DARKNETFORUM

At DARKNETFORUM, privacy is not a feature—it is our absolute foundation. This platform is engineered from the ground up to minimize data retention and eliminate traces of user activity. We do not corporate with real-world authorities, nor do we collect information that could be used to compromise your anonymity.

1. IP Addresses & Server Logging

1.1. Zero-Log Policy: Our web servers (Nginx/Apache) are configured to route all traffic straight to `dev/null`. We do not write, store, or cache any server access logs or error logs containing incoming IP addresses.
1.2. Tor Network Isolation: Because this service operates strictly within the Tor network as a hidden onion service, our backend server never sees your real IP address—it only sees local loopback traffic from the Tor daemon.

2. Cookies & Browser Fingerprinting

2.1. Session Cookies: The platform utilizes exactly one temporary cookie (`PHPSESSID`) which is strictly required to keep you logged into your session. This cookie is stored purely in your browser's volatile memory and is automatically destroyed when you close your Tor Browser.
2.2. No Analytics / Scripts: We do not deploy JavaScript trackers, Google Analytics, canvas fingerprinting, or external web fonts. The entire forum functions fully with JavaScript completely disabled (Tor Security Level: Safest).

3. Account & Data Storage

3.1. Credentials: User passwords stored within our database are cryptographically hashed using the industry-standard `bcrypt` (or `ARGON2`) algorithm with a secure workload factor. Your raw password can never be read by database administrators.
3.2. Private Messages (PMs): We highly recommend that all sensitive communications sent through our system be manually encrypted using PGP before transmission. Messages stored in our system are visible to the server database unless encrypted by the user. An automated pruning script deletes read messages older than 30 days.

4. Metadata Stripping on Uploads

4.1. When you upload images, attachments, or avatars to the platform, our backend storage system automatically strips all **EXIF metadata** (including camera models, GPS coordinates, timestamps, and software signatures).
4.2. File attachments are indexed using random database IDs rather than their original filenames to prevent leakage of operational information from your local machine.

5. Cryptocurrency Payments

5.1. Our payment verification subsystem routes transaction data directly through standalone nodes. We do not save transaction histories linked permanently to your user profile once the invoice (Standard or Vendor account) has been successfully cleared and activated.

6. Third-Party Exposure

6.1. We do not sell, trade, or lease user data to third parties. We do not load any elements (images, stylesheets, scripts) from external clear-net domains. Everything required to run this board is served directly from our onion destination to ensure no data leaks to outside observers.