Unknown to many, all the websites that are within our reach through search engine sites like Google, Bing, etc. are roughly 4% of the overall content available on the Internet. This group of websites are known to be the “Surface Web”, which is what most users experience as web browsing regardless of the browser software to be used.
The remaining 96% of the internet is known as Deep Web, which has a certain number of software restrictions to be accessed. For starters, you need to use Tor browser, as links shared through the deep web are listed under the anonymous domain suffix known as .onion. However, there are many other valid reasons for using Tor whenever we decide to engage in this “deep web” experience, being anonymity the most important factor. Is there something valid that insurance companies can learn from this experience? Let’s find out!
Deep Web vs. Dark Web
These two terms are often wrongly used, as people refer to the area that doesn’t belong to the Surface Web as Dark Web, whereas in fact, the Dark Web is just a part of the Deep Web.
Deep Web is so vast that cannot be directly indexed, hence the reason why services like Google doesn’t simply focus on attending a big volume of data like Deep Web sites, and they have escalated up as much as to host their social media versions of traditional networks available on the Surface Web.
Photo courtesy of Startup Stock Photos
Dark Web, on the other hand, is the term used to refer to a sort of “bad neighbourhood” of the internet, whose original purpose has been drifted so far that today is a place best known for illicit activities like selling drugs, guns, private data, pornography, terrorist activities and hackers. There’s a reason why standard browsers cannot access this area of the internet, and that’s because of the need for these communications to be as anonymous as possible, avoiding trackback from governments, but that’s not all that’s required to enter the Dark Web.
Security measures to take
Prior even considering to take a tour through the Dark Web, be sure to count with these two elements:
- Tor Browser, for accessing the .onion links and establishing anonymous connection
- A reliable VPN. Since Tor communications can be traced back, it’s best to count with the services of a good – paid preferably – VPN for changing our IP address someplace else.
These measures are no means for forfeit government control but a way to protect our connection from hackers. There are many creepy stories going around the net on what can actually happen throughout the Dark Web, some true, some not, so best to take all the security means available the sooner, the better.
What can be learnt from this experience
First and foremost, Dark Web is a place in which illegal software is sold like candy. Therefore, you can learn of potential software exploits before software developers announce such potential threats. For insurance companies that focus on cybercrime prevention, this is essential to be tuned with the latest trends in cyber exploits and digital terrorism, but also for further developing software suites that provide secure entourages for data exchange at large corporations.
Bids can be placed on acquiring valuable pieces of code, so whether your business happens to protect the interests of some troubled company or a competitor, it’s best to be acknowledged with potential liabilities hackers are trying to exploit.
Important notes
Whether you decide to wander for work purposes or just out of fun, you always have to be prepared for what’s coming up next during the time “your visit” is going to take. Under any means DO NEVER share personal data with users, especially payment ones, as you will be a witness of potential black money offers on multiplying Bitcoins for a small rate and a wide range of similar alternatives.
Also, for your sake, avoid randomly going through pages, or you won’t be sure of what’s coming up next. Gruesome images are a daily possibility, but if your security means aren’t as strong as desired, you are likely to open a gate for hackers to take control of your network – entirely inadvisable with the increase of cyber kidnappings through these years.
In case you decide it’s not worth the risk to be looking at such places, or if your computer skills aren’t as desirable to explore difficult aspects of the internet, there is also a way to stay in touch with what’s going on at the underworld by accessing news sites like DarkWebNews.
Be smart and wander with a purpose. That’s not a place for simply sharing a laugh among friends like what could be said about many “scary” sites – warnings are meant to be for a reason.
