The main difference between the deep web and the dark web is the content they house. The deep web is more of confidential and restricted data stored on the internet by various organizations, whether private or public (government). Users not authorized to access personal data stored on the deep web may have to opt for a not-so-straightforward way to access them, which technically demands hacking into the restricted area.
On the contrary, the dark web is the data that’s primarily illegal and not cited by regular search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, Rediff, etc. However, the dark web doesn’t demand any authentication, but the technique to access it is, again, not-so-straightforward.
Understanding the deep web and dark web concepts demands having a basic idea of the surface web, which is the regular web that everyone can access using an active internet connection. What’s beyond the surface web are the deep web and the dark web.
What Is The Deep Web?
The restricted area on the internet where the users cannot proceed without verifying their identity or proving their legal authority over the content about to be accessed falls under the deep web. Consider a real-life example. Suppose a shopping mall has a security guard room, which only allows authorized personnel inside it. A guest or a visitor will be denied entry even after repeated attempts. That’s what’s called the dark web over the internet. Some common examples include administrative sections of the website, etc.
What Is The Dark Web?
The dark web is the part of the internet where illegal operations take place without fearing any law. There’s no legal body governing this section of the internet; hence, all the illegal traders (both buyers and sellers) can approach the illicit marketplace on the dark web. Getting into the dark web demands particular tools and sound knowledge of using them. The dark web users cannot be identified through their actual IP Addresses since the tools mask the original IP Address to make it impossible to track down the actual user behind it. That’s why no lawful agency can catch any law offender online on the dark web so easily.
Differences Between Deep Web & Dark Web
Usage
The dark web and deep web differ heavily in their usage. All confidential and private data is stored online on the deep web. It’s illegal to access it without administrative permission. Hackers, hack into password-protected servers or servers with other types of security methods with the sole motive of hacking the data. Moreover, crackers enter the deep web with the sole motive of damaging the server or websites running on it.
The dark web is used to carry out illegal activities such as buying and selling illegal content. Users entering the dark web are solely responsible for any identity theft and must understand that no governing body would protect them or help them with the recovery of any loss over the dark web.
The users of the dark web also carry out confidential chats and communication to carry out dangerous missions such as burglary, terrorist activities, etc. Moreover, government employees and defense personnel may also use the dark web to secretly communicate to lay out secret operation plans and their execution techniques.
Content
The content on the deep web consists of login credentials, banking details, companies’ private internal matter details, government records, banking transaction records, websites’ databases, etc. Obviously, none of these contents can be accessed without legal authority over them. The content is password-protected and may also be protected using additional security layers such as two-step verification, pin lock, OTP verification, etc.
The content on the dark web is all about illegal trading and illegally obtained content such as compromised login credentials (Facebook login details, etc.), credit card details, NetFlix usernames and passwords, trade of drugs and weapons, illegal cryptocurrency trades, scams, etc. Users can literally buy anything on the dark web that they can’t imagine buying in the local market in a million years.
Access Approach
Accessing the deep web requires access credentials. Private websites may be accessed using their regular website URLs and the confidential data on them may be accessed after proving your legal authority over it, such as entering a valid set of usernames and passwords or entering the pin, OTP, etc. Accessing the dark web demands access to special tools such as Tor Browser and a web search engine such as DuckDuckGo, etc. Google doesn’t allow accessing the websites falling under the dark web since Google never cites or indexes them. The same is the case with all regular search engines such as Microsoft Bing, Yahoo, etc.
Constitution On The Internet
The Deep web constitutes nearly 90-96% of the internet, where calculating the exact figure is impossible. The dark web is sometimes assumed to be a part of the deep web, which can be accessed in a more complicated manner, but still, the dark web can constitute more than 20% of the total internet, whereas the surface web is nearly 3-4% of the entire internet makeup.
Comparison Chart: Deep Web Vs Dark Web
| Areas | Deep Web | Dark Web |
| Indexing | Deep web websites may be partially indexed by search engines | No dark web content is indexed by regular surface web search engines |
| Illegal To Access? | Illegal to access if not authorized | Not unlawful but some countries may flag dark web illegal |
| IP Address Identification | IP address can be identified even if using a VPN | The IP address isn’t identifiable since the special tools mask it several times, making it impossible to track the real user |
Similitudes
The dark web and deep web are meant for advanced users and bad and semi-bad guys. Innocent and genuine users don’t fall for these portions of the internet.
FAQ
Will I be sentenced if caught accessing the deep web and/or dark web?
Imprisonment is subject to government policies if found accessing the deep web illegally. Moreover, if caught using the dark web will definitely have higher chances of imprisonment since the dark web user will only be found involved in illegal operations.
What are some methods of getting into the dark web?
Use Tor Browser Freenet, Subgraph OS, Whonix, etc. to access the dark web at your own risk.
How do I keep my beloved ones safe from the dark web?
Ensure your beloved ones aren’t using any of the dark web access tools on their devices. Keep a watch on their actions to determine if their mindset is falling towards illegal stuff as that could ultimately lead them to the dark web sooner or later.
Is there something not available on the dark web?
There’s technically nothing a user can’t find on the dark web.
Conclusion
By the end of this article, it’s safe to conclude that the surface web, deep web, and dark web make up the internet where the deep and dark web portions are scary, risky, illegal, and must be avoided at any cost. Those assuming that the internet ends at the dark web may also be interested in the concept of the clear web.
