These days you don’t have to be tech savvy to know about the existence of the dark web. In recent years the dark web has become more accessible because of the ease of accessing it through the tor browser. Another thing that has made it easy for people to use and navigate the dark web is one of its biggest websites i.e. The Hidden Wiki.
With information about the dark web being so easily accessible you might think that the mystery of the dark web and its popular sites like the Hidden Wiki might have faded away. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The dark web is still very much a mysterious place and there are many facts that people don’t know about it.
Facts About The Hidden Wiki That Might Still Not Know
Here are some facts about the site that might be surprising for many people to know.
It Is Used For Good More Than You Think
When someone thinks about the dark web the first thing that comes to their mind is usually the notion that the dark web is used by hackers and other criminals. In reality, the dark web has been crucial in helping out the good guys as well.
While it is true that the number of criminal activities on the dark net outweighs the number of good activities the nature of those good activities has a great impact on society.
The dark web brings certain types of criminals to one platform which makes it easier for them to carry out their criminal activities but on the other hand, it also makes it easier for the law enforcement authorities to catch the criminals.
The dark web has been used in the past to take down rogue nations and criminal empires.
The Dark Web Is Expanding
Just like the universe, the dark web is also expanding. One thing that people should realize about the dark web is that it is highly adaptive. For example, when Bitcoin was launched, the dark web users didn’t take long to adopt the decentralized currency as it was better for their security. The COVID Vaccination quickly gave rise to a whole new COVID-19 vaccine and certification market on the dark web.
So any change in the real world is reflected in the dark web. Which gives rise to more markets and more transactions on the dark web. With each passing year, we see the dark web expand both in terms of markets and buyers. A 2022 study showed that the dark web size increased by 300% since 2017.
This can also be seen in the fact that new links are added to the Hidden Wiki regularly.
Over 2 Million People Use The Dark Web “DAILY”
Around 2.5 million people from across the world use the dark web daily. This is one scary number when you realize the number of heinous activities that can be carried out with the help of the dark web. The existence of websites like the Hidden Wiki has been the prime reason for this increase in traffic. Such sites have made it so easy to find and access authentic dark net links.
The concept of supply and demand also applies to the dark web. Like businesses in the real world, the supply increases with the increase in demand and vice versa. This is one of the reasons that the number of dark web users has been increasing drastically.
With the wide range of different products and services being sold on the Hidden Wiki, it has become a hot place for buyers from all over the world. If the current trend continues then it wouldn’t be surprising to see the daily users go above 2.5 million.
You Are More Likely To Get Hacked From The Surface Web
A very common misconception is that when you visit the dark web your computer gets infected with a virus. While it is true that visiting the dark web without proper precaution makes your device vulnerable it does not mean that every time you visit the dark web your device will be infected. Experts believe that your devices are more likely to get infected by the shady links you find on the surface web.
So clicking random links you receive in your spam folders or your email inbox are the ones you should be more careful about.
You Can Get Credit Cards For As Cheap As $25
You can find hundreds of links on the dark web that would lead you directly to the stolen goods marketplace. On these marketplaces, you can buy stolen credit cards along with their hacked pins for as low as $25. These credit cards can have a limit of thousands of dollars. So a hacker can spend just $25 and waste away someone hard hard-earned money. The purchase of stolen credit cards is one of the most sought-after criminal activities on the dark web.
You Can Become Someone Else On The Dark Web For Around $1000
The world has seen an increasing number of identity theft cases over the years. This has been made possible with the help of the hidden Wiki. For just over $1000 you can get someone else’s identity. Identity theft can destroy lives and the fact that it can be achieved in only around $1000 is frightening. What makes this worse is that you can easily find several links that provide this service by simply visiting one of the mirror websites of the Hidden Wiki.
You Can Find ChatGPT Clones on the Hidden Wiki
AI tools and the Dark web seem like a deadly combination. However, it has now become a reality. ChatGPT is one of the biggest and the most important tech advancements the world has seen in the 21st century and that is saying something. Two decades ago the world did not even have widespread internet and now Artificial Intelligence tools are being sold in the market. When ChatGPT was introduced people were really happy with it. This highlights how far we have come as a human race.
What people don’t realize is that with each tech advancement, criminals also see an opportunity. Now criminals on the dark web are using AI technology to carry out their hacking activities and this is just the beginning. Like the AI tools on the surface web, the AI tools on the Hidden Wiki also have machine learning abilities. Which means that they will get better and more efficient with time.
You Can Be Tracked
One of the facts about the deep web that most people don’t realize is that you can be tracked on the dark web. Many people think that just because they are using the Tor browser and VPN they are fully secure. In reality, you can never be sure about your security on the dark web.
If you log into the Tor browser and visit the dark web then the authorities might not know right away about your actions. But they would still know that you have accessed the Tor browser and so would your internet company. The law and enforcement agencies have set up their tracking mechanisms on the dark web.
You Can Find A Wide Range Of Products and Services On The Hidden Wiki
Many people think that the dark web is a place for hackers and other dangerous criminals. Who is involved in selling dangerous services or illicit goods like drugs? However, that is one part of the truth. The fact is that you can find loads of different things on the dark web. You can even find electronics, collectors’ items, rare books, pirated movies, and other items that can be easily found on the surface web as well.
The Dark Web Isn’t Illegal
One of the facts that is surprising for most people is that visiting the dark web isn’t illegal. It all depends on your actions and what you plan on doing on the dark web. For example, if you visit the dark web once to check out what all the fuss is about then you wouldn’t be at any risk of legal trouble. But if you are a regular visitor then the authorities might start suspecting you of wrongdoing. However, you cannot be charged with anything until and unless the authorities have strong proof of your wrongdoing.
Deep Web and Dark Web Are Different Things
Many people use both of these terms interchangeably whereas they are different things. The dark web is just a small part of the deep web. The deep web is over 400 to 500 times larger than the surface web. Whereas the dark web is only 5% of the deep web.
It Is A Hub For Money Launderers
Money launderers can route their black money through the dark web to their account and make it look real. There is a wide range of services on the dark web that can help criminals launder money in several different ways. The criminals can use to hire any laundering service that they deem fit for their criminal business activities. The hackers use different financial instruments and techniques like stolen credit cards, gift cards, and other similar tools to carry out the laundering process.
In addition to rerouting black money, criminals also use crypto mixers on the dark web to easily launder cryptocurrency. In the crypto mixers, the user sends their crypto coins to a pool of cryptocurrencies. Crypto from that pool is then transferred to different wallets thus completely hiding the source of the funds.
Get to know more about the connection between hidden Wiki and cryptocurrencies here.
Tor Was Funded By The US Government
To access the dark net you need a secure and private browser like Tor. Even though the Tor browser is commercially available, one of the main purposes of the secure browser was to help law enforcement authorities access the dark web. This is also the reason that the development of Tor was in part funded by the US government. So if you look at it, the US govt was the one that made the dark web so accessible to the general public.
No One Exactly Knows When Hidden Wiki Started
No one knows when the Hidden Wiki started however it is believed that the website was even there somewhere around 2007. The links first found in 2007 are believed to be the original dark web links for the website. The website has been under strict scrutiny by law enforcement due to which it has been ambiguously forked. And several mirror websites have appeared on the dark web.
There Are A Lot Of Mirror Sites
The Hidden Wiki is usually compared to Wikipedia on the surface web as it provides a directory of dark web links to other pages on the dark web. However, unlike Wikipedia, multiple dark web links can lead you to one of the mirror sites of hidden Wiki.
It Is Updated Regularly
The Hidden Wiki is regularly updated with new links. In addition to the new links on the dark web, new mirror links to the Hidden Wiki itself are also introduced.
Every year dark web users are on the lookout for an updated link to the site. This helps them find new links and updated links for the products or services they want to find. Dark web links are under scrutiny by law enforcement. They can be closed down if law enforcement has narrowed down on the operations. So the compromised dark web links are closed and the same service is sold on updated links.
Final Words
Knowing these facts will not only help you understand the hidden wiki better but it will also help you stay safe from the negative effects of the dark web. These facts show that while the dark web is a dangerous place it does have a few upsides as well.