dark web

noun

variants or less commonly Dark Web

: the set of web pages on the World Wide Web that cannot be indexed by search engines, are not viewable in a standard Web browser, require specific means (such as specialized software or network configuration) in order to access, and use encryption to provide anonymity and privacy for users

The dark web is only accessible by means of special software, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous. Once used by political dissidents, the dark web has become the Internet's black market, where visitors can buy anything from guns to drugs and fake IDs or trade child pornography.—

Guillermo Contreras

compare deep web

Examples of dark web in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Trump also pardoned over 1,500 others, including Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, as well as almost everyone who was convicted over their role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection. —

Jesus Mesa, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025 Dedicated Resolution Specialist What if dark web monitoring reveals that your details are for sale? —

PCMAG, 22 Jan. 2025 The infamous dark web marketplace served as a global hub for illicit drug sales that prosecutors said had contributed to the death of at least six people. —

Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 22 Jan. 2025 Though the wild days of dark web sites like Silk Road are long gone, there remain many profitable illicit stores across the internet. —

Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 Even after significant efforts by social media companies to dismantle extremist content, the Islamic State group, al-Qaida and their affiliates have adapted by migrating to encrypted messaging services, dark web forums and niche platforms. —

Sara Harmouch, The Conversation, 2 Jan. 2025 On Wednesday, a Second Circuit appellate court rejected the appeal of Ross Ulbricht, who two years ago was sentenced to life in prison without parole for creating and running the Silk Road, a massive dark web drug market. —

Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 31 May 2017 More companies are becoming more active in tracking cyber threats, including monitoring the web and dark web. —

Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 6 Dec. 2024 Entirely synthetic videos still look unrealistic, Sexton said, and are not yet popular on abusers’ dark web forums, though that technology is still rapidly improving. —

Kevin Collier, NBC News, 21 July 2024