Write-Up: Setting Up a Dark Web Research Environment

This guide is your blueprint for setting up a hardened, secure environment for deep/dark web research. The basic setup should cover most operating systems, while the deep dive will go over Arch Linux specifically.

I won’t be holding your hand through technical terms. If you’re unfamiliar with the concepts and underlying tech discussed here, you are not ready for this yet and you will only get yourself in trouble.

One of the most important parts of staying safe on the dark web is putting as much distance between yourself and your machine as possible. You are constructing a digital fortress, stacking up redundant security and good op-sec practices until there are no cracks left to slip through. If you want to stay hidden, your environment must be built like Fort Knox.

Basic Setup

It is important to use a secure, isolated system. DO NOT USE YOUR PERSONAL OR WORK COMPUTER. Set up a dedicated machine you will use specifically for this research.

  • Windows users: Consider installing a virtual machine to prevent direct exposure. Preferred choices are, of course, VMware or VirtualBox with any Linux distro. For highly sensitive tasks, consider using Tails OS.
  • For the rest of you, any well-maintained Linux distro should do. The best choice is to use Tails OS booted from a USB. It runs entirely in memory and leaves no traces. Qubes OS is also recommended. Kali Linux is also a solid option if used correctly, ideally within a VM.

Next, you need to configure your network for privacy. A hotly debated topic is whether you should use a VPN with Tor. Here’s a breakdown of things to keep in mind:

  • Using a free VPN or a paid VPN that can be traced back to you defeats the purpose of anonymization. It is highly recommended not to use these options.
  • However, if you live in a country where Tor is restricted, monitored, or illegal, using a VPN in order to mask your entry node is essential.
    • If you must use a VPN, ProtonVPN and Mullvad are the two best options out there. They allow for anonymous account creation, have a no-logs policy, and allow anonymous payments via cryptocurrency.
    • Of course, different cryptocurrencies provide different levels of anonymity. Do proper research.

You will be using the Tor browser exclusively for dark web browsing. NEVER USE A REGULAR BROWSER.

Once all of this is set up, you’ll need to work to harden your OS:

  1. Enable full-disk encryption using software like BitLocker or LUKS
  2. If you use Windows, disable telemetry and tracking
    • Go to Settings > Privacy and disable data collection options
    • Use tools like ShutUp10++ to reduce telemetry
  3. Create a new user profile with limited permissions for browsing

Next, secure your browser and identity:

  1. Use the Tor Browser with the following configurations:
    • Security level: Safest (via Tor settings)
    • Disable JavaScript via about:config (or use NoScript)
    • Block all browser extensions
    • Avoid logging into any accounts or using real credentials
  2. Never resize your browser window – this can be used for fingerprinting
  3. Turn off WebRTC to prevent IP leaks

My Own Setup – Arch Linux

1. System Hardening

For my own research, I am using a second laptop with Arch Linux installed. I already have drive encryption enabled on this machine.

Before doing anything, I want to ensure my Arch is properly secured. The first step will be to run an update.

sudo pacman -S archlinux-keyring
sudo pacman-key --init
sudo pacman -Syu

Since I had not updated in many months this step took a considerable amount of time.

Next I will set up a restricted user for browsing.

sudo useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash research
sudo passwd research

Now to grant sudo access.

sudo EDITOR=nano visudo

# Now I uncomment the following line:
%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL

2. Network Anonymization

To browse the dark web safely, all traffic should go through Tor.

I will show here how to set up ProtonVPN, but note this is not what I will be using for my setup.

sudo pacman -S openvpn networkmanager-openvpn networkmanager

Next start the NetworkManager service.

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager.service
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager.service

Now we need to disable the IPv6 stack. Most VPN providers don’t provide support for IPv6, they only support IPv4. If you don’t disable this stack, you will have an IP address leak which can cause massive problems for you later on.

sudo mkdir -p /etc/sysctl.d
sudo vim /etc/sysctl.d/40-ipv6.conf

# Now place the following into this new file:
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6=1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.disable_ipv6=1
net.ipv6.conf.tun0.disable_ipv6=1
net.ipv6.conf.wlp3s0.disable_ipv6=1

Now we restart sysctl and NetworkManager so the changes take effect.

sudo systemctl restart systemd-sysctl.service
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager.service

Next step is to install a GUI to allow you to interface with the ProtonVPN service. There is a good applet created and maintained by the community called ProtonVPN GTK.

sudo pacman proton-vpn-gtk-app

# Run the app with:
protonvpn-app

Choose a password for the new keyring and you should be good to go. Log in to your account and connect to any one of the servers available. Note, using a VPN will slow down your connection speed considerably.

It is also a good idea to configure your DNS to prevent leaks. I will force my system to use secure DNS.

sudo vim /etc/resolv.conf

Replace the contents of this file either with your VPN provider’s DNS or use a privacy-focused DNS like Cloudflare or Quad9.

nameserver 1.1.1.1
nameserver 9.9.9.9

Also lock the file to prevent DNS leaks.

sudo chattr +i /etc/resolv.conf

This next step is OPTIONAL, it is an added layer of obfuscation. You can set up a cron job that will automatically request a new Tor circuit every few minutes.

crontab -e

*/30 * * * * echo -e 'AUTHENTICATE ""\nSIGNAL NEWNYM\nQUIT' | nc localhost 9051

What this does is send a NEWNYM (new circuit) request to the Tor control port every 30 minutes. Ensure, once Tor is set up later, that this control port is enabled in /etc/tor/torrc:

ControlPort 9051
CookieAuthentication 0

I will not be doing this. Instead, I will be setting up an automatic cron job that makes use of Macchanger. If your ISP assigns a new IP when your MAC address changes, this cron job will randomize your MAC and reconnect you every 30 minutes.

crontab -e
*/30 * * * * sudo ip link set wlan0 down && sudo macchanger -r wlan0 && sudo ip link set wlan0 up

Finally, our last step for network anonymization is, of course, to install the Tor service and configure it.

sudo pacman -S tor torsocks

Edit the Tor configuration file.

sudo vim /etc/tor/torrc

# Uncomment and modify the following:
SocksPort 9050
RunAsDaemon 1
ExitNodes {country code} StrictNodes 1

Then enable and start Tor.

# Only enable if you want the service to run automatically, otherwise you will have to start tor manually everytime
sudo systemctl enable tor

sudo systemctl start tor

Verify it is running.

curl --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 https://check.torproject.org

If it says “Congratulations. This browser is configured to use Tor”, you’re good.

3. Secure Web Browsing

To minimize tracking, you should never use standard web browsers on the dark web. For this, we should install and configure the Tor browser.

sudo pacman -S torbrowser-launcher

torbrowser-launcher

Now that tor is up and running, we are going to modify some settings:

  1. Security Level -> Safest
    • This disables JavaScript by default on all sites, disables some fonts, icons and images, and all audio and video is click-to-play
  2. Turn on Deceptive Content and Dangerous Software Protection
  3. (Optional) If you didn’t/couldn’t set up a VPN before, you can set up bridge addresses for your Tor browser to use
  4. Ensure WebRTC is blocked. WebRTC leaks IP addresses. Type in about:config in your search bar, and look for media.peerconnection.enabled. Set it to false.
  5. Do not maximize your window. This prevents fingerprinting. I am using a riced instance of Arch with a window manager which solves this automatically.

4. MAC Address Spoofing

I have already set up Macchanger earlier, but now we need to set it up so it randomizes for every session.

If you haven’t already, install Macchanger.

sudo pacman -S macchanger

Change MAC address before connecting with Tor.

sudo ip link set wlan0 down
sudo macchanger -r wlan0
sudo ip link set wlan0 up

Make it automatic at boot. We will create a new service to do this

sudo vim /etc/systemd/system/macspoof.service

# Add the following
[Unit]
Description=Randomize MAC Address
Before=network-pre.target
Wants=network-pre.target

[Service]
type=oneshot
ExecStart=/usr/bin/macchanger -r wlan0

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable your new service.

sudo systemctl enable macspoof.service

5. Secure the OS

If you didn’t already encrypt your drive during installation, you can do so using LUKS. Replace /dev/sdX with your drive.

sudo cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/sdX
sudo cryptsetup open /dev/sdX encrypted_drive
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/encrypted_drive

Next, install a Firewall.

sudo pacman -S ufw
sudo systemctl enable ufw
sudo systemctl start ufw
sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw enable

6. Final Considerations

Consider, for research purposes, using VeraCrypt to encrypt files.

sudo pacman -S veracrypt

veracrypt

Create a container and store files inside.

It is also recommended to wipe all metadata from files. If you must download or share files:

sudo pacman -S mat2
mat2 --remove <file>

One final consideration, wipe logs regularly on your machine.

sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=1d
sudo rm -rf ~/.cache/

If you are ever analyzing risky files, make sure to air-gap your system by disconnecting yourself from any networks and turning off all network services.

Good Op-Sec

Most important when surfing the dark web is to maintain good op-sec.

General Best Practices

  • Use DuckDuckGo or hardened Firefox (in a separate VM) for searching .onion sites
  • Never download files directly from unknown sources
  • Use an air-gapped system if you must analyze files
  • Encrypt sensitive notes and files using VeraCrypt containers or other encryption software

Identity Protection and Online Behaviour

  • Never reuse passwords or personal information
  • Create unique, compartmentalized identities for research purposes
  • Use burner emails (e.g. ProtonMail, Tutanota, or temp-mail services)
  • Never access personal accounts or real emails on these machines
  • Never interact with sellers or engage in illegal activities
  • Avoid talking about your research openly
  • Avoid talking about yourself openly
  • If asked, do not answer
  • Lie constantly if forced to give personal details. Disinformation is key
  • Rotate identities regularly. Use different personas for different research areas
  • Spoof time zones and languages to further obfuscate your real location

System Security

  • Regularly wipe logs and caches after each session
sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=1d
sudo rm -rf ~/.cache/
  • NEVER connect to public Wi-Fi. Use a (burner) mobile hotspot if needed

Data Security

  • Verify file integrity with hash checks before opening anything
sha256sum <filename>
  • Upload all unknown files to VirusTotal and other malware scanning tools
  • Securely delete sensitive files
shred -u <filename>

Device Security

  • Open all unknown files in a sandbox
  • Use an air-gapped system for analyzing potentially dangerous files
  • Physically disable microphones and webcams
    • Tape over cameras, remove microphones

Post-Session Cleanup

  • Shut down all network connections before exiting the VM
  • Power off the machine completely after use (don’t just close the lid)
  • Use RAM-wiping techniques before shutdown (Tails does this automatically)
  • Clear all DNS and network logs:
sudo systemctl restart tor
sudo systemctl restart network-manager
  • Reboot your router periodically to reset your public IP (if dynamic)

Extreme Measures (For High-Risk Users)

If you’re conducting sensitive research or are at risk of surveillance, consider these extra op-sec measures:

  • Use multiple hops through Tor (via torrc config adjustments)
  • Set up cron jobs to regularly rotate through IP addresses and MAC addresses. Also, avoid consistent network patterns
  • Physically separate your work environments. Never mix personal and research activities.
  • Use Faraday bags to block signals when devices are not in use
  • Regularly audit your security setup. Assume you are being watched and adapt accordingly
  • Change the way you communicate online, the way you type, the way you think. You must never be the same person twice

Good op-sec is about consistent habits and avoiding mistakes. One slip-up can compromise everything. Stay paranoid and disciplined, and you will stay anonymous

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