Established in 2020, CraxPro is a rising name in dark web forums dealing with identity documents, credit card fraud, proxy services, and leaked credentials. Despite recurring complaints about inaccurate data, the forum retains high traffic due to its diverse illegal offerings and low entry barriers. Torch is the oldest and most well-known search engine for the dark web.
It has indexed more than 1.5 billion pages from over 260,000 .onion websites, so you’ll easily be able to find what you’re looking for. So, I put together a list of the best dark web sites in 2025 to help you get started. I also included instructions on how to access the dark web, and outlined how to stay safe when browsing dark web links (the dark web is also home to many scams and malicious sites).
- The attacks have led to the formation of other cybercriminal groups and Cyber Extortion.
- It indexes a wide array of content, including both legal and illegal sites.
- Dark web browsers are specially designed to connect to websites on the Tor network, where most dark web sites are hosted.
- To get on the dark web, you need a browser built for the job, and the best in the business is Tor.
- Counterfeiting businesses create fake versions of popular products and sell them on the dark web.
- It may sound like ‘been there, done’ that now, but back then, it was a unique concept, and people even believed it was real.
What Is The Hidden Wiki?

Please exercise extreme caution following onion links from these websites, though, as the dark web can be very dark indeed. These forums are frequently accessed via the top 10 dark web search engines, serving as essential resources for information and networking. Using the Tor Browser, users can browse the internet privately, avoid censorship, and access blocked websites. However, browsing speeds may be slower due to the multi-layered encryption process. Altenen employs aggressive marketing tactics—new users must promote its links on social media to gain access—ensuring a constant influx of traffic.
- Unfortunately, the site’s admin could not keep up with the time demands and has taken down the links on the site as of August 2023.
- It’s simply a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by regular search engines and needs special software, like Tor, to access.
- You can run a dark web scan to see if any of your data has leaked onto the black market.
- “I never realized how accessible and secure the dark web could be until I used Forest VPN.
- That’s why many people choose to do so anonymously on the dark web, rather than using the clear web version of the site.
- You’ll often see a sign in stores that says “look, don’t touch,” and it’s not a bad adage to bear in mind as you navigate around the dark web.
Which Is The Best Laptop For Cyber Security Course?
Good starting points are the Onion Directory and the Hidden Wiki. Take a look at the sites that these directories have collected and see what topics interest you. Hundreds of people in nearly 40 countries — including upward of 50 Americans — were arrested for accessing child porn darknet site “Welcome to Video,” which ran on cryptocurrency. The safest and best dark web browsing tool for Android users is the official Tor Browser APK from the Tor Project site. Not just Tor alone, there are official sites for downloading every similar web browser APK.
We Helped Patch A Chromium Bug That Could Leak Your Real IP — Here’s How

Live cams, videos, and stories, so you can quickly find what fits your interests. “I never realized how accessible and secure the dark web could be until I used Forest VPN. Its user-friendly interface and reliable protection are unmatched.” — Jamie L. Besides offering a secure connection, Forest VPN is designed to use less battery, reducing your carbon footprint.
Facebook Onion Site

If you use dark web search engines, pair them with a dVPN like NymVPN to protect your privacy while exploring. This means that while dark web search engines are useful, you still need extra privacy tools to make sure your browsing can’t be linked back to you. Dark web search engines can point you to hidden content, but they don’t make you anonymous. Even when they avoid logging queries, your activity can still reveal patterns that compromise privacy. Kilos specializes in locating and accessing dark web markets, many of which are focused on illegal drug trades.

Hidden Answers
During this time, he has established himself as a thought leader specializing in online privacy. Douglas was invited by the EFF to help host a livestream session in support of net neutrality. At Proton, Douglas continues to explore his passion for privacy and all things VPN.
Is It Safe To Use Dark Web Search Engines?
A favorite of journalists and their anonymous sources, SecureDrop makes it easy to share confidential information without revealing your identity. Many news publications, like the ones listed above, have a SecureDrop on their .onion sites. Founded by security researcher Juha Nurmi, Ahmia is essentially a list of “hidden” sites that do want to be found. Onion sites are “crawled” and added to the list provided their “robots.txt” file permits it, and if it is not on their blacklist of sites with abuse material. Site operators can also submit their own .onion sites for indexing. It hosted over 7,000 .onion categorized links to make surfing the web easier.
It is made up of two virtual machines – a Gateway and a Workstation. All traffic must always go through the Tor network through the Gateway. This architecture protects your IP address even when the Workstation is before malware that may compromise it.
The search engine crawls and indexes onion sites every day, and it has one of the largest numbers of onion search results. It also loads pretty fast, and the interface is reminiscent of Google’s, making it feel familiar. Owing to its large search library, Torch is probably the best search engine for exploring the dark web. A familiar interface and fast loading speeds are the icing on the cake. First, you need to know how to access the dark web, and once you’re in, you can’t just perform a normal Google search. You’ll need a dark web search engine, and we’ve compiled the best ones for you to try.
For over 40 years, PCMag has been a trusted authority on technology, delivering independent, labs-based reviews of the latest products and services. From in-depth reviews to the latest news and how-to guides, PCMag is the go-to source for staying ahead in the digital world. I review privacy tools like hardware security keys, password managers, private messaging apps and ad-blocking software.

This open-source whistleblowing system enables anonymous file transfers with strong encryption. Alt Address provides disposable email addresses specifically designed for dark web use. This service helps protect your primary email when signing up for .onion services. I found it especially useful for testing new services without risking my main email address, though messages expire after 24 hours.