The dark web is a catch for people who want privacy while accessing the internet. It is a part of the internet hidden from regular search engines, meaning you can’t be tracked, and your data remains anonymous.
However, if it’s your first time accessing websites on the dark web, you might find it difficult to understand the technical jargon used here, feeling the need for a specified dictionary.
To help, we’ve compiled a summary of commonly used terms within the dark web. Continue reading this comprehensive article to learn about the different abbreviations and slang terms used in the dark web.
The terms and definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Account Takeover(ATO) | A backdoor is usually built by bad actors who want to access large networks or systems. They use it to maliciously exploit data. |
| AES | AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard, a block cipher chosen by the US government to protect confidential information. |
| Aggro | This is a slang word for aggression or aggressiveness. It describes how someone is behaving. |
| AlphaBay | Alexander Cazes created AlphaBay in December 2014. It became the largest dark web marketplace after its predecessor, Silk Road, was shut down. However, in 2017, AlphaBay was shut down by a joint law enforcement operation involving the Thai, US, and Canadian governments. Additionally, the founder of the marketplace was found dead in his cell, with the police suspecting suicide. On August 06, 2021, Alphabay was relaunched with new features and rules. AlphaBay has (again) quickly become one of the largest darknet marketplaces since it reemerged about four years ago. |
| Alias | It is a pseudonym users use on the dark web to hide their real identity. |
| AML | AML is an acronym for Anti-Money Laundering. This acronym is used when illegal funds are prevented from being converted into legal funds or real financial banks. |
| Anon | This is a slang word for any user whose identity isn’t known. |
| AnonFiles | A file-sharing service where users share custom links and upload files without their IP addresses being tracked. |
| Anonymous | Anonymous is a decentralized group of international hackers and activists involved in hacktivism or campaigns to oppose government censorship. |
| APT | This acronym stands for Advanced Persistent Threat. It is a malicious cyber attack where an intruder or a government official gains unauthorized access to a network for an extended period. This attack usually aims to steal sensitive information to advance political goals. |
| Backdoor | Backdoor is usually built by bad actors who want to access large networks or systems. They use this backdoor for malicious exploitation of data. |
| BIN | BIN stands for Bank Identification Numbers (also known as Issuer Identification Numbers (IINs)). Cybercriminals use these digits to carry out fraudulent activities. |
| BTC (Bitcoin) | BTC is the oldest cryptocurrency when compared to other cryptocurrencies. It is an anonymous form of payment used to make payments on the dark web. |
| Bitcoin Exchange | Bitcoin exchange is a digital marketplace where you can buy or sell bitcoin for other currencies or fiat currencies like Euro or US dollars. |
| Black Market | This is an online marketplace on the dark web that offers illegal goods and services for sale. |
| Black Market Goods | These are illicit goods sold on the dark web marketplace. Black market goods include weapons, drugs, stolen data, and more. |
| Blockchain | Blockchain is a digital ledger used to record transactions done with cryptocurrencies. |
| Botnet | Botnets are networks of devices or the Internet of Things that have been infected with malware and are controlled by a cybercriminal. |
| Bridges | Bridges are Tor relay nodes that help you gain access to the dark web. These nodes are designed to let dark web users bypass internet censorship placed by the government. |
| Carding | Carding is a term used when fraudsters steal credit card information. The stolen credit card information is used to buy prepaid gift cards. |
| Clearnet | This refers to the part of the internet visible to regular search engines. It is also known as the Surface Web. |
| Click Fraud | Click fraud is a type of fraud that occurs by clicking on a pay-per-click ad. This fraud involves using click bots or other tools to click on ads or links to increase revenue or boost a webpage’s search ranking. This way, even if there’s no legitimate interaction with the ads, advertisers are made to believe that people are interested in their ads. |
| Cold Storage/Wallet | Cold storage is a physical device or application that stores your private keys. This is one of the safest ways to store your digital currency. |
| CP | CP means child pornography. Aside from being a secure part of the internet, the dark web is filled with different pedophile networks where members exchange illegal materials. |
| CPN | CPN is an acronym for Credit Protection Number or Credit Privacy Number. It is a nine-digit number similar to an SSN and is sold by scammers to hide your credit history or bankruptcy. |
| Cryptocurrency | Cryptocurrency is a digital currency used as a medium of exchange over the Internet. There are different types of cryptocurrencies today, but in the dark web, Bitcoin is popularly used for transactions. |
| Crypto address | This is a unique identifier, such as letters or numbers, which helps you transfer or receive cryptocurrencies in your wallet. |
| DAO | This is an acronym for Decentralized Autonomous Organizations. It is a structure or organization that uses blockchain technology to vote or to predict the outcome of different situations. |
| Darknet | Also known as the dark web, the dark net is a part of the internet not indexed by traditional search engines. You can only access the darknet through an anonymous proxy network or structure like Tor. |
| DBAN | DBAN is an acronym for Darik’s Boot and Nuke. It’s a free, open-source software that permanently erases files on a hard drive. This software can be downloaded over the internet, so if there’s any sensitive information you don’t want access to anymore, you can try it out. |
| DB | DB is a slang word used in the dark net for “database.” |
| DDoS | DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service attack — a cyberattack on a network done by flooding a server with unwanted network traffic. It is done to prevent users from accessing sites or online services. |
| Delivery Days (DD) | This is a term commonly used in the dark web to tell the number of days it will take for a product to be delivered to a location. For example, 20DD Tampa means that a product will take 20 deliveries to Tampa and take 20 days. |
| Deep Web | The deep web consists of pages or content not indexed by search engines, private databases, dark web, and paywalled sites. |
| Doxing | Doxing is a short term for dropping Dox. This involves making private information about a target (an individual or government) public. It is usually done through social engineering or hacking. |
| Dump | Also referred to as “dumpz,” it is an already compiled list of stolen financial information. |
| Escrow | An escrow is a contractual agreement between two parties to allow a third party to hold funds or products till a condition is met. |
| Encryption | This process converts information or data into a secret code to hide its true meaning. Encrypted information is only understood by someone who has a decryption key. For example, the privacy of dark web users who use Tor browsers is protected because the browser encrypts its user’s data. |
| Exit scam | An exit scam is when a dark web marketplace owner runs away with all the money of its investors or buyers. This type of scam is common among cryptocurrency promoters. These promoters usually pull out their funds before or after closing a deal. |
| FE (Finalize Early) | Finalizing early is when a buyer releases their funds before receiving a product. It can also mean paying someone in advance without using an escrow system. |
| Freenet | Freenet is a free peer-to-peer platform to send and receive information over the Internet without being disturbed by censorship. It is also an anonymous platform. |
| Fullz | This is a slang word for full information. It includes personally identifiable information (PII) of a person usually used for theft or fraud by cybercriminals. |
| Ghosting (Gaming) | Ghosting is used when a player cheats in an online game by having certain information about the game or other players. This information usually gives them an advantage in the game. |
| Grams | Grams was a Tor-based dark web marketplace and search engine that allowed users to find Illicit products like drugs or weapons. The platform functioned from 2014-2017. |
| Hard Candy | Hard Candy is a dark web page where users can find child pornography. |
| Hidden Wiki | This is a hidden website on the Tor browser that gives dark web users access to hidden links or services within the dark web. |
| Honey Pot | Honey Pot is a trap set by law enforcement agencies to attract hackers or study their hacking methods in order to improve security. |
| HS (Hidden Services) | This is also known as onion services. These are pages hosted within the dark web, inaccessible to traditional search engines. Only people who have links to these pages can communicate with them. |
| JB | JB is an abbreviation for jailbait, used to describe women who are under the age of sexual consent but are seen as attractive or provocative. |
| Law Enforcement Agencies/ Law Enforcement (LEA/LE) | These are acronyms used by users on the dark web chat room to stay out of the hands of these agencies. |
| Malware | Mystery Box was a dangerous craze in which YouTubers made videos of themselves unboxing items. These boxes are usually fake, although watching their unboxing can be exciting and also creepy. |
| Mariana’s Web | This is a joke used by dark web users to refer to the darkest parts of the deep web with forbidden information and illegal services that can only be accessed through impossible means. |
| Mixie | Mixie is a private messaging service provided by the Tor browser. |
| Mystery Boxes | Mystery Box was a dangerous craze where YouTubers made a video of themselves unboxing. These boxes are usually fake, although watching their unboxing can be exciting and also creepy. |
| .onion | Onion routing is a network protocol that encrypts data through different layers. The Tor browser commonly uses this protocol to keep its users anonymous and protect their data. |
| Onion Routing | Onion routing is a network protocol that encrypts data through different layers. The Tor browser commonly uses this protocol to keep its users anonymous and protect their data. |
| OS (Live or Host) | OS is an acronym for Operating System. A live operating system is usually temporarily loaded from a virtual box, while a host OS is software usually installed in your computer system. |
| PGP | PGP is an abbreviation for Pretty Good Privacy, which people use daily on the dark web to communicate anonymously. |
| Red Room | The Red Room is a myth that’s quite common within the dark web. Some users of the dark web claim that there are different sites where you can pay a fee to watch people be murdered or tortured. So far, there hasn’t been any report of a legit Red Room; all were lies. |
| Ripper | This is a slang word for scammer. |
| Sandbox | Sandboxing involves isolating different dangerous programs or connections to prevent them from infecting others. |
| Satoshi Nakamoto | This is a pseudonym used to refer to the designer and architect of Bitcoin. |
| Silk Road | The Silk Road was the largest dark web marketplace before AlphaBay surpassed it. It became famous due to its constant featuring of illicit products. |
| Spoofing | Spoofing is the replacement of an original message with a fake message. |
| Tails | Tails is an acronym for The Amnesiac Incognito Live System. This system can be loaded directly from a USB driver and used to access the dark web anonymously. |
| Tor | This is an acronym for The Onion Router. It bypasses censorship, allowing you to access the dark web easily. |
| Tumble | Tumble, also known as crypto mixing or turning, involves mixing your cryptocurrency with that of other users before it reaches its final destination. Tumbling makes tracing your Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency back to your wallet difficult. |
| Two-factor Authentication (2FA) | 2FA is a safe way to protect your account on the dark web. It usually requires you to confirm your identity twice before accessing your account, usually done by verifying a code sent to your mobile device. |
| Vendor | A vendor is someone who sells products or services within the dark web. |
| VPN | VPN, which stands for Virtual Private Network, helps to protect your online activities and encrypt your information. Some trusted Dark Web VPN providers are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and ExtremeVPN. |
| Whistleblower | Less commonly referred to as “snitches,” whistleblowers alert the authorities to illegal activities — such as smuggling or other illegalities. |
Conclusion
The dark web emerged as a reliable option for people who love privacy and want to secure their personal data. This part of the internet ensures you stay anonymous while on the web. However, it’s no longer the safe space it was intended to be since people now use the dark web for various illegal activities like selling illegal drugs, weapons, hacking, and money laundering. These activities can pose a threat to your online experience.
Therefore, our advice to our valuable, privacy-savvy readers is always to use a trusted VPN like NordVPN, which employs a no-log policy and protects your data through encryption.
FAQs
The Dark Web is a part of the internet not indexed by standard search engines. Because of this, it can only be accessed using special software, the most common being The Onion Router (TOR). It is known for its high level of anonymity and privacy, which is why it’s often associated with various illegal activities.
The deep web indicates pages that are not accessible publicly. To access them, you usually need the actual link and proper authentication, including repositories, member platforms, company databases, or de-indexed sites.
In the context of the dark web, DD stands for “delivery day.” This conveys the number of days required for delivering a product to a location. For example, “4DD Houston” means a product will take four days to be delivered to Houston.
Blockchain technology is a decentralized digital ledger that records all transactions across a network of computers. It’s most notably used for cryptocurrency transactions, ensuring transparency and security without the need for a central authority.
