The Deep Web refers to websites that are password-protected and blocked by search engine crawlers, such as private databases like medical records and academic journals as well as those that require subscription, such as Netflix or news sites.

Your digital identity encompasses your e-banking accounts, chat messages and private content on social media sites like Twitter. Special browsers like Tor are available to protect anonymity when accessing it.

What is the Deep Web?

The Deep Web refers to all areas of the internet not indexed by search engines like Google or Bing; this may include private databases, paywall sites and even darknet.

Millions of regular Internet users unwittingly utilize the deep web on a daily basis without even realizing it. They could be accessing their online banking accounts, company intranets or Dropbox folders; all are part of this hidden world that exists behind our screens.

Journalists and activists seeking freedom of speech often use the deep web, as well as criminals, whistleblowers and others who take advantage of its anonymity to engage in illicit activities. There are steps you can take to protect your business from these attackers on the deep web; including maintaining basic cybersecurity hygiene practices such as creating strong password policies and training your employees on these systems.

What is the Dark Web?

Many users are unaware that they engage with the Dark Web on an almost daily basis, this unindexed corner of the internet consisting of pages which require authentication or protection from search engines for indexation and inclusion by search engines – including private accounts and online services such as email inboxes, social media pages, corporate databases etc.

Cybercriminals utilize the Dark Web for illegal distribution of malware, theft of personal information and other criminal acts. Furthermore, they frequently utilize it as an avenue to escape law enforcement scrutiny.

However, there are legitimate uses of the Dark Web as well. Journalists, activists, and those living in environments with restrictions such as censorship frequently turn to it for communication between themselves. Private businesses sometimes host their websites on it too and use it for exchanging confidential business data. You can access the Dark Web through an anonymizing browser called Tor (The Onion Router) which creates a secure encrypted link between your device and any website visited.

What is the Difference Between the Deep Web and the Dark Web?

The deep web and dark web are two distinct aspects of the internet that may overlap in some ways, yet each serves different functions and poses unique risks. While most people access only limited parts of these depths (for business-related activities such as password protected corporate websites), others use deeper levels as an avenue for illegal activities like drug or weapon trafficking.

But the deep web can serve legitimate uses as well, such as uncensored journalism and online privacy. When people log into online banking or social media accounts using credentials that require password authentication, they are inadvertently accessing it without realizing it. Citizens living under oppressive regimes can also use it to bypass censorship so they can share information with friends and family outside their countries.

What is the Future of the Deep Web?

Like an ocean floor, parts of the internet remain unknown to mappers; these regions are collectively known as the “deep web”, consisting of private databases and password-protected websites inaccessible to the general public. While inaccessible to most users, this portion serves multiple valid and legitimate functions – from academic research requiring access to scholarly articles and data sets, to medical professionals retrieving confidential patient records, to businesses operating secure intranets for sensitive information storage and retrieval.

Unfortunately, hackers use this part of the Internet to sell or exchange stolen information. The dark web – a subset of the deep web – makes it easy for them to mask their identities and locations, though even this dangerous segment of the web can still be accessed using standard web browsers through Tor, which provides encrypted traffic routing with censorship-resistant browsing capabilities. All web sites that cannot be found through standard search engines as part of the deep web can also be considered deep web websites; such as those requiring registration to view, paywalls, restricted-access social media pages/profiles etc.