
The deep part of the deep web simply refers to the fact that you need passwords or other authentication to unlock it.

The dark part of the dark web refers to its hidden configurations within the darknet, its emphasis on anonymity, and the private activity that happens there. By contrast, to access dark web websites, you need special tools or software like Tor Browser.

Normal sites on the deep net (like your online banking site or email account) sit behind secure logins, paywalls, passwords, and authentication forms, but you don’t need any special software. The dark web is just one part of the deep web. The difference between the deep web and the dark web is that the deep web refers to all web content that requires login credentials to access, while dark web content requires special software to access. What’s the difference between the deep web and the dark web? Dark web websites are used for both legal and illegal purposes.Ī: The surface web contains publicly-accessible websites (online shops, search engines, and Youtube).ī: The deep web includes sites that require logins (email accounts, online banking, cloud-storage sites).Ĭ: The dark web contains non-indexed sites that require special tools, such as Tor Browser, to access. That special software keeps you anonymous and explains why it’s called the dark web. The dark web lies within the deep web and can be defined as the part of the deep web that not only isn’t indexed by search engines, but also requires specialized tools like Tor Browser to access. Most of the web is actually the deep web, and whenever we enter login credentials and passwords to view web content, we’re accessing a part of the deep web. The deep web includes all internet content protected by passwords, authentication forms, and firewalls - like subscription services, banking information, and email accounts.


All the websites you visit that don’t require login credentials are part of the surface web. The surface web makes up only about 10% of the entire internet, and includes anything you can find by entering terms into a search engine like Google. Let’s take a closer look at the three main parts of the internet: the surface web, the deep web, and the dark web.
