If you’re interested in knowing what’s lurking in the shadows of the internet, accessing the dark web isn’t too difficult — but it’s not without risk. Imagine yourself in a city that has hidden back alleyways. It’s not difficult to discover but if you follow the wrong path, it could be dangerous.

In short, the dark web is a cesspool for criminal activities that include drug dealing as well as black-hat hacking, terrorism and drug deals. It’s also a place where dregs, like hitmen, human smugglers, corrupt officials, can meet. However, the dark web isn’t all bad – it also functions as a sort of bridge between those who are political outcasts and the rest of us in the open world, serving as an outlet for those who wish to share anonymous information (whistleblowers).

Tor is a specific browser that allows you to access the dark web. It’s a bit similar to a VPN in that it encrypts your requests and removes geo-location labels your ISP or the government may use to track you. Tor also improves your security by routing your request through a network of volunteer servers in the world.

Once you’ve installed and set up Tor After you’ve installed and configured Tor, it’s time to start exploring the dark web. Content isn’t as easily indexed as it is on the surface web, but there are still plenty of sites to check out. You’ll find sites where you can purchase illegal guns and drugs as well as tutorials on how to conceal your digital footprint, or launch ransomware attacks.

board portals comparison