SecureDrop has even been adopted by various news organizations worldwide. It provides a safe haven for anyone looking to shed light on wrongdoing or share critical information with the media. It’s maintained by a volunteer-run collective from the USA that protects the platform from malicious attacks and pledges to support social justice and progressive causes. Riseup’s secure email and chat help individuals communicate without fear of surveillance or data interception. DuckDuckGo is a reputable US-based software company, so their Tor site itself is safe to use.

• Patterns in trust systems, operational behavior, and longevity were also considered.
• However, many are used for illegal activity and onion websites are often popular hangouts for cybercriminals and scammers.
• This stops malicious actors from intercepting your connection, especially cybercriminals lurking on Tor relay nodes.
• This works because surface web URLs resolve through the standard DNS system that everyone uses.
• We highly recommend using a strong VPN like NordVPN to stay safe and private.
• Many news publications (including many of the ones listed above) use SecureDrop on their .onion sites.
• The site also utilizes strong encryption to protect against cyberattackers, including anti-DDoS protection.

More on How to Stay Safe on the Dark Web

This is an estimated reading time to let you know how long it will take you to read all the content on this particular PrivacyRadar.com page. However, it has a sneak peek, easy guide steps, and/or a quick list providing quick in-page navigations and easily-found answers if desired. All of this is intolerable when you consider there are simple alternatives that let you own your data and give you the freedom to make your own online choices. Since Google’s business model rests on targeted advertising, they care primarily about serving companies’ interests rather than yours. That’s why they appear to manipulate search results and display information designed to influence you without your knowledge. Our mission is to uphold your basic human right to online privacy.

Best Ways to Hide Your IP Address (Free & Paid)

This can include illicit marketplaces, drugs, cybercrime and hacking groups, and extremist, violent platforms. Accessing darknet links requires careful preparation and the right set of tools to ensure your privacy and security. The most crucial aspect is maintaining anonymity while navigating through these hidden corners of the internet.

Social networking

Although many use the dark web for privacy, some Tor websites also let people connect with others. One such method is Dread – a forum that allows users to share and discuss topics, as well as read news from other onion users. Ahmia indexes hidden sites, but only when the site owners choose to make them searchable. Security researcher Juha Nurmi founded the search engine to help people access those sites without facing monitoring.

• The dark web, or the darknet, is a small subset of the deep web.
• The developers of ProtonMail recommend using the Tor browser to visit the dark web version of the service.
• Therefore, you will always find updated search results while using this service.
• On top of keeping your VPN connection always active, we also recommend you always use an antivirus like TotalAV to stay protected if you must visit it.
• However, in the event of a dispute don’t expect service with a smile.

How to access the dark web on your device

This is the best place to get short and reliable links to an unalterable record of any webpage across government and corporate websites. Formerly known as Archive.is, it is one of the best onion sites on the dark web. It aims to preserve the internet’s scientific and cultural heritage. Unfortunately, it requires you to have an invitation code to create an account.

Risk Context

• Apart from the best onion sites listed here, you must be careful with the Tor pages you visit.
• The dark web is home to the internet’s hidden sites, services, and products — some innocent, others downright dangerous.
• These are the primary sources of what the general public thinks of as “dark web.” Online marketplaces selling hacked credit cards, fake passports, malware kits, untraceable drugs, anything.
• Also, even in countries where accessing the dark web is legal, it’s still against the law to use or host sites that promote criminal activities.
• Assume any search could be logged and avoid searching for anything that identifies you personally.

If you want to access this site, do so only for fair purposes and with proper security measures. The site has a simple interface and offers filters to find books. However, not all books on this site are legally available, so they don’t have copyrights. That means you may violate copyright laws while downloading books, so use a VPN to protect yourself from any legal repercussions if you have a dire need to use it. Sci-Hub is a helpful dark web platform for those looking to access important research blocked by a paywall. You can access almost any published paper that would have otherwise been hidden behind a paywall.

FAQ: More about onion sites

This guide highlights some of the safest and most useful Tor websites — .onion sites — to help you explore securely. Each node in the path can only know the previous node and the next one. However, it must be stated that despite the use of anonymisation networks such as Tor, tracing your activity is still not totally impossible. On a final note, please remember that it’s not called the “dark” web for nothing. It’s filled with shady websites, and users may not see what’s coming. We’ve tried to shine a light on this deep corner of the internet as we believe that knowledge is power and can help keep us safer.

• If the websites you visit use tracking scripts, third parties can monitor you.
• Ever opened Command Prompt and wondered why you can’t access another drive immediately?
• While it might appear tempting to venture into the dark web, it’s crucial to understand that the risks here are far more severe compared to the deep web.
• Once you have the Tor Browser installed, launch it and click “Connect.” That’s it!
• There are several whistleblower sites, including a dark web version of Wikileaks.
• Onion sites are considered part of the deep web because search engines like Google and Bing can’t index them.
• Based in Switzerland, ProtonMail is an encrypted email service that is very popular with cryptocurrency enthusiasts.
• It doesn’t censor out any content, so you’ll have free access to more than 400,000 indexed pages.

News sites: ProPublica, New York Times, BBC, and The Guardian

KEY TAKEAWAYS The Deep and the Dark web are the hidden part of the internet. KEY TAKEAWAYS If you live in a country where you don’t have internet freedom and face extreme … Rebecca James is an IT consultant with forward thinking approach toward developing IT infrastructures of SMEs. She writes to engage with individuals and raise awareness of digital security, privacy, and better IT infrastructure.

How to deGoogle your digital life

Second, shutting down or controlling access to the dark web would be a huge undertaking and could have unintended consequences. Finally, many people consider the dark web a necessary tool for privacy and freedom of speech. There is no doubt that porn is widely available on the dark web.

How to Easily Obtain a US IP Address

As I’ve mentioned, the dark web isn’t just a place of eternal torment, teeming with drug dealers, human traffickers, and a hitman. It’s also used by journalists, advocacy group members, and political refugees in hiding. Reuters, Fox, NBC, CNN – all of them keep open dark web channels to receive anonymous tips from whistleblowers. Always remember that the dark web is a people-centric community. So, it’s only natural to find ways to keep in touch with your darknet buddies and/or customers.

New York Times

But when it comes to the dark web, it’s safest not to go at all. This is a free service that lets you upload images to share them with other people. It’s great for people who live in or travel through restrictive countries to securely access and use image hosting and sharing services, which might be unavailable. The Hidden Wiki is a version of Wikipedia that is on the dark web. In addition to the regular Wiki information, it holds a massive resource of .onion sites which makes it a great place for finding deep web resources. The dark web is a part of the deep web that can be accessed anonymously using Tor browser.

PRIVACY ALERT: Websites you visit can find out who you are

If you regularly use the Tor network, you may want to share files with other Tor-enabled and privacy-minded friends. While Sci-Hub is mostly useful for researchers, websites such as the Imperial Library of Trantor store general works that are more interesting to the broader public and casual readers. If you need a great Tor VPN, I recommend ExpressVPN — all its servers allow Tor traffic, it has excellent security and privacy features, and it provides fast browsing speeds. OnionName lets you generate an .onion domain name that starts with a specific keyword — like onionamev33r7w4zckyttobq3vrt725iuyr6xessihxifhxrhupixqad.onion/, which is OnionName’s dark web link. The keyword in that example is “onioname,” which is right at the start of the .onion link.

Contents

You can use it through its clearnet website, OnionFind.com, or access it directly within the Tor browser for a more private experience. For many, DuckDuckGo’s onion site serves as the ultimate proof that you can utilize the Tor network for completely legitimate, everyday internet needs without sacrificing privacy. In this article, we share our list of the 28 best dark web sites today, which include verified, trusted, and safe options to use when exploring the Dark Web. The dark web brings to mind visions of dark deals and shady places to buy and sell things.

Darknet Links 2025 Safe And Verified Deep Web Links

It might get you better results, depending on what you’re searching for. Aside from being a place for legitimate research and activities, the dark web is home to the world’s most nefarious black markets. If you can imagine it, you can probably find it on the dark web. Hopefully, one day we can snuff out the evils of the dark web while still preserving privacy and anonymity for people who need it to keep safe.

How do I find .onion links for sites?

In a classic example, the surface web can be imagined as the tip of a large iceberg whose bulk remains hidden just under the surface. The problem is that standard search engines can’t access the dark web. That means stolen credentials and leaked databases exist in places most security tools miss completely. Other dark web search engines worth investigating are Ahmia, Torch, NotEvil, and the Onion URL Directory—just type out some keywords for what you’re looking for. Some of these sites can be found through regular web browsers, but you’ll then need to switch over to Tor once you’ve got the onion links you want to follow.

Anonymity is in your hands

But if you use antivirus software, avoid clicking shady links, and stick to known sites you should be okay. It’s also a good idea to set up a VPN for an extra layer of protection. Both DuckDuckGo and Ahmia are safe choices for finding Tor Browser links without being tracked.

Moreover, due to its popularity, many copycats of the Hidden Wiki exist. So don’t be surprised if you encounter different versions that claim to be genuine, and be very careful. Purchases through links on our pages may yield affiliate revenue for us. We review and list tools and products without bias, regardless of potential commissions. Have you ever experienced unexpected internet drops or network performance issues? Radar Rundown Ad blockers are the best protection against disruptive ads.

I also recommend covering your webcam and disabling location services before accessing .onion sites. While its name may indicate danger, the dark web can actually be a safe place. It provides safety and anonymity for darknet link journalists, privacy-conscious users, or those in high-censorship countries. You need to ensure you’re only accessing reliable dark web sites, and the ones listed below are among the safest ones that currently work.

In addition, nearly everyone has heard stories of drugs and people trafficking or even murders being arranged on the dark net. Fortunately, unless you have a dark web browser installed, nothing will happen if you click on a link to ​onion sites​. You’ll simply get a “Server not found / The site can’t be reached” message.

Among the various tools available, specialized browsers designed for darknet access stand out as the most crucial components of your security toolkit. These browsers incorporate multiple layers of encryption and routing protocols to protect user identity and data. Some browsers even include built-in security features like script blocking and automatic HTTPS enforcement to enhance protection against potential threats. When it comes to accessing darknet links safely, choosing the right tools can make a significant difference in your security and anonymity.

To look at it in a different way, it makes up between 90% and 95% of the internet. The dark web is a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by search engines. You’ve no doubt heard talk of the “dark web” as a hotbed of criminal activity — and it is.

Google seeks to trap you into using only their services, essentially removing your freedom of choice. For example, a Google Account, which automatically comes with a Gmail address, is required to use the Google Play Store. And if you want to link your Google Account to a different email address, you have to dig through several menus to do so manually. This inconvenience is by design, because using Google wants access to your communications and wants to keep you logged in while you use Search.

Tor Browser prevents someone watching your connection from knowing what websites you visit. All anyone monitoring your browsing habits can see is that you’re using Tor. Always remember that while the above measures significantly reduce risks, no method guarantees complete security on the dark web. Always exercise extreme caution and verify the legality of any services you access.

WeTheNorth is a region-restricted marketplace that focuses on Canadian and North American buyers and vendors. By limiting sales to domestic channels, the platform reduces customs risks and cross-border enforcement pressure. U.S. Treasury and FinCEN advisories describe how illicit cryptocurrency services help criminals move ransomware and fraud proceeds. STYX fits directly into these officially documented laundering patterns.

With ZeroBin, you can easily exchange encrypted messages within the dark web. With 256-bit AES encryption, this platform enforces its two-fold service of secure messaging and zero logs of your activity. Another standout feature is that the servers can’t see what you type, copy, paste, or send. To increase the security level, add password protection and determine the expiration time for messages. SecureDrop is a secure hub for journalists and whistleblowers to interact and trade vital information. Platforms like SecureDrop allow these carriers of truth to evade tracking.

There are thousands of websites on the dark web, many—but not all—of which are illicit marketplaces selling stolen personal data. Learn more about the kinds of sites that can be found on the dark web and how you can access them. Then, use a powerful identity theft protection tool, like LifeLock Standard, to help find out if your personal data is leaked on the dark web. Proton Mail’s dark web version provides end-to-end encrypted email with enhanced privacy protection. The service doesn’t require personal information to create an account and works seamlessly through Tor. I found in my tests that all features work identically to the regular version.

This means it has built up one of the largest index collections of .onion sites. Users are also able to submit their own .onion sites for indexing, allowing the community to have an avenue of ownership/empowerment of the legitimate uses of the Dark Web. Its mission to clean up the Dark Net and provide a platform for censorship-resistant services makes it a great, reliable resource. To safely access any dark web links, you must first have two essential tools that provide anonymity while maintaining your digital identity.