If you’re compiling links for legitimate research or security monitoring, prioritize safety and legality above all else. Start by defining a narrow research goal — for example, academic study of phishing trends or cataloguing archived .onion leak reports — and reject any task that would require participation in criminal activity. Narrow scope keeps the list useful and defensible.
Use reputable, public sources as your primary inputs. Look for academic papers, security-research blogs, archived captures (e.g., Wayback snapshots of public reports), CVE/malware databases, and well-known cybersecurity community posts. Cross-reference every entry: a single forum mention is not enough to trust a URL. Favor sources that explain context and have an audit trail rather than anonymous “recommendations.”
Keep the list offline and encrypted. Store links in an encrypted note or container (there are free solutions available) and avoid pasting identifying personal data into notes. Maintain metadata for each entry — why it was added, the vetted source, date checked, and a short safety classification — so future reviewers understand the provenance and risk level.
Limit your spending to essential, low-cost protections. Many useful tools are free; if you choose to spend money, $10–$20 can cover a short subscription to a reputable VPN or a month of a trusted security newsletter that provides vetted indicators and context. Spend only on reputable services and always document receipts and rationale if the work is for an organization.
Finally, operate transparently and ethically. If your research uncovers potentially criminal activity, do not engage: preserve evidence, protect identities, and escalate to the appropriate authorities or an institutional review board. Clear scope, careful vetting, encrypted storage, and minimal, well-documented spending let you build a useful, defensible link list without encouraging harm.