What is the Dark Web?
When first hearing the phrase “the dark web,” most people conjure images of malicious hackers engaging in the most explicit forms of criminal activity in their mind, with the assumption that the dark web is home to horrors out of their worst imagination. Whether or not you’ve heard rumors that the dark web is home to sketchy websites to buy drugs, disturbing videos, and the most skilled of all hackers, the truth remains that the dark web is far more complex than the average person may think it is.
Although telling your friends that you “accidentally” made your way onto the dark web by going to the second page of Google makes for a great story, it would be a blatant lie. More often than not, when a user claims they accidentally stumbled upon the dark web, they have actually stumbled upon what is referred to as the deep web.
To fully understand the differences between the dark web and the deep web, first start by picturing a gigantic iceberg. The tip of this iceberg is immediately visible to us, much like part of the online world that we are so used to visiting. This visible part is what those in the field would refer to as the “surface web” or “clear net,” and consists of websites like Wikipedia, Google, and social media platforms like Instagram.
Going deeper, to the middle region of the iceberg that exists below the water, is where the deep web lives. Out of sight to the average user, the deep web exists in the background of the online world. Fundamentally, the term deep web refers to anything that can’t be found using traditional search methods and engines like Google, Bing, etc. This encompasses a wide array of private sites that can only be accessed using login credentials or ultra-specific URLs. Examples of this include any paid services like Netflix or The New York Times, banking accounts, or personal emails. The parameters to be considered part of the deep web are incredibly broad, and as a result, the deep web accounts for 99% of the entire internet.
Further inspection of the bottom of the iceberg reveals that the “dark web” almost breaks off, differentiating itself from the rest of the iceberg entirely. The separation between the dark web, deep web, and surface web is largely caused by the steps required to access the dark web. While it is incredibly easy to get to the deep web from the surface web, a user cannot reach the dark web without downloading and utilizing tools known as The Onion Router (TOR) or the Invisible Internet Project (I2P).

Myth Busting
It takes a few technical know-how's in order to access the Dark Web, and due to its mysterious reputation, many myths have spread about its existence. The following is an assortment of common myths about the dark web.

Myth 1: The Dark Web is Only Used for Illegal Activity
While this myth is reinforced with a combination of law enforcement crackdowns on illicit marketplaces and media reports highlighting high-profile cybercriminal arrests; the truth is that both lawful and unlawful activities can take place on the dark web. The lesser-known fact is that the dark web is home to privacy advocates, journalists, and researchers who rely on the dark web to circumvent censorship and communicate securely. This is a popular usage in many countries that heavily monitor and restrict their internet. The dark web provides discretion and accessibility to a wider range of users.
Although the dark web is built on anonymity, it is not an entirely safe space for criminals. Law enforcement agencies, cybersecurity firms, and AI-powered tracking tools consistently and actively monitor dark Web activities. Governments have successfully identified, infiltrated, and dismantled illegal operations through undercover investigations and blockchain analysis.

Myth 2: It is Illegal to Go On the Dark Web
Many people assume it’s illegal to go on the dark web, but that is not entirely true. TOR and I2P are publicly available software that anyone can legally download online. TOR is used most frequently due to its ease of use. It can operate as a search engine with the bonus feature of strong anonymity online, and can access the dark web through “.onion” links.

About this Project
This project focused on the collection of data from dark web forums. The project seeks to tie anonymized criminal accounts to the same user based on similar language usage, post content, and tools, tactics, and procedures (TTPs). The researchers who worked on the dark web scraper plan on leveraging machine learning techniques to automate the process and enhance the process of Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) analysis in the future.