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Dark web is a segment of the World Wide Web with high anonymity. Unlike the conventional internet, where people buy items, visit social networks, and check email, here platforms engaged in illegal activities are concentrated. Law enforcement agencies use the "dark side" of the internet to exchange information in encrypted form, while ordinary users engage in transactions for both illegal and completely innocuous goods. Contents: What can be found in the Dark Web Entering the DarkNet: step-by-step guide Popular DarkNet browsers How to access the Dark web from a phone? Searching for sites on the DarkNet Additional security measures when entering the Dark web What can be found in the Dark Web 80% of DarkNet visitors are buyers and sellers. You won't find missile launchers in the public network, but "decent" firearms models are available in a wide range. Well-known models like the Walter PPK from "Bond," the invincible AK-47, and the semi-automatic SIG Sauer P226 are priced at €600-1000. Drugs range from ordinary marijuana to powerful psychotropic substances. On some sites, you can find guides describing methods of preparing and using narcotic compounds. Entertainment content includes movies that have not yet been released on television screens, copyrighted books, and passwords for accessing pornographic sites. Documents available on the DarkWeb include civilian passports from various countries around the world, driver's licenses, and education diplomas. Various services are offered, from hacking social media accounts to producing bank cards. Fun Fact! Research by Dell revealed that hacking a Facebook page in the American segment of the DarkNet costs only $129. Buying on the DarkWeb is simple - you need to find a seller with a good reputation and reviews, order the desired item, and pay with bitcoins. The difficulty lies not in the process of making a transaction, but in the peculiarities of accessing the dark network. How to access the DarkNet without attracting the attention of law enforcement agencies? Entering the DarkWeb: a step-by-step guide You cannot access the darknet from a regular browser - even if you know the URL of the site. The most common software for accessing the network has become TOR. Step One: VPN Don't think that by downloading the software, the user becomes completely invulnerable. Any system can fail - and TOR is no exception. Accidentally leaving a "trace" on the network will reveal the real location of the computer, thus allowing the identification of the seller/buyer. The primary task for visitors to the DarkWeb is to acquire a good VPN service (NordVPN, StrongVPN, ExpressVPN). The cost of such software varies in the range of $4-13, but using such programs provides confidence in anonymous surfing. By providing a fake IP address, VPN hides the user's actions from providers and government organizations. Even if TOR is compromised, it will be impossible to trace the real location of the computer. Step Two: TOR Browser Before downloading the browser, close all programs that have access to the Internet (Skype, OneDrive, Viber, etc.). Enable the VPN service by connecting to a different location. Go to your regular browser, find the official TOR website, and download the software. Follow the instructions to install the software on your computer. Upon the first launch of TOR, the user will be directed to the start page, where, following detailed instructions, they will connect to the network. TOR is compatible with Windows, Linux, and IOS systems. The proxy server works by relaying connections through security and intermediary nodes. The encryption system is multi-layered - to trace back to the sender, each layer must be sequentially traced. The use of HTTPS protocols makes it impossible to intercept information placed on the site, and the built-in VPN substitutes the real IP address. Additional features of TOR: Blocks hacker attacks and other security-threatening actions on the device; Allows the creation of multiple anonymous identities; Opens absolutely any sites. Are there any drawbacks? The TOR browser is known for its relatively slow speed and occasional interruptions when viewing videos on some portals. Popular DarkNet Browsers Among the equally popular resources for accessing the DarkWeb, it is worth highlighting: I2P - a network consisting of routers and nodes that ensure decentralization and data encryption. I2P hides the IP address, allowing users not only to visit DarkNet stores but also to post prohibited photos, videos, and articles on the internet Freenet - a network built similarly to a cloud storage system, where data is stored in a decentralized and encrypted manner under the protection of special keys. To assemble a "puzzle" from elements stored on different servers, one needs to know these keys - and obtaining them is impossible. Each of the mentioned programs has certain advantages and disadvantages. It is advisable to choose a network based on the specific tasks at hand. TOR, with its vast number of nodes, ensures high user anonymity; Freenet is suitable for distributing data that contradicts censorship, while i2p helps in creating torrent trackers and simplifies communication. All three networks are used to access the DarkWeb. How to access the DarkWeb from a phone? In DarkNet, you can access through Android or iOS operating systems. To do this, you need to download a browser from Google Play/App Store that ensures anonymity using the TOR network. For Apple device users, the optimal solution became the Onion Browser app, which provides the following capabilities: Hiding the real IP, protecting traffic from interception; Providing access to TOR services; Using .onion directories; Supporting network bridges; Substituting HTTP User-Agent headers and configuring HTTP-Cookie storage policy. That's interesting! TOR developers do not officially support Onion Browser, but 10% of the software's profits are donated to The Tor Project and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Similarly, anonymous browsers for Android work on the same principle - such as Fire.onion and Orfox. Searching for sites on the DarkWeb In the "dark side" of the Internet, conventional search engines like Google are ineffective. Here, DarkWeb has its own search engines. Analogous to the popular Google search worldwide is the service called Grams, dubbed as the "search engine for bad guys." The main task of the system is to provide listings of stores predominantly involved in the trade of narcotic substances. The theme of Grams is evident from its design - judging by the name and logo, the search engine was created to serve thrill-seekers. not Evil - a search engine with intuitive functionality and good results. The system's feature lies in the complete absence of advertisements. The service displays only pages that correspond to the queries. Another good resource is Torch. Thanks to its ability to store a large number of indexed pages, the search engine provides quick and accurate results. To find the necessary platforms, you can also use Candle, Ahmia, and Fess - they are still relatively unpopular but rapidly developing search engines. Additional security measures when accessing the DarkWeb: Disable your webcam or cover it with opaque paper or fabric. Disable or mute your microphone. Avoid using your real photos or name on DarkWeb pages. Create "random" passwords. Interesting fact! In 2001, researchers at the University of California found that the DarkWeb contained about 7.5 petabytes of content. By 2003, this number had increased to 91,850 petabytes. Today, the volumes of the dark internet are difficult to comprehend.

Phishing involves sending emails that appear to come from legitimate organizations such as your internet service provider, bank, or university. The email often claims that your account has been compromised by scammers and needs to be restored. The message directs you to a fake website where you're asked to enter confidential information (such as your bank card number or password) or change your account details. This information is later used for stealing your account, money, and more. The goal of a phishing email is to instill panic in the recipient and make them click on the provided link to a fraudulent resource. If the email threatens the user with the loss of their account or funds, it's clearly phishing: reputable companies never notify customers of security threats via email or SMS. Types of phishing: Spear Phishing: Targets a specific person or organization. Information about the target may be collected over time, making the fraud difficult to detect. In most cases, attackers achieve their goal. The best defense is careful handling of personal data: store passwords securely, use a shredder to destroy paper documents, and avoid sharing personal information with strangers. Whaling: Targets high-ranking individuals (such as prominent businessmen, officials, and government representatives). After obtaining information about the target, scammers can issue orders on their behalf to subordinates, thereby influencing business and government affairs. In 2016, the American accounting company Alpha Payroll fired one of its employees who fell for scammers' trickery and carried out their instructions, believing they came from the company's CEO. How to protect yourself from phishing attacks: Remember that reputable organizations like banks will not use email to notify you of service changes. Their employees will never ask you to send your password, insurance number, or similar information. Treat any such message with suspicion: do not respond to it and do not click on the links provided. Instead, manually enter the company's website address in your browser, visit it, and verify if the information in the email is true. Phishing emails often contain visual content that automatically loads and may contain viruses. To protect your computer, view emails in plain text format, which displays all hidden links. If viewing emails in HTML, hover your mouse over the link in the email to check if it matches the website mentioned. To display the link address on iOS, you need to hold your finger on the link. Android does not support this feature. Before clicking on a link, check if the sender has an electronic digital signature. If it does, the link is likely safe. Upon receiving a phishing email, delete it from the "inbox" folder and then from the "trash" to avoid accidentally visiting the fraudulent website.