Dark Web Guide: How to Make Your Tracks and Evidence Unfindable

How to Travel the Dark Web While Perfectly Hiding Your Identity

Everyone has some curiosity about the dark web. However, fear often takes over due to preconceptions that it’s a dangerous place and misinformation claiming that simply accessing it could lead to negative consequences. I aim to correct these misconceptions about the dark web and provide you with information to maximize your freedom from powerful investigative agencies like the FBI and CIA.

Many dark web users access it from a desktop environment. Of course, if you want to access the dark web on a smartphone, you can download the Tor Browser app. Alternatively, you could use other apps like Orbot or Onion Browser. Personally, I avoid accessing the dark web on smartphones because there are too many factors to monitor, such as numerous background apps and GPS tracking.

Operating System

Desktop

The common operating systems used by most people worldwide (Windows, macOS) are potentially vulnerable in terms of anonymity. While it’s hard to recommend changing your operating system entirely, if you want to avoid big tech and prioritize anonymity, at the very least, you should use Linux. Among Linux distributions, Tails OS or Qubes OS are ideal, but they come with significant inconvenience and difficulty.

I use Windows. By using the virtual machines and encryption methods I’ll explain below, you can stay sufficiently safe. Of course, Linux provides slightly better security. For Linux distributions, I recommend Ubuntu as it has the largest user base and plenty of documentation available online for troubleshooting.

Smartphone

I prefer Android smartphones where I can install secure firmware. Options like LineageOS, GrapheneOS, and CalyxOS are privacy-focused and let you completely escape Google’s ecosystem while allowing you to install only the apps you need. Apps can be downloaded via F-Droid or Aurora Store, which are the most trusted third-party Play Stores. In such an environment, you can surf the dark web very securely.

Virtual Machines

I use both Windows and macOS, and I rely on virtual machines like VMware or VirtualBox. Conveniently, VMware is now free, so you can use it without extra cost. (Although as a VMware Workstation buyer, I’m slightly annoyed about the free transition. lol)

Windows Pro users also have access to a built-in virtual machine tool called Hyper-V. Use whichever suits you. Personally, I back up my virtual environment and use VMware because it makes it easier to switch to another computer if there’s an issue with my current one.

Why I Use Virtual Machines

Isolated Environment

Virtual machines run in an environment completely isolated from the host system. Therefore, anything that happens in the virtual environment does not directly affect the host system. This provides advantages in terms of both security and privacy. Since the host computer and the virtual machine are isolated, I don’t need to worry about traces like cache, downloaded files, or cookies while exploring the dark web.

In summary, virtual machines offer benefits such as isolation, easy restoration (snapshots), and a secure testing environment.

Additionally, spending significant time on the dark web exposes you to risks like ransomware. If anything happens within the virtual machine, it won’t affect your host computer, and you can simply revert to a pre-ransomware state using snapshots.

Storing Virtual Machines in an Encrypted Space

Creating your own secure space results in files like .VHD or .VHDX for Hyper-V, and .VHX for VMware. Let’s consider the worst-case scenario: if the police seize your computer, they’ll likely forensically examine your storage. They’d undoubtedly be curious about what’s inside your virtual machine files, the Pandora’s Box of your system. I highly recommend storing these virtual machine files in an encrypted space.

Windows users should encrypt their entire disk with BitLocker. Ideally, set a boot password. If the authorities seize your computer, they’ll face significant challenges booting it without the password.

For an added layer of security, consider creating an encrypted space within your BitLocker-encrypted HDD/SSD using Veracrypt, an open-source application with a long-standing reputation.

With these steps, your device management preparations are complete.

Network

Tor Browser

Tor Network (The Onion Router) is designed to protect the anonymity and privacy of internet users. It’s a decentralized network that encrypts and routes data through multiple relay nodes, and since it’s powered by volunteer nodes, it’s free and very secure to use.

While the Tor network originally guaranteed a high level of anonymity, much has changed. A significant portion of the network is now compromised. Two major groups have corrupted nodes with impure intentions.

Governments and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Europe have deployed nodes to track criminals, while malicious groups also control a vast number of nodes. Don’t believe me?

For years, law enforcement and hacker groups have dominated many nodes and set traps at key junctions. Recently, the German government achieved notable success using spy nodes. This is why you shouldn’t rely on the Tor browser alone.

VPN

Most dark web experts recommend using a VPN, and here’s why:

The Tor network is divided into entry nodes, middle nodes, and exit nodes. Your real IP address is visible to entry nodes, while exit nodes can identify your final destination. A VPN encrypts your traffic before it enters the Tor network, ensuring that none of the nodes can directly trace your activities back to your original IP.

When downloading images or videos from the dark web, you might be redirected to regular internet file-sharing sites. Leaving the onion network exposes your information(IP Address, Fingerpints etc..), increasing your vulnerability. A VPN ensures all your traffic remains protected, even when moving between networks.

Think about why you want to visit the dark web. For most of us, it’s to get the dark information and data that the dark web is known for.

Conversely, the people who have a lot of the data people want on the dark web and are willing to provide it are the “experts,” and they’re willing to take that risk for one reason: money.

If they can make money, they might sell your information one day.

Trust me, I can’t share specific details, but in the past, I worked on the dark side for two years. Along the way, I met various people and learned just how terrifying those who make money on the dark web can be.

And as mentioned earlier, governments and law enforcement agencies also devote a lot of resources to gathering as much information about dark web users as possible, tracking them down, and arresting them.

So we have to protect ourselves very thoroughly.

Explore the forest that is the dark web with the armor of a VPN. You’ll be safe from snakes in this anonymous forest.

The dark web is a lawless world, but it’s not an absolutely safe world.

Always remember that many dark web site operators have been jailed, as well as many people who traded illegal data on them. If you let your guard down, you step on a landmine.

Which VPN?

You’ll want to choose a VPN company that’s more secure than the Tor network. It should have a no-logs policy and a system that’s been thoroughly tested by external auditors and global users.

I recommend NordVPN and ExpressVPN, two companies that have been rivals and top contenders for over a decade. But.. currently, NordVPN offers more value while being more than twice as affordable, making ExpressVPN not a viable choice for the time being.

They are completely free of 5eyes, 9eyes, and 14eyes, and their jurisdictions are legal without storing user data, which is the best environment for a no logs VPN company to keep their promises.

Go to home and find out how to subscribe to a VPN at the lowest price.