A Simple Guide - What Is Darknet and How To Access It

What does the dark net represent? Darknet, also known as the dark web, is an area of the internet that cannot be visited by using a regular browser. Now, to a lot of people, this is a mysterious, yet tempting place they want to access.

A Simple Guide - What Is Darknet and How To Access It

The dark web constitutes a tiny part of the deep web. But what is the deep web then? It is made out of intentionally hidden services and sites. Both the users and owners of the dark web are hiding their identities.

Even though not every single thing on the dark net is illegal, out there you can obtain items and things that are generally not legal. So if you would like to enter this world of the unknown, then take a look at these steps below.

Smart Ways To Access Dark Web

Opt For Tor Browser

One of the most efficient ways to access this area of the internet is through Tor Browser. There are a lot of places where you can download it free of charge. It would be recommendable to hide the Tor Browser download by employing a VPN and your current incognito mode.

So what is actually Tor Browser? It is a browser that enables you to browse both dark and clear web. All your traffic is instantly routed through the Tor Network. Just be sure to download it directly from the official site.

Every other source isn't reliable enough due to the fact that you can potentially download spyware, malware, and many other hazardous things. Additionally, this browser is only available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android.

Android & Dark Net

What about this? In order to access Darknet on Android, you need to invest a little bit of time and effort, because this entire process is a bit complex because you must avert the data that your mobile phone sends to the Tor network. There are some steps that have to be taken.

First, you must download an application that's called Orbot. It represents a proxy app that allows data sent from your smartphone to go through the Tor network, anonymizing the traffic. Additionally, it lets you have a dynamic IP address that changes every couple of minutes.

So, now that you’ve downloaded it, you should launch it and click start. Once you’re connected to the network, the color of the onion will become yellow. Now that you’re connected, in order to properly browse the web, you can utilize either Orfox or Orweb.

Both of these tools are actually browsers that enable you to visit the "regular" web and dark web.

Adding More Tips & Tricks Below

Don’t Forget VPN

Keep in mind, that sites and internet providers can figure out when Tor is being utilized because Tor node IPs are public. Even though sites are not able to recognize you and ISPs cannot decrypt your internet traffic, they can still see that someone is using Tor.

And that's something that can raise lots of suspicions. Therefore, it would be recommendable to either employ Tor Bridges or VPN if you want to utilize Tor privately. Furthermore, if you live in the USA, then you should most definitely use a VPN because everything is going to be a lot more reliable and quicker.

It's worth mentioning that when you're utilizing a VPN for the dark web, the ISP is not going to be able to see that you're connected to a Tor node.

Install a VM or Disposable OS

Those who are pretty familiar with the dark net will tell you that it would be advisable to browse the dark web by employing virtual machine software instead of using Windows that’s been previously installed on your computer.

How come? Well, that’s because it is a lot easier to have malware in a virtual environment that can be completely controlled. Luckily, there are a plethora of options when it comes to virtual machine software that you can choose from. They include:

  1. Oracle VM Virtualbox
  2. Red Hat Virtualization
  3. VMware Fusion and Workstations
  4. Xen Project
  5. Microsoft Hyper-V
  6. Citrix XenServer

There are many others, however, we just mentioned the ones that are currently the most popular. Now, you can also use a disposable operating system that you can easily get rid of if something goes wrong. All you need to have is an 8GB thumb drive, an installation package, and a few minutes of your time.

fingers on keyboard

As you can see, you need to be extremely careful when it comes to the dark net, otherwise, you may run into trouble. That’s why you should read everything that’s been written here and carefully follow every instruction.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

A Simple Guide - What Is Darknet and How To Access It