Onion Links in 2022 – What’s New?

Onion links in 2022 are similar to those of former years, but with some updates. The v3 onion links have been in place for some months and the older version has been deprecated in 2021. Onion links, of course, are essentially the url version used on the dark web. The definition of the dark web refers to sites that are not indexed by search engines and cannot be found using conventional search techniques.

The surface web (or open web) refers to websites that are viewable to the general public without the use of Tor or any other specialized browsers or software. Surface web sites may also be indexed, making them easy to discover using search engines.

Although the surface web is home to a plethora of well-known TLD’s (e.g. .com, .net, and .org domain extensions), it is thought to account for less than five percent of all internet content. The surface web may be compared to the tip of a large iceberg, with the bulk of the iceberg remaining hidden below the surface in this classic example.

The dark web, on the other hand, is a magnet for bad actors and secret police. The same protection from tyrants and targeted advertisements that safeguard you from prying eyes also allows criminals to use it as a springboard.

Arms trafficking, drug dealing, and the distribution of exploitative content—usually involving children—such as pornography and pictures of violence and other forms of abuse are some of the most common illicit activities. Websites promote the language used by terrorists, racists, and other extremist organizations.

Data breaches frequently appear on the dark web. When data brokers are hacked, stolen data might include damaged credit cards, social security numbers, and other information, depending on what was revealed in the breach. This is a typical method for identity theft and doxing attacks to happen.