VPNs have become commonplace over the past decade, with even the most casual internet user opting for this security tool. But are VPNs only useful for staying anonymous on regular webpages and applications? If you’re looking to delve deeper and access the dark web, should you be using a VPN?
The Surface, Deep, and Dark Web: What’s the Difference?
The surface web is by far the most commonly-used portion of the World Wide Web. This comprises all your regular websites, such as Facebook, HuffPost, Walmart, Netflix, and AliExpress. If you only use the internet to talk to friends, buy goods and services, browse the news, or stream content, it’s highly likely that you’ve only ever used the surface web.
But the web is made up of multiple layers: the surface web, the deep web, and the dark web. Some people even believe deeper levels exist,such as the shadow weband Mariana’s web.
What you may not know is that a shocking 90 percent of the web is made up of deep web content, which consists of government records, scientific reports, financial records, and similar documents. An additional six percent is taken up by the dark web, while just four percent comprises the surface web. Of course, these figures may change from year to year, but it’s important to note that the surface web you’re familiar with only takes up a small fraction of the web as a whole.
Though the term “deep web” may sound a little intimidating, much of this section of cyberspace is entirely harmless. Much of this realm consists of vast databases from all kinds of industries, but, as is the case on the surface web, there are parts of the deep web that may pose a threat to you.
The next layer, the dark web, is a space that has accrued endless fears and rumors among the public. Many see this part of the web as an entirely illicit space, filled with illegal content, drug and firearms marketplaces, and stolen data.
The dark web does, indeed, contain these elements. Cybercriminals often head to the dark web to sell data they’ve stolen, be it passports, social security numbers, payment details, or entire organizational databases. Paraphernalia can also be bought on the dark web, such as class-A drugs and illegal firearms. Some head to the dark web for its hordes of illicit content, such as banned films, terrorist videos, and illegal pornography. Needless to say, the dark web comprises a vast criminal underworld.
But along with this shadier side also comes harmless content. Many people use the dark web to conduct research anonymously, bypass national censorship, and access hard-to-find documents.
Regardless of this, there are still plenty of threats on the dark web that you don’t want to run into. So, should you be using a VPN to avoid such risks?
Why You Should Use a VPN on the Dark Web
The dark web is littered with dangerous and illegal websites. While this lower layer of the web can be used for harmless purposes, you shouldn’t ignore the swathes of dangers posed to anyone using it.
To access the dark web, you need to use Tor. This is a privacy-focused browser that can be used for surface, deep, and dark web surfing.Tor uses onion routingto keep users anonymous, but this is not the same as a VPN. Like VPNs, onion routing does use encryption and remote servers, but your data is sent to server locations that you cannot choose. However, onion routing encrypts your data three times, unlike most VPNs, which only encrypt your data once.
Onion routing has a clear focus on keeping users anonymous. When accessing the dark web through Tor, you’re able to benefit from the browser’s elevated privacy. However, privacy and security are far from the same thing, and this is a crucial element to consider here.
Even if you’re anonymous online, this does not make you 100 percent secure. Sure, your IP address and browsing activity may be concealed from other users and sites, but your device can still be infected by malware via dark web platforms. While many cybercriminals flock to the dark web as a sort of lawless haven, others use it as a base from which to conduct their attacks, especially because law enforcement cannot police the dark web nearly as effectively as it does the surface web.
Additionally, using onion routing without a VPN exposes your activity to your internet service provider. It isn’t illegal to use Tor, but if your ISP notices that you’re using it on a regular basis, they may flag your IP address as suspicious. Being a gateway to the dark web, Tor is known to be popular among cybercriminals, so ISPs often keep a look-out for users that regularly use this browser.
What’s more, using Tor without a VPN active exposes your IP address to the browser’s entry node. In Tor’s onion routing process, there is an entry, relay, and exit node. Also known as the guard node, the entry node is the first port of call when you want to access a website. Without a VPN in use, you’re accessing the entry node in raw form, meaning your IP address is viewable.
If you want to conduct research or access content anonymously, using Tor without a VPN may pose a problem to you, as you are somewhat exposed via the entry node.
VPNs to Avoid When Using the Dark Web
If you want to use a VPN and the Tor browser (also known asonion-over-VPN), there are plenty of providers that will suit you well, includingExpressVPN;SurfShark;ProtonVPN; andNordVPN.
However, there are many VPN services you should avoid when accessing the dark web. These include un-audited andfree VPNs which may be considered dangerous.
Firstly, free VPNs often have lackluster features. Without a large budget from user fees, most free VPN providers can’t offer the best features possible,such as a kill switch, top-level and double encryption, or additional perks like ad-blocking and malware scanning. If you’re using the dark web, you want to be sure that you’re using a super secure VPN that can truly keep you safe. A reputable, paid VPN is the best choice.
You may also want to steer clear of VPNs that haven’t been independently audited. A VPN provider can claim to have the best encryption, a strict no-log policy, and other great features, but only an independent audit (i.e. an audit conducted by a non-biased third party) can determine whether this is really true. Some VPNs keep logs of user activity and IP addresses, which is far from ideal when you’re using the dark web—especially if you want to be totally anonymous while doing so.
If you’re going to be visiting riskier sites on the dark web, you don’t want a VPN that’s probably safe; you want one that’s definitely safe.
The Dark Web Is a Diverse but Dangerous Place
You can find all sorts of interesting and useful content on the dark web, but this realm’s darker side shouldn’t be ignored. There’s plenty to steer clear of on the dark web, and onion routing won’t always keep you totally safe and anonymous.
If you’re looking to access the dark web some time soon, consider using a trusted VPN service to ensure you’re not being targeted by malicious actors or spied on by third parties.
