Since regular search engines don’t index .onion sites, finding what you need on the dark web can be tricky. That’s where dark web search engines come in — they help you discover hidden websites and make navigating this part of the internet easier. In this guide, you’ll find the top 9 dark web search engines, complete with .onion links.
SecureDrop
Please note that not Evil does not tolerate adult content, narcotics / gun markets, or any other illegal content. Darknet markets facilitate transactions for illegal goods and services. Silk Road was one of the first dark web marketplaces and it allowed users to trade multiple types of nefarious goods and services, including weapons and identity fraud resources. While many dark marketplaces have been shut down by authorities, new ones soon appear in their place.
Do I Need A VPN If I Use Tor?
Tor is a network designed to route traffic through multiple servers. The Tor Browser is a specific web browser, based on Firefox, that utilizes the Tor protocol to enable private browsing. Unless you know where you’re going, there’s always some risk connected to clicking on dark web search engine links. A VPN like Surfshark encrypts your internet connection and makes it harder for others to see your real IP address.
The Hidden Wiki – New Link (
Central to navigating this hidden internet are “.onion” sites, unique websites that end in .onion instead of .com or .org. These sites can’t be found using ordinary search tools—they require specific dark web search engines and special browsers, primarily Tor, designed for anonymity and security. You’ll know you’re on the dark web when the URLs end in “.onion” — these addresses only work inside the Tor network.
Quick Guide: Access The Dark Web Safely In 3 Steps
Unlike the regular internet, the dark web doesn’t use standard URLs or search engines. Instead, sites have complex .onion addresses, making them difficult to find without the exact URL. Using a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN with dark web search engines is essential for protecting your privacy. It hides your IP address, encrypts your internet traffic, and prevents your activity from being traced.
ActiveX and Java frameworks are susceptible to being exploited by hackers. Since you are navigating in uncharted territories with all the myriad threats today, you’ll have to disable them in your network settings to stay safe. You should never use your personal information on the dark web anywhere else in your life. Ensure you have used prepaid and unidentifiable credit cards when purchasing on the dark web.
For example, the New York Times and Facebook both have onion-ized versions of their normal websites to give access to people who live in places where these platforms are normally censored. Onion sites are dark web sites that can only be reached through online routing via Tor, in which encrypted data passes through multiple nodes before reaching its destination. Decrypting the data involves peeling back layer upon layer of encryption, hence the “onion” analogy.
- Believe me – there are plenty to go around and each and every one of them are being kept under surveillance.
- The above mechanism conceals your location and browsing activities from third parties like internet service providers (ISPs), advertisers, and web monitoring apps.
- People in the United States and abroad can use it to venture into the dark web in privacy.
- The trick with these onion websites is their accessibility, which is made possible only with Tor.
Hidden Answers
As you might expect, Bitcoin is the top cryptocurrency being used on the Dark Web. Chainalysis says that $790 million worth of cryptocurrencies were used to shop in darknet markets during 2019. While some studies have claimed that illegal Bitcoin activity is as high as 44%. Tails is a mere 1.3 GB download, so on most connections it will download quickly. You can install it on any USB stick that has at least 8 GB of space.
Can Tor Browser Be Used For Regular Internet Browsing?
But remember, it’s essential to take all the necessary and important security steps before entering such sites on the dark web. As mentioned before, your ISP and government institutions are not able to see what sites you visit on the Tor network, but they can probably see that you use Tor. However, there are several “.onion” search engines like “onion.city”, “onion.to”, and “notevil” that you can use to find suitable marketplaces. Since you’ve now installed the Tor browser, you can safely browse dark web websites and other (previously) hidden websites.
Using DuckDuckGo over Tor will also let you see onion sites and normal pages in your search results. VPNs are also used for accessing geo-locked content hosted by streaming services. The best VPN options are paid-for and subscription-based, as many free options will either throttle your speed or collect your data. However, today’s most popular search engines — including Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo — only index a portion of the internet. Tor websites are simply websites that can only be accessed when you’re connected to the Tor network.
It is imperative to stay alert and trust your gut when on the web. Many services that are allegedly offered on the dark web are scams. Some services are genuine; you can get what you want at an agreed fee. It’s important to note that although the dark web has many valuable services, it is also a hangout for cybercriminals. Overall, Subgraph OS is a secure and privacy-focused operating system well-suited for high-risk environments.
Exploring The Shadows: Legal Dark Web Search Engines
Search engines and corporate websites might be OK, but even a popular Tor website like Hidden Wiki can show illegal deep web links that jeopardize your online safety. The New York Times operates one of the biggest news sites on the Tor network, letting users access its regular news coverage with increased privacy and security. The onion site is especially beneficial for people in regions with heavy censorship or restricted access to media. When people go on about the so-called dark web, they’re usually talking about onion sites, which aren’t searchable via Google or accessible via standard browsers. On the regular web, domains such as are translated into their actual IP addresses via the domain name system (DNS).
Onion websites use onion routing, a technique for encrypting and anonymizing data transmitted over the Tor network. The name “onion” comes from the layered structure of the encryption, similar to the layers of an onion. These websites are not accessible via normal web browsers, but require special software such as the Tor browser.
Protect Yourself Against Tracking, Surveillance, And Censorship
- It aims to preserve the internet’s scientific and cultural heritage.
- Being hidden doesn’t translate into being completely protected from the possibility of tracking, or, when it comes to illegal activities, of risk.
- At this level, all features from the Tor Browser and other websites are enabled.
- This ensures greater security and privacy, making it much more difficult for snoopers to get in.
- There are numerous directories that host .onion links and websites, but you should always exercise caution.
In contrast, sites hosted on the dark web can only be accessed via onion routing with Tor, or another dark web browser. Since the dark web isn’t indexed by standard search engines, sites like Ahmia act as modified directories to help users discover onion sites. SecureDrop is an anonymous file-sharing platform designed for secure communication between whistleblowers and journalists. While anyone can use it, it’s built for high-stakes exchanges, making it overkill for routine file sharing or data backups. Major news outlets like The New York Times, The Economist, and The Guardian host SecureDrop instances on the dark web to give sources a safe, anonymous way to share sensitive information.
