This creates a faster and privacy-focused browsing experience without any configuration. Fun fact is that Tor Browser (Tor network is a different thing than the browser) is built from Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release), a modified version of Firefox. So, it’s worth using Firefox if you’re up for the tweaks needed. It uses sandboxing to keep each application isolated from the other, preventing a breach in one app from spreading across the whole OS. This is a good option if you want a dedicated machine for sensitive browsing, because it is made to resist complex attacks. Some people regard it as a more decentralized and resilient alternative to Tor.
During testing, the kill switch immediately disconnected me from the internet when switching servers (when the VPN drops) so my data wouldn’t leak. Using a VPN while browsing the dark web provides an additional layer of privacy and security. It’s important to pick a VPN with robust security features, such as strong encryption, leak protection, and a verified no-logs policy, to ensure your online safety.
Stay Anonymous While You Browse
I’ll discuss essential features your VPN should have for safe dark web access and a couple of other tips. You’ll also get 256-bit AES encryption and reliable leak prevention (no leaks detected!), though PrivateVPN is missing a double VPN and dedicated Tor feature. It hides all the complicated options, making it easy to connect to the fastest server and dip your toes in the dark web.
How A VPN Protects You On The Dark Web
Navigating the dark web is tricky enough without a complex VPN app to contend with. TunnelBear offers a simple one-click app to protect your dark web browsing. Its animated bear and cartoon map are as fun to use as they are easy.
CyberGhost — User-Friendly Apps To Access The Dark Web Easily
While many people use it for legitimate purposes, the dark web also hosts illegal activities that you don’t want to stumble upon or engage with. For comprehensive protection against scammers, viruses, and ransomware across every layer of the internet, get Norton 360 Deluxe. Most deep web websites require login credentials, often with two-factor authentication, and use encryption to protect user information and keep transactions private.
Don’t Provide Personal Information
Our team of experts thoroughly test each service, evaluating it for features, usability, security, value for money and more. Military-grade encryption keeps all your data protected from interception or tracking. Dark web websites don’t bear Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) domains, such as .com.
- Authorities are constantly monitoring the dark web and have managed to arrest people in the past.
- ProPublica is an investigative news site owned by an independent nonprofit that exposes abuses of power and corruption.
- One of TunnelBear’s most significant advantages is its free version, which offers 500 MB of data per month.
- Private Internet Access is an open-source VPN service, a fact that makes pairing it with Tor for dark web browsing even more enjoyable.
- This guide explores how to access the dark web safely on different devices while also covering both the benefits and risks of delving into this part of the internet.
Why We Don’t Recommend Free VPNs For The Dark Web?
Freenet was originally intended to provide a way to anonymously interact online, providing ways to communicate, exchange information and files, and to otherwise communicate incognito. The dark web addresses are a randomly-scrambled sequence that generates URLs, mostly hard to remember ones. For example, the URL of Silk Road is rather unintelligible and may look something like “gan4arvj452janndj4a76.onion”. For example, the deep web is often a platform used by political activists who own a blog. But it also contains other news and religious sites, private discussion forums, and medical records.
Paid plans come with a host of other benefits, too, like access to the full network (117+ countries instead of three locations) and unrestricted speeds. You’ll also be able to protect up to 10 devices at a time, torrent as much as you like, and block trackers automatically, which is a huge bonus for privacy-minded consumers. ExpressVPN has a lot to offer anyone hoping to visit onion sites safely. For starters, it’s extremely quick, averaging around 180 Mbps in our most recent tests. Further, all of its 3,000+ servers are RAM-based, meaning they’re completely wiped whenever they’re reset. Surfshark is another provider that’s both a great all-around choice for a VPN and one of the best ways to access the dark web.
The Best VPNs For Tor Reviewed
In many cases, this information can itself be used to prevent illegal activities. This is because they lack the requisite security and protection protocols. Free VPNs have limited bandwidth, which causes them to have prolonged speeds. The headquarters are in Switzerland, which respects users’ privacy. It isn’t a member of the global surveillance alliance and hence won’t log or share users’ data with intelligence agencies.
This jurisdiction fortifies your privacy, keeping your Dark Web activities strictly confidential. In your browser settings (like the NoScript extension in Tor), you will want to disable JavaScript and other active scripts. By disabling, you reduce such attacks’ potential (especially on untrusted websites). The correct top dark web browser download isn’t enough when it comes to safely accessing the dark web. It can access the regular internet through “outproxies,” but that’s not its strongest suit.
In these cases, you’ll have to connect to a VPN before you can even start using the Tor Browser. Additionally, there’s no telling who’s operating your entry and exit node, so hiding your IP address and location adds another layer of security. Unfortunately, if you want to contact customer support, you’ll have to go through email. Still, there is a robust help section on the website that covers everything from setting up a Shadowsocks proxy to manually configuring OpenVPN for Tor.
Will A Free VPN Keep Me Secure On The Dark Web? 🆓🔓
The user’s data are protected under strict Swiss law and aren’t accessible to anyone. Accessing the Dark web without a Virtual Private Network can be risky. However, many people can’t afford premium VPN services to use with the dark net. Therefore, we hand-picked some of the best free VPNs for Dark web that you can use to access the Dark world safely. Hackers spend a lot of time on the dark web, and it’s not too difficult to get access to hacking tools and data leaks in this part of the internet. However, it’s much harder to get at the people who are doing the uploading and downloading.
PIA is based in the United States, a member of the ‘5/9/14 Eyes’ intelligence-sharing alliances. However, it has been independently audited, reaffirming its commitment to user privacy. Its staunch no-logs policy has even been proven in court on multiple occasions when law enforcement tried to (unsuccessfully) acquire user data. CyberGhost’s biggest downside is it can be slow on distant connections. Considering Tor’s already slow speeds, this can make it unusable depending on which server location you want to use. But as long as you connect to a nearby server, your speeds will be more than sufficient for the dark web.
