Although the underground internet world is rife with everything bad, it also hosts positive elements. If the websites you visit use tracking scripts, third parties can monitor you. Accessing the dark web is legal in itself; the nature of the activities you engage in ensures it stays that way.
Over the years, countries worldwide have formed intelligence alliances, including the 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes. These alliances center around sharing and monitoring their citizens’ data for improved national security and law enforcement. Proton VPN makes it on our list of recommended VPN services for the dark web due to its useful features. It has various customizable privacy functionalities that help you decide how to stay safe on the dark web. ‘Do it yourself’ is fun most of the time, but we recommend not taking that approach in this case. Several dark web monitoring tools exist that today have automation capabilities that users and companies can rely on.
DuckDuckGo (Dark Web Version)
I strongly advise doing your own research to make sure you’re not breaking any local laws by visiting the dark web. 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. However, make sure you’re careful which links you click on — some of them lead to sites that contain illegal content and services. For example, there are separate categories for blogs, email services, file uploaders, forums, and more. I tested all the website links on The Hidden Wiki and almost all of them work (I was able to access sites like Deep Web Radio and ProPublica without any issues).
Russian Market
DuckDuckGo has a simple interface, with a search box in the middle of the page, and its list of search results is also formatted like Google’s. And it’s not just a dark web search engine—DuckDuckGo works for surface websites, too. Clicking a bad link on the dark web can expose you to phishing scams, malware infections, or honeypots set up by law enforcement. These malicious sites may attempt to steal your personal information or compromise your device’s security.
DuckDuckGo — A Dark Web Search Engine
Artificial intelligence is now being weaponized to conduct more effective attacks. Threat actors can execute highly targeted and scalable attacks with minimal effort as more tools become accessible and easier to use. As a result of more threat actors using malicious AI in their cyberattacks, 75% of cybersecurity professionals had to modify their strategies last year to address AI-generated incidents. Torch has long been a user favorite for dark web searching, and Haystack claims to have one of the largest collections of dark web websites out there.
Don’t ever reveal your true identity on the dark web marketplaces because there’s a high chance of hackers and scammers misusing it. Beware of sharing your financial details on the dark web, as this can result in identity theft and your bank account amount being stolen. Changing the Tor browser settings can further boost your security levels on the dark web shops. For instance, you can choose the preferred security levels for enhanced protection. The security level is set to ‘Standard’ by default, but you can change it to the ‘safest’ and enjoy more security while accessing the dark web.
The result is an entirely separate ecosystem of data that’s invisible to the clear web. That’s why many search engines have been developed specifically for this space. The more websites mention you on their website, the higher you’ll rank in the search engine. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and helps you to get free website traffic through search engines.
Best Dark Web Sites In 2025 – Trusted Onion Links
- The dark web contains numerous security risks, from malware to scams and illegal content.
- These include an extensive server network, state-of-the-art encryption, IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and a no-logs policy.
- The VPNs on our list also support split tunneling, so you can decide which apps to protect and which not to.
- The internet’s favorite alternative to Google made a name for itself by not logging your search activity yet still providing decent results.
- Onion sites are “crawled” and added to the list provided their “robots.txt” file permits it, and if it is not on their blacklist of sites with abuse material.
The forum primarily focuses on carding, DDoS attacks, and other forms of cybercrime. Due to its selective membership process, FreeHacks has earned a reputation for being a place for advanced hackers to gather and exchange knowledge. Launched in March 2022 as a successor to RaidForums, BreachForums quickly became one of the leading forums for discussing data breaches and sharing stolen information. After the shutdown of RaidForums, BreachForums filled the gap by hosting discussions on exploits, data leaks, and cybercrime. However, the forum has faced its own set of legal challenges, and its founder was arrested in 2023. Cypher marketplace has been on the list of the best dark web shops for a while and deals with the business of a variety of products and services.
What Is The Safest Dark Web Search Engine?
TorlanD opens up access to a vast range of hidden content, allowing you to navigate the deep web freely without restrictions. Torch is known for its quick loading times, enhancing the user experience. It provides unrestricted and uncensored search results, allowing access to a wide range of hidden content. 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.
🔍 How To Know If A Dark Web Link Is Real
Unlike traditional search engines like Google or DuckDuckGo, Torch indexes hidden websites that operate beyond the reach of the surface web. But users should always be cautious and avoid clicking unfamiliar or untrusted links to steer clear of scams or malware. Abacus Market appeared on the scene in 2021 and quickly became one of the heavyweights among English-speaking markets on the dark web.
How To Search The Dark Web
The CIA is contactable on the dark web, providing a completely anonymous way to get in touch with them. However, if you’re communicating with state intelligence agencies, you should use Tor alongside a VPN for maximum privacy. Otherwise, the first node in the onion relay system sees your real IP address, which can be used to locate you and unveil your identity.
Mega Market
OnionLinks is a library of dark web links, most importantly, active links. Depending on your preference, you can find links in well-categorized groups. These categories include email providers, news sites, privacy, and commercial services. The BBC, among others, is blocked in countries like North Korea or China because of the government’s strict censorship policies.
The shop accepts payment through Bitcoin and Monero, while some vendors accept the coins. DarkOde Reborn is a great darknet market where you can find anything you want. The website has a great design and a clean and organized interface that is easy to use. The homepage includes options like browsing products, searching, mixer, and coin exchange. You need to register first to purchase products from this marketplace.
