Gizmodo may earn a commission when you buy through links on the site. You’ll surely hitchhike some if you’re not careful enough; but not in this case. If you shop on the dark web, which you shouldn’t, a VPN can come in handy by faking your location for more privacy. Not to mention a VPN’s ability to protect you against trackers, viruses, and malware. Now you can open Tor and explore the depths of our splendid internet to your heart’s content. As today’s topic is related to “tools” rather than “how-tos”, we won’t go that much into detail.
Is It Legal To Browse The Dark Web?
All servers are based on RAM and Double VPN servers also present in the app are amazing for doubling your encryption. However, PrivadoVPN is a decent choice if you’re looking for a provider that won’t leak your IP/DNS addresses and keep you anonymous. For a full experience with unlimited streaming, torrenting, and surfing on the darknet, you’re better off with NordVPN or ExpressVPN. Despite being the second-best VPN for the dark web in 2025, its limits include even app compatibility. For example, it offers just one connection per account, and streaming is very limited. Our tests showed it won’t work with Netflix, which some users might end up despising.
Wrap-Up: Staying Safe While Accessing The Dark Web
The double VPN will send your dark web activities through two VPN tunnels, ensuring your Hidden Wiki browsing is extra encrypted. NordVPN puts its own spin on it with a dedicated feature called “Onion Over VPN,” allowing you to surf the dark web without your ISP or government seeing your activities. If you’ve heard the term “Tor Over VPN,” you’ll know it’s the trustworthy method of turning on your VPN and then connecting to Tor.
Be Cautious With Downloads
The features are easily accessible in the settings menu and clearly labeled for ease of use. Surfshark claims the second spot thanks to its excellent security, affordable pricing and unique features for dark web users. One such feature is “alternative ID,” which assigns you a unique profile to keep your identity and location concealed as you roam the risky underbelly of the internet. NordVPN’s clean and intuitive UI makes it easy for beginners to figure it out in seconds. The brief description of how each feature works helps newbies easily navigate the app. We have a complete guide on how to use NordVPN for various purposes, including accessing the dark web.
CyberGhost VPN uses secure RAM-only servers, doesn’t collect your data, and offers incredibly fast speeds. Try it out with our 45-day money-back guarantee to see for yourself. Unfortunately, the kill switch is only available on the premium plan, so it’s a bit riskier to use than hide.me, which includes an app-based kill switch for free. After a VPN, the second necessity for accessing the dark web is the Tor browser. Tor deploys its own network to protect your information by relaying it through multiple locations and securing it with 128-bit AES encryption.
Can I Go On The Dark Web On My IPhone?
Kape Technologies bought ExpressVPN in 2021 and now owns a number of leading brands. ExpressVPN continues to undergo independent audits of both its privacy policy and infrastructure. In 2022, ExpressVPN announced that it was offering a $100,000 bug bounty to anyone able to compromise its systems. Get the latest in privacy news, tips, tricks, and security guides to level-up your digital security.
How To Safely Access The Dark Web With A VPN
The company’s website provides detailed instructions on how to use it. Again, we don’t recommend this method, though it might be preferred if the security of Tor exit nodes is of concern. For its part, Mullvad says that it would “cease operation of our service” if forced by legal means to spy on users. Internet traffic is protected using 256-bit AES encryption, together with a SHA384 hash and 4096-bit RSA keys for OpenVPN and IKEv2. The company enforces a strict no-logs policy and is based in Switzerland, which has some of the world’s strongest privacy laws.
Can I Use Whonix Or Tails To Access The Dark Web?
That’s why CyberGhost VPN has an automatic kill switch that disconnects your internet connection if your device loses contact with the VPN. Once connected to Tor, you’re ready to begin exploring the dark web. However, keep in mind that the dark web is not organized like the regular internet.
- In short, Tor isn’t enough to protect you from all sides, beckoning the use of a VPN for the dark web on top.
- Not to mention the entry node will see your IP address, so if it’s compromised, a hacker would be able to get a hold of it.
- Although they are somewhat similar, Tor and VPN are distinctly different.
- The protocol uses wolfSSL cryptographic library and has undergone extensive third-party audits to ensure it’s just as secure as standards like OpenVPN and WireGuard.
- We reveal each provider’s security and privacy features to help you find an apt VPN whether you’re a lawyer, journalist, civil rights activist or casual dark web user.
- Plus, its settings are simple to use, with toggles for on and off.
These alliances center around sharing and monitoring their citizens’ data for improved national security and law enforcement. Proton VPN runs over 13,000 servers in 100+ countries, making it one of the largest VPN providers by the number of servers. With it, you also get mainstream VPN features like the no-logs policy, 256-bit military-grade AES encryption, and multi-platform operability. It’s best monthly deal costs only $4.99 per month and has a free version. While Tor contains some safety and privacy features, these are not reliable.
Surfshark
The service mainly focuses on simplicity and doesn’t make things complicated. The dark web is usually flagged as a shady place for illegal activities. While this black part of the web has a mysterious nature and a notorious reputation, it also has several legal and positive uses. No matter how useful it is, the dark web is still considered illegal.
The US government originally created onion routing in the late 1990s to have an anonymous, encrypted network in cases of disaster. It was also meant to be used by those who needed to communicate out of countries that have internet restrictions/monitoring. You should always assume that agencies like the FBI, CIA, and NSA are constantly monitoring the dark web. Many dark web users claim these agencies have mapped the Tor network and even own many Tor nodes themselves. Tor Browser already slows your connection speed because it has to travel through various nodes that can be far away from each other. If you use a VPN that has slow speeds and poor server infrastructure, your connection will be even slower.
Torrenters can also make use of port forwarding, which allows connections to more peers in a torrent swarm. The former protects traffic using AES-256-GCM encryption and 4096-bit RSA certificates with SHA512 for server authentication. The latter uses ChaCha20 for symmetric encryption, which is authenticated with Poly1305.
Use A VPN To Stay Safer On The Dark Web
ZDNET tested the best VPNs available based on speed, number of servers, security features, price, and more. ExpressVPN is our pick for the best VPN overall, thanks to its fast and reliable connection and the wide range of platforms it works on. VPNs are also used for accessing geo-locked content hosted by streaming services. The best VPN options are paid-for and subscription-based, as many free options will either throttle your speed or collect your data. ZDNET’s recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites.
