Dark Web Links: The Onion Patch – Best 20 Websites You Shouldn’t Miss

Soyou took my course on how to get on the dark web and want to explore your newfound superpower? Good for you and welcome to the dark web brotherhood. To access the dark webyou will need the Tor browserwhich provides the necessary anonymity and security.

In this sequelI’m going to show you some of the not-so-clear-web’s hidden Easter eggs and how to get there. Sowithout delaylet’s step into the onion patch aka the best 20 dark web websites.

About Onion(s) and the Dark Web

In case you overlooked this aspectdark web websites can’t be accessed through ‘regular’ URLs. Skipping the technical aspectsdark web navigation leverages onion links instead of geolocational TLDs (Top-Level Domains). This serves two purposes: website IP concealment and maintaining the user’s anonymity.

To access onion sitesusers need a stable internet connection and the Tor browser.

Soyour typical onion link should look something like this: https://daves-caves.onionwhereas a ‘clear web’ link would look more like this: https://youtube.com. If you fancy a read about the differences between clear-deep-and dark web(s)you should definitely check out Miriam Cihodariu’s article on that topic.

A little refresher on the dark web – it’s like a gathering housewhere all sorts of people congregate. Some are looking for whitepapers that would otherwise be inaccessible through the clear web (i.e. behind a very tall and expensive paywall)others for a chat with complete strangersand yessome would even peddle their ill-gotten booty or plotting world domination.

Hackersboth white- and black-hatcan also be found scouring the depths of the dark web for things like malicious codespecial hacking toolsvictimsand more. Need to know: the web of darkness is a smorgasbord of info and people. Besidesif you’re having trouble finding something on the clearyou’ll definitely find it in the…shadows.

With these in mindlet’s take a closer look at the dark web sites rundown.

Best Dark Web Sites

1. Sci-Hub

Don’t let the name fool you. Sci-Hub has nothing to do with science-fiction literaturebut with science itself. The first website on our list isallegedlythe largest repositories of scientific papers on the dark web. In other wordsit’s the dark web’s version of ScienceDirect. Careful thoughbecause many ‘users’ reported malicious links and redirects while perusing Sci-Hub.

Sci-Hub (last working) link: http://scihub22266oqcxt.onion/

2. ZeroBin

Want to feel just like a secret agent? Try ZeroBina covertdark web-basedcommunication platform that allows you to send media and text messages to your confederate. Why the secret agent vibe? ZeroBin has a cool autodestruct feature that makes the message go kaboom (not literally) after the recipient reads it.

ZeroBin (last working) link: http://zerobinqmdqd236y.onion/

3. Impreza Hosting

If you’re the industrious typeyou should consider launching your very own dark web website; tons of opportunities out there andif you play by the bookno one’s going to come and break your front door. As the name suggestsImpreza Hosting is a (dark) web hosting service that provides all sorts of goodies such as domain nameshost email servicesand even servers for rent.

Impreza Hosting (last working) link: http://v7avmdv2l6dio3cg.onion/

4. Dark Lair

From Flickr to Facebook posthaste – that would be an accurate description of Dark Lairan image hosting platform turned social media. Dark Lair allows you to post commentsshare musicupload photosmessage your dark web ‘friends’and everything in between.

Dark Lair (last working) link: http://vrimutd6so6a565x.onion/index.php/Board

5. Comic Book Lib

When was the last time you enjoyed a good comic book? Doesn’t matter whether you’re team Marvel or DCyou’ll certainly enjoy the dark web Comic Book Librarya database containing thousands of downloadable funny almanacs. Enjoy!

Comic Book Library (last working) link: http://r6rfy5zlifbsiiym.onion/

6. Deep Web Radio

Music streaming on the dark web – what could go wrong? Absolutely nothing; Deep Web Radio is all about tunes and enriching your dark web experience. Sohook up those headphones to your laptopchoose a radio stationand browse away.

Deep Web Radio (last working) link: http://76qugh5bey5gum7l.onion/

7. Hidden Answers

Hidden Answers is the dark web version of Reddit or Quora andin essenceworks just like its clear web peers. What can you find while exploring Hidden Answers? Depends very much on the topic: marriage advicetrauma Q&Ashackingliteratureand much more. Have a question in mind? Hop on Hidden Answers and ask away.

Hidden Answers (last working) link: http://answerszuvs3gg2l64e6hmnryudl5zgrmwm3vh65hzszdghblddvfiqd.onion/

8. Daniel

Before Hidden Wiki is Daniela ‘dark web websites’ aggregator that can help you navigate the onion maze. Daniel acts as a dark web search engine to help users find reliable onion sites. Daniel regularly crawls the dark web searching for new websites or checking the status(es) of other websites. Should one choose Daniel over the Hidden Wiki? Definitely yesespecially if this is your first time on the dark web. Hidden Wikialthough comprehensivecontains some very disturbing and very illegal info.

Daniel (last working) link:  http://danielas3rtn54uwmofdo3x2bsdifr47huasnmbgqzfrec5ubupvtpid.onion/

9. Numbers Station

It’s hard to say what exactly is Numbers Station. I can tell you what it’s not – a digestible dark web website. The site is eerily empty: pitch black backgroundno buttonsmenusor text; just a floating seek barwith a play button. Once you hit ‘Play’your ears will be flooded with whisperingshriekswords muttered in unrecognizable dialectsand garbled voices. Nightmare fuelyesbut nothing supernatural about them.

It’s alleged that the strange noises and voices are actually coded messagesprobably sent by secret operatives. Whether that statement is actually trueremains to be seen; the proverbial grain of salt. Numbers Station kind of reminds me of “Just ScreamBaby”a clear web website where you can record your own scream or listen to other people’s screams.

Numbers Station (last working) link: http://tutdwuh7mlji5we3.onion/

10. Tunnels

I have to admit to having a soft spot for Tunnelsan onion website about underground “urban” exploration. Apart from having that “As aboveso below” vibeTunnels is a great source of info for users who are into dark urban history. The website contains pictures and videos of various cavern-like structuresshaftsand possibly escape tunnels.

The anonymous group behind Tunnels alleged that the materials were produced while exploring the forbidden tunnelsbuilt underneath some of the most prestigious American Universities. No info is available on the explored institutions or how these sections can be accessed. I think it’s safe to say that these are unsanctioned exploitsall the more reason to boast them on the dark web.

Tunnels (last working) links:  http://62gs2n5ydnyffzfy.onion or http://74ypjqjwf6oejmax.onion

11. Imperial Library

There’s a reason why this onion website is called the Imperial Library; with over downloadable 500,000 books and articlesthis may be one of the largest digital librariesperiod. Just be careful about the copyright infringement aspect.

Imperial Library (last working) link: http://xfmro77i3lixucja.onion or http://kx5thpx2olielkihfyo4jgjqfb7zx7wxr3sd4xzt26ochei4m6f7tayd.onion

12. Archive.today

A time capsule for the entire Internet. Yesyou read that right – a dark web website that aims to preserve the Internet’s cultural and scientific heritage. Some things you can find here: snapshots dating back to the first version of Googlewebsites taken offline over the past decadebooksmoviesGoogle anniversary animationsand more.

Archive. today (last working) link: http://archivecaslytosk.onion/

13. Hack-Rent-A-Hacker

It takes time to master the fine art of (white-hat) hacking. Stillif you hear the call of the dark side and have neither the drive nor the expertise to hack your way into a computeryou can hire a professional hacker from this little website. Hack-Rent-A-Hacker boasts affordable pricesdiscretionprofessionalismand everything you may want to hear when doing business with an individual.

ApparentlyHack-Rent-A-Hacker’s most popular ‘service’ is Facebook account hacking – figures! Anywayif you’re in this sort of thingsomeone can help you get inside a Facebook account for 250 euros. It goes without saying that I do not advise you to seek this sort of service.

Hack-Rent-A-Hacker (last working) link: http://2ogmrlfzdthnwkez.onion

14. The Campfire

No marshmallowslogstents or mulled wine here – just a virtualIRC-basedgathering place where you can chat with anyone in the world. All you need to do is select a roomsay “hi!” and enjoy yourself.

The Campfire (last working) link:  http://campfireagz2uf22.onion/

15. Pro Publica

ProPublicaa famous non-profit news organization that has been awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prizeis committed to exposing power abuses and public trust issues through its investigative journalism.

Their website is accessible on the clear webbut it also has a .onion siteallowing visitors to browse it anonymouslyespecially those living under oppressive regimes. Their dark web presence also creates a secure platform for whistleblowers to submit material without the risk of retaliation.

ProPublica (last working) link: http://p53lf57qovyuvwsc6xnrppyply3vtqm7l6pcobkmyqsiofyeznfu5uqd.onion/

16. Facebook Onion Site

Yesthere’s an onion site for Facebook. It serves the same purpose as ProPublica – facilitating access in countries where it may otherwise be restricted. Facebook’s onion portal is an essential communication tool for people living under oppressive regimesdespite the social media giant’s controversial reputation when it comes to privacy.

Facebook Onion Site (last working) link: http://www.facebookcorewwwi.onion/

17. BBC Tor Mirror

The BBCamong othersis blocked in countries like North Korea or China because of the government’s strict censorship policies. This is why the BBC news website has established a unique .onion siteenabling anonymous accessvia Torto its content without being subject to censorshipregardless of the location. The BBC Tor Mirror is a dark web site that provides uncensored news access. The BBC onion site is an international editionnot UK-focused.

BBC Tor Mirror (last working) link: http://bbcnewsv2vjtpsuy.onion/

18. Dark.fail

Browsing the dark web without caution may lead to hazardous outcomessuch as being redirected to other URLsfraudulent websitesor scams. Dark.fail is a valuable resource to navigate without ending up in an unfavorable digital neighborhood. Dark.fail helps users avoid dark web dangers by providing verified linkswhich reduces exposure to hackersmalwareand unregulated content. Dark.fail offers a limited list of verified onion linksincluding unfiltered news sourcestorrent sites and dark web marketplaces. Proceed with caution!

Dark.fail (last working) link: http://darkfailenbsdla5mal2mxn2uz66od5vtzd5qozslagrfzachha3f3id.onion/

19. The CIA

Tor was initially developed by the US Navy to facilitate secure communication for informants. Similarlythe CIA launched its .onion site to provide worldwide anonymous access to its resources.

The CIA (last working) link: http://ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxytad.onion/

20. Google Feud

The last item on our dark web websites list is Google Feud or rather its evil twin. For those of you unfamiliar with thisG-Feud is a clear web game where you have to guess the answers to some random or topic-related search strings. For instanceif you choose a topic (e.g. food)G-Feud will give you a string such as “can I eat…?”.

You need to fill in the top ten most relevant answers as they would have been displayed during a regular Google Search. Wellas you might have guessedthe dark web version spins very unpalatable search stringsasking the user to guess their equally disturbing answers. Caution advised!

Google Feud (last working) link: http://lkqx6qn7whctpdjhcoohpoyi6ahtrveuii7kq2m647ssvo5skqp7ioad.onion/

Additional Dark Web Tips

Here are some things to keep in mind while browsing your favorite dark web websites.

• Use a VPN and dedicated onion browser. See my previous article if you need help on setting up Tor and a VPN. The Tor network and The Onion Router are essential for accessing the dark web safelyas they encrypt your traffic through multiple layersensuring anonymity.
• Use common sense. I advise you to stick to these websites while browsing the dark web. Venturing further down the rabbit hole may land you in a heap of trouble.
• Endpoint protection. Safeguard your endpoint against the endless host of dark web malware. I would recommend Heimdal Next-Gen Antivirus for ‘boots on the ground’ protection and Heimdal Threat Prevention – Network for DNS filtering. A combo that will save your endpoint and skin. The Tor Project provides the necessary software for secure accessmanaged by a group of computer scientists and volunteers dedicated to maintaining user privacy.

Wrap-up

Here are the best 20 dark web sites you should check out. Of courseif you have any more suggestionsdrop a line in the comments sectionand I’ll add them to the article. Unlike the dark webwhich requires special access and configurationsthe surface web is easily accessible using standard web browsers and includes everyday websites such as news sitesshopping platformsand blogs. Stay safe out there and don’t forget to subscribe!