Hidden world of the internet is vast that you cannot even imagine. It is a part of the internet that is hidden from the viewers. People compared the deep web to an iceberg as we can’t assume its size; only the above portion can be viewed, but the rest of the things are hidden. Apparently, only 4% of the whole internet is noticeable, and others are hidden on the dark web; can you believe how big the Hidden web is?
Only 4-5% of the internet is indexed, which is known as the surface web. So it is clear that the majority of the internet portion is hidden. However, the dark web is a part of the deep web that can be accessed only with special tools & is popular for the illegal transaction. Actually, if you are using email, Netflix, or social media, you are already using the deep web. But the dark web content is unindexed and contains all the illegal, malicious activities. This blog will let you know the three main layers that comprise the World Wide Web (WWW).
a) Surface Web
The surfer web is known as the visible web; it is a section of the web which is accessible by the general public using a standard search engine. People use this to perform their regular activities. However, Search engines automatically index surface web content, so it’s easy to search surface web content as compared to deep & dark web.
b) Deep Web
The deep web is the largest portion of the internet, currently 400-500 times bigger than the surface web, and also contains another layer known as the dark web. The content of the deep web, including sites that can access only via specially designed web browsers. It contains lots of private and confidential information. That’s the reason deep web content does not appear in Google search results, as these pages are not indexed.
Hence to search the deeper content, you require a special tor browser and some form of authentication, such as social media or bank account with an ID password. Deep web contents are of special interest for OSINT (Open source intelligence) investigations as you can get high-quality private information about a company or its owner.
c) Dark Web
The dark web is the deepest layer of the internet and a subsection of the deep web that you can only access via special search engine browsers. However, it is quite difficult to measure how extensive the dark web is because of its ambiguous nature.
Darknet involves websites that have been intentionally made to be concealed and involved with malicious, illegal activities and black markets such as weapons supply, drug dealing, human trafficking, selling important govt documents, trade secrets, and more. This is the reason that it is restricted, so not everyone can access it.
What is the Size of the Hidden Web?
The hidden world of the internet is 500 times bigger than the surface web. It contains around 7,500 terabytes of content/information with an average of about three times higher quality based on document scoring. Nowadays, the number of dark sites exceeds200,000 and is growing continuously& becomes the fastest growing info component of the internet.
That’s not shocking when you consider everything that makes up the deep part of the web. Predictably, more than 306 billion emails are sent daily, millions of academic papers uploaded on SSRN, infinite documents hosted by firms, and numerous private financial information stored by banks & other financial intermediaries.
You can also consider all the private images, videos, and posts that Facebook’s 2.89 billion users have uploaded. Instagram also has a billion users posting videos and images. The same goes for Tiktok videos watched every day, but most are not indexed. Hence, the size of the deep web is truly surprisingly and honestly a little hard to figure out. In fact, the size of the deep web is so large that no one knows how much content & pages are available.
Statistics of Deep Web Marketplace
Let’s see what type of content you can find on the Dark web. Have a look at the below stats of the darknet marketplace.
According to the United Nations Office on crimes and drugs, most listings on the deep web are for weapons and drugs, followed by malware and hacking. Moreover, the other listings that can be seen on several darknet are counterfeit and fraud.
- Statistics show that 59% of listing on the marketplace werefor prohibited drugs and drug-related chemicals.
- After that, fraud & counterfeit listings were the next category, consuming 17% of the marketplace.
- Then, the empire is another largest dark web marketplace listing over 6k products. Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Monero currency are accepted forms of payment. Once you pay, the things are shipped to the purchaser via a third person. Hence, empire selling items actually needs a membership fee of $100.
The darknet is a completely anonymous environment where users engage in illegal activities without being caught.
How Fast the Size of Deep Web & Hidden Web is Growing
It is difficult to determine the exact rate at which the size of the deep web and hidden web is growing, as traditional search engines do not index this content. However, it is believed that the size of the deep and hidden web is growing rapidly due to the increasing availability of encryption technologies. And the rising demand for privacy and security in online interactions.
Additionally, the deep web and hidden web may be used by individuals and organizations seeking to avoid censorship and by criminals and other individuals engaging in illegal activities. The growth of the deep web and hidden web may have several implications for privacy, security, and law enforcement. And individuals need to exercise caution and use best practices when accessing these areas of the internet.
Is Accessing the Hidden Web Dangerous?
There is no harm in accessing the hidden world of the internet. The deep web is simply the term used for the sites that Google does not index, like your banking page. However, it is said that you have to take some safety measures before searching for deep web content. This is because you are accessing & handing out private & confidential information.
In the deep web, there is always a possibility that the link you are visiting has nasty malicious content waiting to bolt on your devices, such as keyloggers, computer worms, and spyware. Hence, there are lots of dark web dangers that you should understand before you choose to access it.
Steps to Secure Yourself from Deep Web Threats
To avoid the threat, keep your data private by following the instructions below.
- Download antivirus on your system, as it will make sure that any possible threat or malware from a deep web is detected & erased as soon as possible. It will also assist you in spotting doubtful sites.
- Always access confidential details on the deep web by using a VPN. As it encrypts your data and keeps it secure from curious eyes online.
- Moreover, it also decreases the risk of your private information being seized by a hacker. Here I suggest you use Express VPN as it offers reliable security and privacy without compromising on speed.
- Try to put strong and hard passwords for your accounts. Also, use additional privacy features like two-factor authentication. Which needs you to authenticate a sign-in via an application on your device.
FAQ’s
Q1: What are the top browsers to access the deep web?
Tor is the most reliable option to access the deep and dark web as it quickly deletes cookies, search history, and other data for you. There are also some other browsers that allow you to access the dark world. No matter which browser you use, always remember to use VPN, which protects your privacy.
Q2: Can any Authorities or police track you on the dark web?
Yes, police maybe track you on the deep web if they need to. Although, it’s extremely difficult to do so. The Tor browser you use to access the darknet can hide your identity and location. Though, the average person can’t be able to detect you on the platform. But the authorities can still detect you with high technology.
Q3: How much has the size of the deep and hidden web grown in recent years?
It isn’t easy to estimate the exact size of the deep and hiddenWeb, as much of this content is not indexed by traditional search engines. However, it is widely believed that the size of the deep and hiddenWeb has grown significantly in recent years due to the increasing number of people using the internet. And the proliferation of new technologies that make it easier to create and access hidden content.
Q4: What factors contribute to the growth of the deep web and hidden web?
Several factors contribute to the growth of the deep and hidden web. It includes the increasing availability of encryption technologies, the rise of anonymous communication tools, and the increasing demand for privacy & security in online interactions.
Additionally, the deep web and hidden web may be used by individuals and organizations seeking to avoid censorship or surveillance, as well as by criminals and other individuals engaging in illegal activities.
Q5: What are the potential implications of the rapid growth of the deep and hidden web?
The rapid growth of the deep web and hidden web has a number of potential implications, both positive and negative. On the one hand, these technologies may offer greater privacy and security for individuals and organizations seeking to protect sensitive information or avoid censorship.
On the other hand, the deep web and hidden web may also facilitate criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime. Additionally, the growth of the deep and hidden web may make it more difficult for law enforcement. And other authorities to monitor and prevent illegal activities, potentially leading to increased social harm and unrest.
Conclusion
The size of the hidden web is huge and covers 95% of the hidden content of the internet. Serious information seekers know the importance of deep web details. As these sites provide anonymity and a way to cross internet censorship.
The deep web sites are usually associated with malicious content like drug dealing, sex abuse, stolen financial data, and pornography. It may sound criminal, but some experts say that the deep and dark web is more than that and also contain useful documents and details.