Let’s first begin with discussing what is referred to as the dark web. In case you are not aware, the Internet is technically made up of three distinct layers. Each layer is used by a whole and very different group of users.
The web is made up of a visible or superficial layer, the deep web, and the dark web. Let’s break down each layer a little bit for everyone to get a better understanding of how a VPN could apply to the discussion in this article.
Dark web Layers
- Visible of Superficial Layer – This layer consists of all of the public websites, network services that are accessible by the majority of the Internet users. These resources are considered open and can easily be found using traditional means including search engines like Google, Bing, and several other search engines. They also use a standard link protocol that makes it easier to use.
- Deep Web – The Deep Web consists of websites and content that cannot be found or accessed using search engines. These resources include Cloud Storage, protected networks, and corporate networks, and any closed databases. All of these resources are normally heavily protected by requiring an associated user name and password combination in order to gain access to them.
- Dark Web – This is made up of a collective of computer networks that are designed to facilitate the anonymous transmission of data. There are also networks for handling anonymous communication, content sharing, and trading. These networks, like the Deep Web, cannot be accessed by use of search engines and require special means for accessing. You also cannot access these networks using standard browsers.
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Do you need to use a VPN for the Dark Web?
While it may seem obvious to a layperson, but the actual answer to this is no. Even though a VPN creates an anonymous condition for the user, a VPN actually is not the preferred method. The actually preferred tool to be used to access the Dark Web is a Tor Browser. Unfortunately, this can be a bit risky and there are a number of things that you can expect to happen.
For this article we came up with a shortlist of four things that you should be aware of that can happen to you unless you are adequately protected.
- Cyber fraud is prevalent on the Dark Web – There is absolutely no fraud protection if you tempted to make any purchases from websites on the dark web, there is no guarantee that you will get what you pay for. Be very leary of everything and keep a close eye on cryptocurrency wallets as you can be sure that there a plenty of fake websites looking to steal your coins.
- Shocking content can be found everywhere – Beware of content that you might not necessarily be ready to be exposed to. The Dark Web doesn’t have the types of decency policies that you typically find on the visible web. You never know when you might stumble upon explicit images or scenes of extreme brutality that can be quite offensive.
- Psychological attacks – The Dark Web also attracts some very unsavory characters that may not necessarily be right in the head. You will likely find psychopaths and other bullies that act with impunity and not really care who they hurt. Unfortunately, when you access the Dark Web you are taking a huge risk and you should be extremely careful. It is definitely not for the faint at heart or the weak-minded, you might want to avoid it.
- Hackers galore – As you can imagine, you will find all kinds of hackers on the Dark Web and there is not much that can stop them once you are on their turf. You are far better off avoiding it unless you have prepared for it and put the right amount of protection in place as not to be susceptible to their attacks. You want to be sure that you don’t fall victim to hackers by clicking on suspicious links or download any files that can contain malware.
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Using a VPN with Tor when accessing the Dark Web
As we discussed earlier, a Tor Browser is considered the most optimum type of protection when it comes to accessing the Dark Web and not a VPN.
The fact of the matter is, you are actually far better off using a combination of VPN service like NordVPN or Surfshark and a Tor Network on the Dark Web.
Basically, you would connect to your current VPN service and if it accommodates a Tor Network browser, you will be able to immediately open the browser while you are already inside the VPN tunnel. This will basically help counteract most of the concerns that exist with a Tor Network browser by itself.
The Tor Network browser does not provide you protection for any malware-infected websites on the Dark Web like a VPN can. By hiding your computer’s IP address before you even access the Dark Web, you will be able to foil any attempt to gain access to your personal data on your computer. The primary reason for the issues is that Tor browsers are primarily for privacy and they don’t do much to address the possibility of a hacker gaining access to your computer.
Conclusion
While the best way to protect yourself when accessing the Dark Web would be to avoid it if you really are set on doing it. You really should get yourself a VPN that offers Tor browser functionality. The combination of a standard Virtual Private Network or VPN for short and a Tor Network browser is designed to give the user a much better chance at avoiding being detected.
The VPN also adds an extra layer of protection from malware and hackers’ activities by securing the connection before the Tor browser is opened and connected. Having the additional layer of encryption definitely will give a person peace of mind knowing that while they are on the Dark Web they will not feel like they are going to be under attack constantly.