Tool For Protection Research Articles

Adversarial watermark: A robust and reliable watermark against removal

Digital image watermarking used to be an important tool for copyright protection. However, as neural network-based watermark removal methods have been proposed in recent years, the embedded watermark is increasingly easy to be erased, which poses a great threat to copyright protection. To address this issue, we propose an adversarial visible watermark scheme, which combines the visible watermark with the adversarial perturbation. By attacking the watermark removal network, we maximize the resistance of visible watermark against removal while minimizing the visual distortion. To further improve the robustness against various transformations (e.g. cropping, JPEG compression), we employ the region of interest and random pre-processing to embed the adversarial visible watermark. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme can effectively resist the removal of watermarks on different datasets and network structures while having good transferability and robustness, which enables the watermark to continue to be an effective copyright protection method.

Production and characterization of Trichoderma asperellum chitinases and their use in synergy with Bacillus thuringiensis for lepidopteran control.

Despite their known negative effects on ecosystems and human health, synthetic pesticides are still largely used to control crop insect pests. Currently, the biopesticide market for insect biocontrol mainly relies on the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). New biocontrol tools for crop protection might derive from fungi, in particular from Trichoderma spp., which are known producers of chitinases and other bioactive compounds able to negatively affect insect survival. In this study, we first developed an environmentally sustainable production process for obtaining chitinases from Trichoderma asperellum ICC012. Then, we investigated the biological effects of this chitinase preparation - alone or in combination with a Bt-based product - when orally administered to two lepidopteran species. Our results demonstrate that T. asperellum efficiently produces a multi-enzymatic cocktail able to alter the chitin microfibril network of the insect peritrophic matrix, resulting in delayed development and larval death. The co-administration of T. asperellum chitinases and sublethal concentrations of Bt toxins increased larval mortality. This synergistic effect was likely due to the higher amount of Bt toxins that passed the damaged peritrophic matrix and reached the target receptors on the midgut cells of chitinase-treated insects. Our findings may contribute to the development of an integrated pest management technology based on fungal chitinases that increase the efficacy of Bt-based products, mitigating the risk of Bt-resistance development. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Radiation protection knowledge and practices among Moroccan dentists: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo analyze the current status of knowledge and practices among the Moroccan dentists in the region of Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, towards radiation protection. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire related to knowledge and practice regarding radiation protection of patients and dental staff from April to June 2022. The study sample included 325 dentists practicing in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region. The target population consisted of all dentists working in public, semi-public and private workplaces. Results96.6% of dentists were aware of radiation protection. However, nearly 35% were aware of ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle and 73.9% thought that dental X-rays are harmful. 63.6%of subjects used digital image receptor. Only 16.7% of them used a film holder and more than 60% didn't follow the position and distance rule. The median knowledge score was 7 [5, 9], and there was a statistically significant difference according to dentist qualification (P ​= ​0.007), dental radiation protection continuous training (P ​< ​0.0001), age (P = ​0.007) and years of experience (P ​= ​0.039). The median practice score was 5 [4, 6] and there was a statically significance association according to workplace setting (P ​= ​0.001). There was a significant positive relationship between knowledge score and practice score (r ​= ​0.24, P<0.0001). Dentist qualification (OR 0.51, 95%CI: 0.27–0.94, P ​= ​0.03) and continuous training (OR 2.40, 95%CI: 1.47–3.93, P<0.0001) were significant predictors of knowledge, while workplace setting (OR 0.54, 95%CI: 0.32–0.93, P ​= ​0.027) and knowledge score (OR 1.24, 95%CI: 1.12–1.38, P<0.0001) were predictors of practices. ConclusionImproving dentists' knowledge of radiation protection measures and tools as well as dose reduction techniques could increase their safe practices in dental radiology.

Legal Framework for the Aged: Progress and Pitfalls in India's Elderly Welfare Policies

Old age is the most vulnerable phase of human life cycle. It is at this phase that the elderly requires maximum care and protection. But the sociocultural changes associated with the globalization and development has weakened the traditional values and family support systems for senior citizens. There is an increase in the prevalence of elder abuse and difficulties in getting appropriate care and support. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWP) Act came into existence in the year 2007 is an important legislation in India which provides maintenance support to elderly parents and senior citizens and also safeguarded the elderly from exploitation and abuse. Considering the challenges it poised an immediate need to incorporate the necessary amendments was felt and the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2019 was passed. The new Act was passed so that the act gets more pragmatic value and becomes and important tool for elderly care and protection and reduce vulnerabilities and ensure holistic care with support in various bio-psycho-social domains.

Feasibility of biodegradable material polylactic acid as a substitute for polypropylene for disposable medical masks production verified by life cycle assessment

The Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has changed the lifestyles of billions of people. Face masks, as a daily protective tool, have become a must-have item. The number of masks discarded has soared, making environmental and hygiene problems impossible to ignore. The rapid development of biodegradable materials may be one of the solutions to this issue. In this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) was used as a method to quantitatively analyze the environmental impacts of two disposable medical masks, biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) and fossil-based polypropylene (PP). The results show that human toxicity (63.93%), acidification (39.93%), global warming potential (36.29%), and abiotic depletion (83.55%) of disposable medical masks mainly made of PLA were significantly lower than those of PP. The photochemical oxidation (4.89%) for PLA masks was slightly higher. The manufacturing cost per unit hour was 0.060 yuan (PP) and 0.0675 yuan (PLA). It was estimated that the replacement could reduce global carbon emissions by 321,392,700 tons and 466,400 tons for China. Furthermore, the process improvements in the raw material acquisition stage could maximize the benefits of carbon reduction.

The leading protective tool in the Russian debt market in 2023

The leading protective tool in the Russian debt market in 2023

Model of current threats to security of confiden-tial data in divisional information systems

The paper proposes a model for determining actual threats to the information security of distributed information systems, based on algorithms of fuzzy inference and the theory of fuzzy neural systems, unlike known ones, uses sufficient and necessary indicators, excludes expert errors, increases the detection of the number of actual threats to information security of distributed systems by 5 %, reduces the cost of purchasing information protection equipment from 15 to 30%. It takes into account the following factors: the IT infrastructure of the distributed information system, the capabilities of attackers and their level of motivation in the distributed information system, the list of existing protection tools in the distributed information system.&#x0D; The proposed approach differs from existing ones in the following: lack of involvement of highly qualified specialists in the field of information security; the process is automated, has a low computational complexity; absence of deficiencies in expert assessments; allows you to determine the list of current information security threats in information systems of various classes and types.&#x0D; The task of ensuring the security of confidential information becomes the most urgent, which is due to the growth of computer attacks and leaks of information, which are reflected in the statistical data on the commission of crimes in the field of high technologies, the growth of criminal activity using modern communication devices and the Internet.&#x0D; Existing methods of modeling current threats to information security and assessing the effectiveness of the information protection system cannot be used at all stages of the life cycle of distributed information systems - they do not take into account the following indicators in the complex: IT infrastructure of distributed information systems, current threats to information security, security requirements for confidential information, a list of means of protecting confidential information and their value as important indicators when solving these problems.&#x0D; In order to achieve the goals of ensuring the security of confidential information, it is necessary to: organize the effective creation of an information protection system (information security system), effective modeling (identification of the list) of current threats to information security, identification of the current violator, and also provide the opportunity to conduct a qualitative assessment of the effectiveness of the information security (protection) system.&#x0D; One of the most important tasks of ensuring the security of confidential information is the assessment of the effectiveness of the protection (security) system. In this regard, the goal of the work (research) is to improve the quality of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the protection (security) systems of distributed information systems by determining sufficient and necessary evaluation indicators using modern (promising) information technologies that allow the most effective solution of the following tasks: determination operating parameters of adaptive production fuzzy neural systems, which are most suitable for solving the tasks, application of Data Science technologies in data processing, fuzzy output algorithms.

A systematic overview of current advancements for chemical, material, and energy production using sewage sludge for industrial ecology and sustainability transition

AbstractUrbanization and population expansion have increased the demand for scarce resources such as land, water, food, and energy. Furthermore, it has heightened environmental concerns, such as pollution and waste management. The difficulties above present significant challenges to the broader goal of attaining global sustainable development. As a result, there is considerable concern about sustainable waste recycling and management solutions. Among these efforts, expanding wastewater treatment facilities has emerged as a critical tool for environmental protection. As a result of the growth of wastewater treatment facilities, there has been a significant increase in sewage sludge (SS) production. Consequently, an urgent need exists to investigate alternative treatment and value-added methods for sewage sludge. This review looks at the current state of sewage applications for energy and resource recovery to foster sustainable development and industrial ecology through sewage sludge feedstocks. Furthermore, it aims to promote additional research into improving existing sewage sludge management systems, ensuring their cost-effectiveness, public acceptance, and environmental sustainability.

Composite structure failure analysis post Lithium-Ion battery fire

The use of composite materials has expanded significantly in a variety of sectors. In road transport,lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are the most commonly used.It is standard practice for batteriesto be housed within a metal enclosure, whichprotects and enables extinguishment in the event ofThermal Runaway (TR). Composite materials have been shown to contribute to lightweighting in many vehicle structures and their use inbattery enclosures has been growing in recent years - with the aim of reducing the weight of the battery assembly and positively impacting vehicle range.This work develops Finite Element (FE) models to assess thermal and mechanical damage and failure mechanisms during a TR event considering a section of a composite battery enclosure. Experimental data for a cylindrical 18650 lithium-ion battery fire is studied and used to define representative thermal loading. This validated loading profile is applied to a composite specimen and material temperature data is used to appraise damage. Finally, the predicted damage isused to predict and quantify the residual failure mechanism and strength of the specimen post battery fire. Results have shown the presence of damage from a single cell runaway can potentially reduce the strength of the specimen by 20% while multi-cell runaway can potentially reduce the strength by 56%. The predictive simulation capability herein could be used as a design tool for battery fire protection of composite enclosures, potentially reducing the need for corrective action, minimising the number of physical tests to support design and certification, as well as aiding in the interpretation of physical test results.

An Assessment of Factors Affecting Employee Performance in Zambian Local Authorities: A Case Study of Lukulu Town Council

Organizational performance through employee performance has been a major global concern of companies and as such various organizations have shifted focus on engineering their employee management processes. The purpose of the study was to assess factors affecting employee performance in Zambian municipalities. The study was guided by three objectives which were; to establish effects of employee motivation on employee performance; to find out the effect of working conditions on employee performance, and to establish the effect of management style on employee performance. A mixed method approach was used with questionnaire and scheduled interviews as data collection tools. A census was used to derive the total sample size of 93 employees. Stratified sampling technique was utilized where 93 respondents were administered with questionnaires while 11 respondents were selected for qualitative data collection through interviews. The study utilized a descriptive approach to quantitative data analysis through the use of SPSS while qualitative data was themed for content analysis. The study response was 97%. The results revealed that majority of the employees at 83% stated that they did not receive enough morale to achieve their tasks which depicted lack of motivation through performance management strategies and feedback. Similarly, 70% stated that they lacked a proper environment, tools, personal protective clothing, and equipment to undertake their tasks effectively and efficiently. Further, 75% stated that there was no key consultation and feedback with regards to tasks and grievances, which are a critical component for motivation and effective performance of roles and responsibilities. Employees felt discriminated which is contrary to the aspirations of the Equity Theory. The study concluded that despite setting clear organizational goals, management lacked proper merit based performance management strategies interlaced with motivation techniques, the creation of a conducive working environment through provision of requisite tools for effective performance and proper establishment of both vertical and horizontal work relationships between superiors and subordinates for effective communication. Therefore, the study strongly recommends the establishment of reward based performance management systems with measurable key performance indicators to accord feedback to the employees along with the need to invest in employee health and safety through provision of well-ventilated office space, personal protective equipment and other working tools. There must be deliberately established systems of top-bottom communication to create a sense of belonging and promote inclusiveness in decision making for employees at production level through necessary key consultations and performance feedback.

Regional Perspective of Using Cyber Insurance as a Tool for Protection of Agriculture 4.0

The digitalization of the agricultural industry is manifested through the active use of innovative technologies in all its areas. Agribusiness owners have to constantly improve their security to meet new challenges. In this context, the existing cyber risks of the agrarian industry were assessed and their classification by possible consequences, such as data theft or alteration, cyber terrorism, cyber warfare, software hacking or modification, the blocking of markets and transactions on them, was proposed. Cyber insurance is an effective tool for minimizing the likelihood of cyber incidents and for comprehensive post-incident support, with the involvement of cybersecurity specialists. An algorithm for cooperation between an agricultural company and an insurance company when concluding a cyber risk insurance contract is proposed, which takes into account the needs and wishes of insurers at each stage of the interaction. To assess the need to use cyber insurance in agriculture 4.0, a methodology has been developed to evaluate the regional characteristics of cybersecurity and the digitalization of agribusiness. The results of the study show a heterogeneous need for this tool in different regions of the world.

Dual-Dataset Deep Learning for Improved Forest Fire Detection: A Novel Hierarchical Domain-Adaptive Learning Approach

This study introduces a novel hierarchical domain-adaptive learning framework designed to enhance wildfire detection capabilities, addressing the limitations inherent in traditional convolutional neural networks across varied forest environments. The framework innovatively employs a dual-dataset approach, integrating both non-forest and forest-specific datasets to train a model adept at handling diverse wildfire scenarios. The methodology leverages a novel framework that combines shared layers for broad feature extraction with specialized layers for forest-specific details, demonstrating versatility across base models. Initially demonstrated with EfficientNetB0, this adaptable approach could be applicable with various advanced architectures, enhancing wildfire detection. The research’s comparative analysis, benchmarking against conventional methodologies, showcases the proposed approach’s enhanced performance. It particularly excels in accuracy, precision, F1-score, specificity, MCC, and AUC-ROC. This research significantly reduces false positives in wildfire detection through a novel blend of multi-task learning, dual-dataset training, and hierarchical domain adaptation. Our approach advances deep learning in data-limited, complex environments, offering a critical tool for ecological conservation and community protection against wildfires.

Biochar as a potential tool to mitigate nutrient exports from managed boreal forest: A laboratory and field experiment

AbstractForest management in drained forested peatlands can negatively affect water quality due to the increase in exports of organic matter and nutrients. Therefore, new methods to alleviate this impact are needed. In laboratory conditions, biochar has been shown to be a strong sorbent of organic and inorganic nutrients due to its high surface area and ion‐exchange capacity. However, evidence of the adsorption capacity in field conditions is lacking. Here, we studied the water purification performance of two different biochar feedstocks (wood‐ and garden residue‐based) in a 10‐day laboratory experiment where we incubated biochar with runoff water collected from drainage ditches in clear‐cut peatland forests. We measured changes in pH and concentrations of inorganic phosphorus (PO4), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The biochar with the best adsorbent capacity in the laboratory experiment was then tested in field conditions in a replicated catchment‐scale experiment, where both clear‐cutting and ditch cleaning were performed. We determined the nutrient concentration of water at the inlet and outlet of biochar filters placed in outflow ditches of four catchments. We found that under laboratory conditions wood‐based biochar efficiently adsorbed TDN and DOC, however, it released PO4. Furthermore, we found that the biochar filters reduced TDN and DOC concentration in field conditions. However, the percentage decrease in concentration was dependent on the initial concentrations of nutrients in the water and could be considered low. Moreover, we found that the biochar in the filters increased in TN content over the course of the experiment. This suggests that a wood‐based biochar filter has the potential to be a water protection tool for reducing the export of nutrients from catchments with high nutrient concentration. And that the biochar from the ditches could be applied back to the regenerating forest catchment as a potential soil amendment, closing the nutrient cycle.

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE TOOLS OF ECONOMIC PROTECTION OF ENTERPRISES IN THE CONDITIONS OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITY

Purpose. The use of tools for the economic protection of enterprises in the conditions of international activity is related to the determination of the effectiveness and relative value of measures designed to preserve the autonomy of the enterprise, develop the identity of its production and economic and international economic activities, satisfy the needs and interests of stakeholders, etc. At the same time, in the process of using the tools of economic protection, it’s necessary to ensure monitoring of information regarding changes in the company’s activity parameters (under the influence of groups of threats from the external environment), which characterize management processes, its financial condition, etc. This is necessary to achieve a sustainable development and the optimal flow of the processes of industrial and economic and international economic activity and is implemented in the process of economic evaluation. Determining the differences in the evaluation of the tools of economic protection of enterprises and the level of security of the enterprise in the conditions of international activity allowed to outline the properties that should be taken into account when analyzing the action of the tools used to ensure the work and normal functioning of the enterprise in the conditions of the threat of international economic relations. Design/methodology/approach. To achieve the goals of the article, the methodology of multi-level linguistic decision-making (ML-LDM), as well as theoretical generalization, comparison, scientific abstraction, was used. Findings. Evaluation of the tools of economic protection of enterprises in the conditions of international activity is included among the unstructured problems, characterized by the multifacetedness of the problem situation and a large number of stakeholders and experts who should be involved in the evaluation processes. In the conditions of international economic activity, it is recommended to apply the methodology of multi-level linguistic decision-making (ML-LDM) for the economic evaluation of the tools of economic protection of enterprises. Originality/value. To ensure the effectiveness of evaluation in the process of using the methodology of multi-level linguistic decision-making, the article indicates a list of steps. It includes the specification of a problematic situation and the use of expert assessments; preparation and aggregation of assessments received from experts; transformation of linguistic evaluations of economic protection tools in the conditions of international activity into the form of HFLTS; standardization of HFLTS data; multi-criteria comparison of tools according to the level of performance of tasks regarding the economic protection of enterprises in the conditions of international activity; accumulation of scores by level of abstraction and formation of each aggregated value for an alternative. Practical implications. Implementation of the recommendations was carried out in the practical activities of “Euro Forwarding” LLC, which uses 12 economic protection tools in the conditions of international activity. According to the results of their multi-criteria evaluation by a group of 12 experts, it was established that as a result of accretion at all used levels of abstraction, the highest level of performance of “Euro Forwarding” LLC has currency reservations.

Policy instruments as a trigger for urban sprawl deceleration: monitoring the stability and transformations of green areas

The socialist era postponed suburbanisation in Central and Eastern European countries. After 1990, the process became extremely intensive and transformed the compact form of cities into more decentralised and dispersed urban structures. Therefore, the study aims to identify the main trends in land-cover transformation caused by urban sprawl in peri-urban areas of three Central and Eastern European cities (NUTS 3 level: the Pest County, Bratislava Region, and Krakowski subregion). In addition, we identified various policy tools for green infrastructure protection. We further investigated the extent to which the presence of legal means of nature conservation affects the stability of natural and seminatural areas. The research used an original questionnaire and spatio-temporal analysis. It has been confirmed that after decades of socialism, a highly intensive urban sprawl process started in the analysed regions. It generally slowed down after 2000 except for the Krakowski subregion. The majority of new artificial areas replaced agricultural land. Despite the dynamic urban sprawl, almost one-third of the analysed Central and Eastern European peri-urban areas were stable natural and seminatural areas. The traditional nature conservation tools proved to be effective in preserving natural and seminatural areas, but the protection of landscapes exposed to urban sprawl needs specific tools. The effectiveness of urban sprawl control is hindered by the fact that spatial planning competences are dispersed. This research may influence monitoring urban sprawl and offer an innovative method because it combines spatial analysis (quantitative approach) with the impact of policy tools (qualitative approach).

Exploring the potential of silymarin in agriculture: A review

Silymarin, a bioactive compound derived primarily from the seeds and fruit of the milk thistle (Silybum marianum) plant, has garnered increasing attention in recent years due to its potential applications in agriculture. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted role of silymarin in agricultural practices, shedding light on its chemistry, biological activities, and diverse applications. The chemical structure and properties of silymarin are elucidated, emphasizing its unique solubility, stability, and bioavailability, which render it suitable for agricultural use. A significant portion of the review is dedicated to examining the biological activities of silymarin, which encompasses its antioxidant properties. The underlying mechanisms responsible for these activities are explored, highlighting their potential as a natural solution for mitigating environmental stressors that adversely affect crop health and productivity. Illustrative examples from research studies and practical applications underscore its effectiveness in safeguarding agricultural yields and ensuring food security. Furthermore, the review delves into the potential of silymarin to enhance crop growth, yield, and quality. Mechanisms through which silymarin influences plant physiology and metabolism are examined, providing valuable insights into its role as a growth-promoting agent in agriculture. The review concludes with a forward-looking examination of the prospects of silymarin in agriculture, highlighting emerging trends and areas of innovation that hold promise for sustainable and resilient farming systems. In summary, this review consolidates the current body of knowledge surrounding silymarin’s potential in agriculture. It underscores the versatility of silymarin as a natural tool for crop protection, growth enhancement, and environmental sustainability, offering valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking innovative approaches to address the challenges of modern agriculture.

Labor safety improvement at heat and power supply facilities

Improving the occupational safety management system involves the development of recommendations for implementing modern methods for assessing occupational risks and the hazards of technological processes, using effective collective and individual protection tools, making decisions on the development of investment programs intended to improve conditions and labor protection at enterprises. The purpose of the study is to analyze accidents and injuries at heat and power supply facilities and develop measures to improve occupational safety management and reduce man-made risks. The procedure for selecting an optimal method for managing occupational safety, assessing professional risks, and the method of informing about working conditions using digital technologies were used. Measures aimed to manage occupational risks at heat and power supply facilities were developed. It was recommended to involve qualified specialists and psychologists in labor safety management, to implement digital technologies to calculate the level of occupational risks and inform workers about working conditions. Recommendations on occupational safety culture as a measure aimed to improve industrial safety were given. The proposed measures may improve safety and working conditions at heat and power supply facilities, improve social responsibility and safety culture, and simplify the procedure for informing workers about occupational risks.

Object Detection Model for Marine Organisms Based on Faster R-CNN

With the development of marine resources, image-based biological target detection technology has gradually become the core method of marine ecological monitoring. This paper adopts Faster R-CNN technology, combined with two deep learning models, VGG and ResNet50, to improve the efficiency of target detection and recognition of underwater organisms. By combining large-scale annotated seabed image datasets for training, accurate localization and recognition of biological targets in images can be achieved. Compared to ResNet50, VGG performs better in complex seabed environments, with its mAP 1.75% higher than ResNet50, indicating higher detection accuracy and robustness. Besides, this study provides a practical and feasible solution for underwater ecological monitoring, verifying the excellent performance of ResNet50 in marine biological target detection, and providing an important and reliable support tool for deep-sea scientific research and ecological protection.

The socio-technical organization of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in child welfare

ABSTRACT In this article we use institutional ethnography to investigate the intersection between provincially mandated digital technologies intended to streamline decision-making, improve communication, and create efficiencies and the development and implementation of strategies to institutionalize Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (or EDI) in child welfare contexts. These two moves collide in the Child Welfare Redesign – a state-led initiative that organizes the convergence of data and diversity work in local Children’s Aid Societies in the Canadian province of Ontario. Drawing on 38 interviews with child welfare directors, supervisors, and managers coupled with extensive documentary research, our findings show how the Ontario Child Welfare Redesign goal to make child welfare services more “inclusive” and “culturally appropriate” for Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities who are overrepresented among those receiving child welfare services is undermined by the continued use of provincial information management infrastructure and the provincially mandated Child Protection Standards and Tools.

The dark web: A hidden menace or a tool for privacy protection

The dark web has long been a subject of debate, as it raises questions about its covert threats and privacy safeguarding capabilities. It's an internet realm requiring specific software or authorization, notorious for illegal activities and untraceable transactions. Researchers and law enforcement agencies use the dark web for intelligence gathering on cybercriminals, making it crucial in understanding the evolution of the internet and emerging criminal activities. Additionally, studying the dark web helps identify cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. This research explores the relationship between the dark web and mental health, investigating the public's perception of the dark web as both a hidden menace and a tool for privacy protection. The primary aim is to examine the correlation between public perception and engagement in dark web services, while also exploring potential mental health ramifications. To collect data, we conducted a survey among university students and regular internet users. The research process involved identifying 18 research questions covering topics such as dark web knowledge, usage frequency, security measures, awareness of government regulations, ability to differentiate legal and illegal content, transaction methods, and understanding the dark web's role in promoting freedom of speech. We collected 158 responses from different departments of Chandigarh University, removing duplicates to retain 156 responses meeting our criteria. Data was compiled in an Excel file for further statistical evaluation. While the dark web is not widely accessed, users may experience psychological consequences due to its association with cybercrime, disturbing content, and radicalization. This connection leads to heightened anxiety, fear, and distress among users. Concerns about privacy, security, and associated risks further contribute to these apprehensions. Motivations for dark web access, such as curiosity and anonymity, may stem from underlying psychological factors. However, navigating illegal and potentially harmful content can result in emotional turmoil, moral dilemmas, guilt, or shame. These findings highlight the need for public awareness campaigns, educational initiatives, and targeted interventions promoting mental well-being and safe internet practices. Enhancing individuals' knowledge about the dark web's risks and potential psychological consequences empowers them to make informed decisions and protect their mental health in the digital age.