| Internet | |
|---|---|
| Basic Information | |
Type(s) |
Terminology |
The Internet refers to the worldwide connected network of servers that is accessible by the general public. The Internet is generally separated into three separate areas:
Public Web[ | ]
Also called the "Open Web", the Public Web represents the general content that most members of the public access on a regular basis. By content, it represents less than 1% of the total data available over the internet.
Deep Web[ | ]
The "Deep Web" represents data that, while accessible over the Internet, is either walled off or obfuscated to either prevent or to diminish public access en masse, or are sources of data open to the public that that are extremely extensive. Examples include medical records, company records and print archives.
Dark Web[ | ]
Often confused with the "Deep Web", the "Dark Web" is a virtual network within the greater infrastructure of the Internet that can only be accessed using dedicated servers known as "Entrance Nodes", which can only be accessed by a specially-modified web browser. Websites within this virtual network use the top-level domain ".onion", leading to the network being nicknamed "The Onion Ring", or "TOR" for short. The network was envisaged as a place for the sharing of knowledge, even by those being persecuted by their government (such as sharing life experiences, intelligence, or co-ordinating resistance movements), but has since been also begun to be used by individuals looking to subvert the law in a multitude of other arenas, such as drugs, murder, and pornography. While the network itself is secure, a user with insufficient precautions might still have their traffic traced before they reach the entrance node. Users are encouraged to use methods of location obfuscation, such as using a Virtual Private Network.