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You may be surprised, but you go to the deep web every day because it makes up about 90% of the entire web. The deep web contains material that is not indexed by search engines. Although “deep web” and “dark web” are used interchangeably, they are not the same. You can see this web part and access it in normal browsing – that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Anything you can find with a Google search is part of the surface web. The surface web (indexed or visible web) is web content indexed by search engines. The World Wide Web can be divided into three levels: the surface web, the deep web, and the Darknet. This is why scammers and abusers buy and sell stolen databases, which in turn may contain usernames and passwords, email addresses, phone numbers, home addresses and other confidential information. As mentioned above, the Darknet is often used for illicit trade. The Darknet can only be accessed through the Tor browser, preventing tracking and ad targeting. It allows you to browse websites anonymously using disguised IP addresses. The Darknet is a part of the global Internet hidden from search engines. Let’s dig deeper to clarify the Darknet and how it differs from the network we know. It seems like a paradox, the Darknet itself is not unlawful, yet it is often used for illegal things. For example, Facebook and the New York Times have websites accessible through the Darknet. However, not all activities on the Darknet are illegal. As unrealistic as it sounds, this is a criminal world that exists and trades online with real consequences. However, there are more unpleasant things like Besa Mafia, a marketplace for violent activities such as robberies, contract murders, sex trafficking, blackmailing, arms dealing, and terroristic acts organisation.
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Unfortunately, there are a lot of similar platforms today.
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You may have heard the infamous stories about Silk Road, the first online Darknet platform used to sell illegal drugs for bitcoins, launched back in 2011. If your personal information is exposed through a data breach, spyware, or phishing attack, there’s a good chance it will show up on the dark web, where you can wait for your buyer. However, most Darknet websites are used for criminal activities – such as buying drugs, money laundering, and trading stolen credentials. Despite Darknet’s association with illegal activity, accessing and browsing the dark web is legal.
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