What is dark web and how it was used to leak NEET-UG and UGC-NET exam paper

Allegations of irregularities in NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams have sparked nationwide protests and concerns. There are allegations of paper leak on the dark web before the exam.
A Central Bureau of India (CBI) investigation reveals that the question paper for the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) exam was leaked 48 hours before the exam, reports NDTV.The UGC NET exam paper which matched the original, it says, was sold for Rs 6 lakh on the dark web. It was then circulated on Telegram by a group that sold it for Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. The discovery led to the immediate cancellation of the exam by the education ministry.
"The cancellation of UGC-NET was not a knee-jerk reaction. We got proof that the paper had leaked on darknet and was circulating on Telegram…" Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said at a press conference last week.
In this article, we will explore what is dark web and how it is used by cyber criminals for online crime

The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that is not indexed by regular search engines. It can only be accessed through special browsers like Tor (The Onion Router). Conversations on the dark web are heavily encrypted and there are no traces of communication between the sender and the receiver. It provides high anonymity for website users.
Dark web was originally developed for secure, anonymous communication, especially for government and military use. But in recent times, it has become synonymous with criminal activities like illegal weapons sale, drugs sale and more.

Malware thrives fully on the dark web. It is actively sold on certain platforms, providing cybercriminals with tools for cyberattacks. On the other side, it lurks across dark web sites, ready to infect unsuspecting users, much like it does on the regular internet.
Some of the malwares that dark web users can find themselves regularly exposed to are keyloggers, botnet malware, ransomware and phishing malware.