The Dark Web, also known as Darknet, is a part of the world wide web where most of the illegal activities take place on the internet. From phishing to scams and much more, these attacks are very harmful, and most cyber experts are trying to figure out a way to solve this problem.
You must have heard of the dark web in movies and pop culture, but it is not what you see there. It is a much more complicated place on the internet. So, let’s get started on the Dark web and its meaning.
What is the Dark Web?
The dark web is a part of the internet where the identity of the individuals or groups present inside is not tracked. Hence, for hackers and criminals, it serves as a place to hide their identity and stay anonymous from the real world. This is how hackers stay out of the radar of crime agencies, and conduct illicit activities without any disruptions.
How does the Dark Web Work?
The dark web is an unsecured place for any user. However, due to increasing trends and curiosity, many users find ways to access the dark web. This is mainly done using specialized software services like Tor, and advanced search engines like Onion. These services offer anonymity, and users can utilize these facilities for both legal as well as illegal activities.
Features of Dark Web
There are many features of the dark web, and these features attract many cyber criminals to access the dark web and conduct illegal activities. Some of these features are given in the following section −
- Identity Hiding − As we have already discussed, the dark web uses a different server that hides information about users and their identity.
- Easy Access − The dark web is easily accessible to anyone around the world. This helps different scammers connect with a global audience who are desperate to find something on this platform.
- Market for Illegal Goods − All major illegal cyber activities find a home on this platform. These include activities like scams, frauds, money laundering, illicit deals, and many more.
Onion Routing in Dark Web
The dark web can be accessed in various ways. One of the most popular ways to access the dark web is via Onion routing. Onion routing is a wide term for different service providers that use the dark web.
One of these services is Tor, which is very popular for accessing the Dark web. When you use Tor, the internet traffic loaded in the servers is encrypted in multiple layers. This layered data is sent through random servers or nodes which are operated by users worldwide. At each node in the network, one layer of encryption is destroyed.
After successive traversal of nodes, the data would have lost its original encryption, and it becomes anonymous. Thereafter, by routing traffic using multiple servers, just like the layers of an onion, Tor masks the IP address of the users. This masking makes online tracking of activities nearly impossible.
As a learning activity, we can access dark websites by installing special software packages like Tor. After successful installation, we need to change the address of the websites by replacing .com or .net with .onion.
Impact of Dark Web on Cybersecurity Systems
As explained earlier, the dark web is a very dangerous place for individuals to surf. It hosts various illicit activities with no central authority at all. This affects the security and network of any organization on a very large scale. Some of these effects include −
1. Creation of Crime Markets
Darknet is like an online store for criminals. Hackers can sell stolen stuff like your credit card numbers or your home address on this platform. Apart from this, they also hire other criminals to break into computers and steal important information.
2. Data Corruption
This happens when a company's security is hacked and crucial information is either stolen or manipulated. This information often ends up on the dark web for sale and/or purchase with the highest bidders.
3. Creation of Malware
The dark web is a place where new and dangerous computer malware are created and spread. Once a user visits a dark website, these viruses and malware can latch onto your computer and stay hidden until they are activated.
4. Increasing Phishing Incidents
Criminals can also send fake emails or create fake websites to trick you into giving them your personal information. This is called phishing. As users, we need to stay aware of these phishing incidents.
How to Defend Dark Web?
As a responsible and careful user, we can defend ourselves from the effects of Darknet. Some of the strategies that we can follow are given in the next section −
1. Dark Web Monitoring
We can use different tools and software extensions to look out for fishy websites and illicit files on the dark web. Some of these tools include search engines like Shadowserver and password managers like 1Password.
2. Generating Awareness
Employees as well as users should be taught the basics of cybersecurity and the problems associated with the dark web. As users, we should keep the curiosity level up to a certain limit.
3. Firewalls and Antivirus
We need to protect our networks and systems with strong firewalls and up-to-date antivirus software. This is necessary to prevent any case of cybercrime in case there is a darknet leakage.
4. Encryption and Backup
Encryption is a very helpful technique to defend against these attacks. This helps by providing different layers of masking to protect data from any robbery. Also, in case the data is corrupted, one should always keep physical or cloud backups for the worst-case scenario.
Is the Dark Web Illegal?
The dark web is not illegal as per the guidelines of most nations. The laws do not clearly state any boundaries on the use of the dark web for practical applications. Although it is not illegal, the practices on the dark web should always be restricted to fun and recreation.
Illegal activities on the dark web are considered a crime, and users are considered guilty of those crimes if they commit any of such activities. Some of the illicit activities that go on the dark web are pornography, illegal deals, black money transactions, money laundering, and phishing activities. Hence, the user’s discretion is mandatory for accessing the dark web.
Should you use the Dark Web?
It is advised for users to avoid using the dark web for any purpose whatsoever. Accessing the dark web is like roaming in a dark room with no idea of what surrounds you at all.
This is very crucial for all users to know that the dark web is not something to take lightly, as many organizations are still trying to curb the illicit activities that go on the dark web. In the learning phase, you can experience what the dark web feels like using simulation tools or browsers, but you must avoid using the dark web in any form.
Emerging Trends in Dark Web
Many new forms of illicit activities are increasing on the dark web. These activities are trending, and there is an urgent need to curb these activities on a wider scale.
Some of these activities are given as follows −
Deepfake Technology
Deepfake is used to create disturbing pictures or videos of people without their consent. This has led to a lot of celebrities getting dragged into these crimes, and it has been declared as a potential cybercrime. Curbing this requires advanced detection and prevention measures including Machine Learning, Network Security, and Deep Learning.
Cryptocurrency Regulations
Cryptocurrency is mined using Blockchain technology. One of the major characteristics of crypto is decentralization, which means there is no central authority to control its usage and flow. There are many efforts going on, that aim to regulate the flow of cryptocurrencies. But these may also increase the level of dark net activities, and there must be a balance between innovation and security on a larger scale.
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