Bypassing firewalls and other forms of geo-blocking helps people to access news websites and social media they normally wouldn’t be able to — and do so with less fear of recrimination. While some of these markets were shuttered by law enforcement agencies – some took the easy way out with exit scams. Here are some of the now-defunct dark web markets that were notorious for cybercrime. There’s also a privacy angle—some users live in countries with censorship or surveillance, and the dark web gives them a space to communicate or access information more freely. Others are looking for stolen data, hacking services, or even banned books and political content. For sellers, it’s often about making money while staying off the radar.
Other options include Ahmia and NotEvil, which focus on listing .onion links. Tor2door’s been a standout since 2020—over 20,000 listings and a custom-built site that’s not some cookie-cutter junk. They take BTC and Monero, with multi-signature escrow and global shipping—vendors swear by it, and I’ve snagged rare stuff (think DMT or niche scripts) without a hitch.
Ahmia also discourages access to illegal content and promotes safer internet practices. Confidential government files and pages tied to unlawful trafficking often get filtered out. You can access DuckDuckGo on the surface web, but a Tor version is also available. You’ll get unbiased, organic search results without getting any of your browsing behavior logged. Using DuckDuckGo over Tor will also let you see onion sites and normal pages in your search results. OnionShare is one of the best tools for that purpose, whether on the surface or deep web.
Torlinks — A Backup Directory Of Onion Sites
Riseup’s services can be accessed on the surface web or via Tor websites if users want to protect their anonymity. We are a Tor network dark web directory listing created in order to monitor and study popular darknet marketplaces and onion services. To make its journalism more accessible to readers around the world, the New York Times launched its onion service in 2017. You won’t find any “hidden” stories here—it’s the same content as the normal web edition—but users in countries with government censorship will appreciate having a secure way to access it. Also, only use .onion links from legitimate sources like The Hidden Wiki.
Ever-Changing Addresses And Infrastructures
Yes, you can access the dark web on mobile — you just need the right app. Android users need to download the Tor Browser app, while iPhone fans should get the Onion Browser app. SecureDrop has even been adopted by various news organizations worldwide.
Best Sites On The Dark Web In 2025
For instance, if you choose a topic (e.g. food), G-Feud will give you a string such as “can I eat…? It serves the same purpose as ProPublica – facilitating access in countries where it may otherwise be restricted. Facebook’s onion portal is an essential communication tool for people living under oppressive regimes, despite the social media giant’s controversial reputation when it comes to privacy. From Flickr to Facebook posthaste – that would be an accurate description of Dark Lair, an image hosting platform turned social media. Dark Lair allows you to post comments, share music, upload photos, message your dark web ‘friends’, and everything in between. In this sequel, I’m going to show you some of the not-so-clear-web’s hidden Easter eggs and how to get there.
How Dangerous Is It To Click On Random Onion Links?
Russian Market has consistently remained one of the most popular and valuable data stores on the dark web. Its affordability and reliability have earned it a loyal customer base. The platform’s activity has increased significantly over the past year, indicating its growing influence and market share in the underground economy. It is a hub for financial cybercrime and offers a wide range of illicit services and stolen data that cater to sophisticated cybercriminals. Many dark web search engines are available, and no single option is objectively the best.
What Exactly Is Sold On These Marketplaces?
Some markets are invite-only or have strict registration rules to keep out scammers and law enforcement. It’s been a constant back-and-forth between cybercriminals and law enforcement, with each new site trying to be smarter and more secure than the last. The second category consists of data stores, which specialize in stolen information.
Initially, the dark web was mainly used by government agencies, big businesses, hackers, and cybercriminals. However, technological advancements such as encryption and privacy-focused browsers like Tor enabled the general public to access it. Some whistleblowers and journalists use these portals to safely leak information, especially when a source requires complete privacy. There are often copious amounts of how-to articles, software exploits, and hacked credentials for sale.
How Do I Browse Onion Sites Safely?
Similarly, the CIA launched its .onion site to provide worldwide anonymous access to its resources. If the websites you visit use tracking scripts, third parties can monitor you. We ensured that the dark web sites we chose had reviews and feedback from real users on other forums; this way, we can be sure of the site’s reliability and legitimacy.
- Among the most talked-about aspects of these areas are the deep web forums and dark web forums, which serve as gathering places for various online communities.
- By applying well-defined criteria, you can more confidently separate valuable platforms from malicious or untrustworthy ones.
- The Tor browser allows you to browse the internet anonymously and visit inaccessible sites.
- Buyers and sellers frequently face risks from malicious actors posing as legitimate vendors or customers, potentially leading to financial loss or exposure of sensitive personal information.
- After the shutdown of RaidForums, BreachForums filled the gap by hosting discussions on exploits, data leaks, and cybercrime.
These news outlets offer dedicated .onion links where you can drop whistleblowing news. WormWeb is a user-friendly search engine built specifically for the dark web, providing quick and easy access to .onion websites. Also known as Not Evil, this dark web search engine offers access to a wide array of .onion content.
Many dark web search engines on the darknet suffer from spam, because these spammy sites want to be indexed and found by the search engines as opposed to genuine onion sites. Vorm Web focuses on quality over quantity and splits findable results into three security categories, from secure to risky. To protect your privacy, use a reliable VPN like Forest VPN before accessing the dark web. This ensures your IP address is hidden and your data is encrypted, adding an extra layer of security when browsing onion sites. In the vast expanse of the internet, the dark web remains a mysterious and often misunderstood realm.
Home Products
Privacy advocates frown upon it because of the way it harvests data and profiles users. These concerns are valid because using Facebook undoubtedly exposes users to some of the highest levels of surveillance capitalism anywhere on the web. DarkNetLive is an onion news site that provides up-to-date information related to the dark web and its use. Visit it to find out about Dark website closures, arrests, drug seizures, and other news topics related to the dark web and its use. With this in mind, it is essential that you are careful about what you choose to visit and where you choose to click.
However, many of the activities and transactions that occur on the Dark Web are unlawful. However, even in areas where the Dark Web is allowed, using a high-quality VPN is advised to keep your browsing activity private. Impreza Hosting is one of the best hosting services for websites on the Dark Web. You can use it to set up a site using server rentals, domain registration, email hosting, and all the other features you’d find with providers like GoDaddy on the standard web. If you upgrade to the premium plan, you gain access to advanced search features.
