The search results which you can find on VormWeb are being categorized into three security levels. These make it possible for you to better distinguish Darknet sites based on their seriousness and to build an instinct for a general idea about how the Darknet looks like.
Contrary to Clearnet search engines, a determination of the seriousness of a site based on search engine optimization (SEO, like backlinking) is not possible due to the decentralized structure of the Darknet, making a fully automated and algorithmic emphasizing of serious sites not possible either. Therefore, sites are checked through human factors and their categorization into the security levels is only partially automated.
Verified
Darknet sites that are given this badge have been checked by us through various methods, such as their PGP signatures, Clearnet mirror sites, user experiences on established Darknet forums or reliable Darknet link directories (popular services like daunt.link, tor.taxi or tor.watch), and not only are they secure, but also legitimate and serious.
Commercial services with this badge are not a scam.
The services are functional, build on top of a reputation or already have their own reputation on other services.
The services do not contain malicious scripts directed against their visitors.
Services, on which user data are being collected, are operated by experienced people which posess coding skills (no vibecoders).
As a user, it is also possible to view both the Clearnet mirrors of sites and the PGP signatures of their operators in order to check them on their seriousness oneself, without having to trust us. That, however, only if the site operators provide such mirrors and signatures.
Checking sites by PGP signatures is more reliable for one doesn't need to trust third-parties. The cryptographically guaranteed uniqueness of PGP keys and texts signed with such makes a sole human source, which one could only trust, redundant. We compare the public keys of site operators and the .onion addresses signed with them over multiple of the link directories named above as well as over established forums so as to detect counterfeited PGP signatures.
Warning
Darknet sites that have been given this badge were found by our crawler and could still stand out for a checkup on seriousness, for which they can't be marked as legitimate right now.
Commercial sites with this badge have not been checked yet and should not be used without making independent research on their seriousness.
Possible entries with this badge are newly occuring Darknet link directories, search engines, markets, AI-generated sites by potentially unexperienced people and other services.
With this badge, we are not signalizing that such Darknet sites are absolutely scams or clones, but that can't be out of question at the time either. In such case, you have to find out if i.e. such commercial services are real by making your own research, in case you want to use them.
Risky
Darknet sites that have been given this badge are cloned sites, scams, AI-generated sites by unexperienced people or sites with potentially malicious software. Here, we especially recommend the deactivation of Javascript features in your Tor Browser for a guarantee of security. A small amount of entries could mistakenly be given this badge. We will re-categorize them in case we find such.
On VormWeb, there will never be sites with contents of sexual or other types of abuse (more details regarding this are on the about page).
