The Dark Web – Aritri Kumar, The Tiffin Girls’ School

Although many people have heard about it, the dark web is a mystery to most; this article will inform you on what you need to know about it.

Before anything, you need to know that the Internet is a network of computers spread across the globe. If you search for a term on popular search engines like Google, you are only scratching the surface of the web and the information stored on the web servers is displayed. This information is freely accessible to anyone connected to the Internet.

The next obscurity is the deep web, which is information not displayed when searched for. Examples include passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details and other sensitive information. 

The Dark Web:

The third level, which is much deeper, contains information which is not publicly accessible as well as very secretive. It is called the dark web. The dark web cannot be accessed through common search engines and requires another network, called Tor. It is not recommended to access this network as it is heavily monitored by government secret services. Terrorist organisations also utilise this network to transfer funds, exchange secret information among their ranks, buy weaponry and spread false propaganda. Apart from these, a variety of violent activities, illegal in a social structure, could also be carried out on the dark web, ranging from acquiring false passports to hiring mercenaries. 

Why do government organisations access the dark web?

Secretive government organisations, dealing with cyber espionage, hire ethical hackers due to the evolving threat posed by terrorist organisations and other state-sponsored criminal activities. They would be keen to know how these organisations are planning to threaten the social fabric of a nation.

Why do terrorist organisations access the dark web?

The purpose of a terrorist organisation is to spread terror in a target nation. They can do this by using the dark web to purchase contraband, buy and supply weapons, hire people to carry out their agenda and much more in order to destabilise the nation.

When asked how one could access the dark web, Saurabh Kumar, a professional Cybersecurity Specialist, responded, “It is always advisable that people should first be trained on how to handle the dark web safely and ethically, which is possible by going through certain ethical certifications. It is not recommended to access the dark web without being professionally qualified and it should be accessed for ethical purposes only.”

One incorrect step could lead to prosecution and venturers may be expelled from school, university or their job. With the dark web risking lives and careers in this way, one thing is for certain: it is an area which must be approached with great caution.