Charting the Dark Web: Utilizing Dark Web Communities

The dark web, an encrypted segment of the deep web, can be an intimidating space to operate in. Its offerings include everything from illegal drugs to stolen identities, and its communities count some of the world’s most elite cyber criminals as members. With so many nefarious users operating in a highly technical environment, how do new users learn how to navigate the dark web effectively? 

The dark web has a well-earned criminal reputation because of its most notorious users and dark net markets (DNMs). Many other users, however, are regular people trying to take advantage of the privacy and obscurity that the dark web offers. These communities share information, best practices, and recommendations with one another, often alerting their peers about scams and malicious sites to avoid. These communities can be valuable resources if you’re trying to figure out how to access and operate on the dark web.  

One of these resources is called Dread. Modeled after the clear web community site, Reddit, Dread allows its users to create and comment on each other’s posts. Dread also hosts an entire subsection dedicated to familiarizing newcomers with common tools and practices used by more experienced dark web users called “d/darkwebmarketnoobs.” 

In one post, a user detailed how they personally navigated the dark web, including the machine, encrypted operating system, and Tor bridge settings they used to obfuscate traffic logs from their internet provider. The user titled this post “DNM Bible 2019,” and it amassed over 60 comments from other users, describing how their set ups compared. Thus, within a single post, dark web users could find community-approved methods for securely buying and cleaning cryptocurrencies, discuss the efficacy of software designed to maximize anonymity, and trade tips and tricks on how to reduce their online fingerprint. 

Envoy, another dark web community created by members of the Dread development team, offers guides on Tor browser security, reviews of all major dark net markets, and directories with links to major hidden service sites. Envoy and Dread users are united in recommending the site Dark.fail as their primary resource for finding the most updated onion links. Dark.fail publishes not only the most popular community forums, but also verified links to the biggest dark net markets and cryptocurrency services.  

While the dark web certainly has more than its fair share of malicious users and sites, the community at large is quick to offer tips and tricks on how to stay private and protected. By taking advantage of the information available within community sites like Dread and Envoy, users can gain valuable insight into how to effectively operate on the dark web, as well as how other users—who may also be potential targets—are charting the dark web.