The dark web and deep web: what they are, how they work and the risks

The dark web and deep web are terms shrouded in mystery and fear. The media link them with crime, but the reality is more complex and more interesting. Let us explain in detail what they are, how they are accessed, what risks they bring and why they relate to internet freedom.

Three layers of the internet

The internet can be imagined in three layers:

• The surface web. Everything Google and an ordinary browser find. It is only a small visible part.
• The deep web. Everything search engines do not see: email inboxes, internet banking, company systems, documents behind a login. There is nothing illegal about it, it is simply content that is not publicly indexed. It makes up the vast majority of the internet.
• The dark web. A small part of the deep web that is deliberately hidden and accessible only via special software. This is exactly the layer with the reputation the public knows.

It is important not to confuse the deep web and the dark web. Your email inbox is the deep web and is completely ordinary.

How the dark web works

The dark web is built on anonymization networks, the best known being Tor. Tor routes your traffic through several nodes around the world and encrypts it at each step, so it is very hard to find out who is connecting and where. Sites on it have addresses ending in .onion and you cannot open them in an ordinary browser. They are accessed via the Tor Browser, a modified browser focused on anonymity.

The principle of anonymity itself is neutral. The same tool that protects a journalist can also be abused by a criminal. That is exactly why the dark web is disputed.

What the dark web is really used for

The public mainly knows the dark side, but anonymity also has important legitimate uses:

• Journalists and whistleblowers who need to communicate safely and protect sources.
• People in countries with censorship who reach free information via Tor.
• Activists and dissidents under a regime’s surveillance.
• Ordinary people who reject tracking and want privacy.

Even large and trustworthy organizations run their .onion versions so as to be available via Tor too.

What the risks are

We have to be honest, the dark web is also a dangerous place:

• Scams. A large part of the offers are scams that take your money.
• Malware. The risk of infection here is significantly higher, this relates to protection against viruses.
• Illegal content. Part of the dark web contains content where merely searching for or downloading it is a crime.
• Loss of anonymity. A single mistake in behavior can reveal your identity, even when using Tor.

That is why a simple rule holds: anonymity is not impunity and the law applies there too. From a security standpoint, an ordinary user has no reason to go there.

The dark web and internet freedom

And now the essential point. The internet emerged as an open and free space. Gradually, however, it is increasingly filtered, blocked and deleted, whether in the name of security, copyright or politics. Some people therefore see anonymization networks as the last bastion of free speech, where information cannot easily be censored.

This view has its truth and its pitfalls. Freedom without rules also attracts abuse, while total control in turn threatens privacy and freedom of expression. Tools like Tor will probably become ever more important precisely because the pressure to block and surveil is growing. The question is not whether to want anonymity, but how to use it responsibly.

How to protect your privacy in everyday life

You do not need the dark web to protect your privacy. Ordinary steps help:

• Encrypted DNS, more in the article on DNS over HTTPS.
• A privacy-focused browser, more in the browser comparison.
• A VPN on unfamiliar networks, more in the article on what a VPN is.
• Caution toward cookies and tracking.

This article is part of our Cybersecurity overview.