Disclaimer: This guide is for informational and educational purposes only. Accessing the darknet and engaging in illegal activities is against the law in most countries. Proceed at your own risk.
The darknet refers to parts of the internet not indexed by traditional search engines and only accessible through specialized software like Tor. It hosts both legal and illegal content, marketplaces, forums, and services.
Download the official Tor Browser from the official website.
Never download Tor from third-party sources.
Use a secure, updated operating system (preferably a Linux-based system like Tails for added anonymity).
A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your connection.
Use a no-logs VPN based outside of your home country (avoid free VPNs).
Connect to the VPN before launching Tor.
Create an anonymous email address (e.g., on ProtonMail or Tutanota).
Learn how to use PGP encryption to protect communication and receive encrypted messages from vendors.
Vendors may require you to send your address encrypted via PGP.