed to get in and find them.
In its website, Tor is described as: "Free software and an open network that helps you defend against traffic analysis, a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security."
It works closely similar to a virtual private network. However, encryption tools like Tor work with more layers of security. It hides a dark web user's real IP address through the process called "spoofing" so prying eyes would be misled to other locations far from user's real location.
In that manner, web users can prevent other entities from observing their pattern of internet browsing and, basically, avoid leaving digital tracks.
Dark Web is NOT the Same as Deep Web
Many are mistaken when they refer to the dark web and the deep web as being the same. The fact is, the dark web is just one part of the deep web.
The deep Web is, generally, all web pages that cannot be found via conventional internet browsing methods like searching for it through Google or Bing engines. However, it does not necessarily equate to dark web sites.
Some companies use the deep web in their daily operations, which means they create a network that is for the exclusive access of their employees. They will require a username and password to get in but not sophisticated encryption tools like in the dark web.
Tech Advisor mentioned as example the "content management system" that online publications utilize where reporters and contributors input their articles.
When a reporter is done working and submits the article, their system can lead them to a preview page which is basically already part of the internet but is not yet readily available for others to see.
This is the same case for other web pages intended for private and secure use like online bank accounts and email accounts. They have their URLs but they cannot be searched by other people — all these are part of the deep web.
Who Uses the Dark Web?
With the level of protection used to access the dark web, it has become the preferred way of browsing the internet for various sorts of individuals: those who do not believe their government's denial of indiscriminate surveillance, whistleblowers, and those whose lives depend on buying and selling illegal materials.
It has also been a convenient way for hacking groups to dump loads of information in the attempt to take down a corporation that they believe should not be operating.
For example, in 2015, the hacker group Impact Team surprised the owners and operators of the infamous Ashley Madison dating site — an online service that encourages married individuals or people in a committed relationship to "have an affair."
The Impact Team gave Ashley Madison an ultimatum to stop its operations. When they did not comply, the hackers dumped collected personal details of its patrons as well as email conversations of its corporate leaders through the dark web.
Lastly, the dark web has always been notorious for providing an avenue for people to freely trade illegal drugs, weapons, stolen identities, child pornography materials, toxic chemicals, malware programs, computer hacking tools, and more.
While the use of the dark web does provide an immense layer of protection for those who are operating through it, the authorities have proven several times that though it might take a long time, there still are ways to crack it — just like the recent crackdown on the AlphaBay and Hansa dark web markets.
