For many people, the internet is mostly social media apps, Google, and work apps.
Possibly online games as well.
However, a huge part of the Internet is hidden from standard users. It’s called the dark web and is inaccessible with common internet browsers like Google or Bing.
Data shows it’s a hotbed for criminal activities where your personal and business data can be misused. That can harm your reputation and badly hurt your business.
But there’s a way to prevent it — Dark web monitoring.
This article covers the dark web and protecting yourself from its harms via dark web monitoring.
Let’s explore more about the subject.
Understanding the Dark Web & Its Activities
The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that is not indexed by Google or Bing. It’s an online secret space; to access it, you need special software like Tor (The Onion Router) or I2P (Invisible Internet Project).
Unlike the regular Internet, the dark web operates on encrypted networks, which allows users and websites to remain anonymous.
Sadly, people use this anonymity mostly for criminal activities.
In fact, stats show that 56.8% of the content found on the dark web is illegal. And that’s just an estimate. The actual numbers could be higher.
Here are some activities that commonly happen on the dark web:
1. Stolen Data Trade
Leaked personal information, such as passwords, credit card details, and Social Security numbers, is commonly bought and sold on the dark web.
2. Cybercrime Services
People hire hackers for DDoS attacks, ransomware distribution, and malware creation so they can harm someone.
3. Illicit Marketplaces
The sale of drugs, weapons, counterfeit documents, and stolen goods is a usual activity on the dark web.
4. Financial Fraud
People hack databases and sell them on the dark web for money. Many illegal financial activities occur there, such as trading hacked bank accounts, credit card skimming, and money laundering services.
5. Identity Theft & Fake IDs
Identity theft is a popular crime on the dark web where people use someone’s information to make fake passports, driver’s licenses, etc.
Now imagine having your personal or business details end up there. You get the idea of how horrific it could be, right?
You could risk data breaches, business losses, and your personal security.
The stakes are high, and it’s best to take measures to prevent your digital data from ending up on the dark web. To stay safe from all these activities, you need dark web monitoring.
What is Dark Web Monitoring & Why Is It Important?
Dark web monitoring is a cybersecurity service that scans the dark web for stolen data. It could be personal or business data.
The service looks for crucial information such as sensitive documents, financial details, and compromised passwords.
When you hire someone to monitor your information, they’ll constantly scan places like hidden online markets, hacker forums, and illegal data dumps to detect if your personal or business information has been compromised.
Here’s why it’s important to have dark web monitoring services:
1. It Protects Your Identity
If hackers or anyone else has your data, they can sell it on the dark web, and criminal activities can happen under your name. Imagine a criminal flying across Europe on a fake passport made in your name.
With constant monitoring, you can catch information leaks early and prevent crimes from happening. You can even change your passwords and credentials to protect your accounts.
2. It Helps Businesses
Hackers are keen on selling business data on the dark web because it fetches them good money. But that can be so harmful to your business.
Think about what happens if hackers leak your customers’ credit card information on the dark web. With active dark web monitoring, you can prevent losses. Even if a mishap happens, you can detect it early and take measures to control the damage.
How Does Dark Web Monitoring Work?
Dark web monitoring is done via special tools that look for real-time information. You can feed in the information that you want protected, and they’ll look for it.
Here’s more detail about how dark web monitoring works.
1. Data Collection & Scanning
Monitoring tools collect data and then scan it for sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card information, etc. They’ll even search for leaked databases to determine whether your business data is compromised.
2. It Uses AI
Dark web monitoring is now done via AI tools. AI helps to scan faster and offer more accurate results.
AI tools also learn patterns, offering them even more efficiency than legacy dark web monitoring systems.
3. It Sends Reports & Alerts
These tools create reports for every scan and present the findings. If they find anything suspicious, they’ll also send notifications to alert you about potential threats.
This way, you’ll immediately know of data compromises and can take quick action.
4. Preventive Action & Remediation
Security experts recommend mitigation measures, such as enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and monitoring financial transactions.
These are helpful in both cases: to prevent your data from going on the dark web and to remedy the situation in case the data is stolen.
What Can Dark Web Monitoring Find?
Depending on the efficiency of your tools and monitoring experts, dark web monitoring can find many things. Here are some examples:
- Leaked Login Credentials
- Financial Information
- Personal Identification Data
- Corporate Data Breaches
- Medical & Insurance Records
- Dark Web Marketplace Mentions
- Phishing & Scam Attempts
You can consult experts and even customise your searches. The wider the scope of your search is, the more secure your data protection will be.
It truly depends on your needs and the purpose of the dark web monitoring.
For example, individuals may be fine with just basic searches every week; however, businesses may need daily monitoring.
Is Dark Web Monitoring Enough?
Dark web monitoring is crucial but not a substitute for working with online best practices.
Ensure that you maintain your safety to the best possible extent. Here are some steps to maintain digital security:
1. Use Strong & Unique Passwords
Avoid using similar passwords for all your software, tools, and accounts. There are password wallets available that you can use to enhance security. Also, use strong passwords via password generators.
2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Add an extra layer of security to your accounts to prevent unauthorised access, even if your password is leaked. If you ever get notifications for unauthorised access, change your passwords immediately.
3. Be Cautious with Emails & Links
Avoid clicking on suspicious emails, attachments, or links that could be phishing attempts. Try your best to only open emails from trusted senders. It’s best to avoid clicking the email altogether if there’s any doubt.
4. Limit Personal Information Sharing
Be mindful of what you share on social media, public forums, and unsecured websites. People can use your personal details negatively. Also, control who can view the content you share online.
5. Use Secure Networks & VPNs
When accessing sensitive accounts, use trusted Wi-Fi networks or a VPN to protect your data from hackers. Also, avoid connecting to public WiFi networks at all costs. If you absolutely have to do it for some unavoidable reason, only connect to it via VPNs to add a strong layer of security.
How Can You Get Dark Web Monitoring?
You can have your data monitored on the dark web in 2 ways.
- Free Options
Some services that you choose may do the dark web monitoring for you for free. That’s because your data privacy is in their best interest, and fraud or malicious activities can cause legal troubles for them.
These can be your credit card companies, banks, healthcare, etc. However, they’ll only scan for information that can cause problems for them. Also, these institutions do more batch hunting than individual scans.
So, this offers some basic safety, but it’s not comprehensive.
- Paid Services
Here, you can get extensive dark web monitoring and customise it to your needs. Paid services offer better monitoring and alerts in real time.
This is best for individuals and especially businesses that want extreme caution. You can consult about the best services from security and IT experts. Moreover, you can also have IT professionals look out for your dark web monitoring so you never have to worry about tracking it on your own.
What Should You Do if Your Info is Found?
This is important — what should you do if you discover that your information got leaked on the dark web?
Firstly, panicking will only make things worse. The best step is to take charge. Here are some immediate actions to take to prevent any losses.
- Change Passwords
Change the password for any account that was found. As a precaution, change passwords of all critical accounts and immediately add 2FA for additional security.
- Check Your Accounts
Check your bank statements for anomalies. If everything looks fine, your details weren’t probably abused. Also, notify your bank of potential fraudulent transactions and ask them to call you before approving any transaction.
- Freeze Your Cards
If sensitive financial data is leaked, consider freezing your credit to prevent identity thieves from opening accounts in your name.
- Notify Stakeholders
If business data is leaked, then notify relevant parties so they can protect themselves from losses. Also, IT assistants should be contacted immediately to prevent business losses.
- Enable Dark Web Monitoring Alerts
Use monitoring services to track if your information appears in future breaches.
Is Dark Web Monitoring Worth It
Yes. Dark web monitoring can save you from financial losses, reputation damages, and even extortion threats. Most businesses and individuals are unaware of the true dangers of getting your data exposed on the dark web.
Regularly monitoring your data gives you peace of mind and the chance to act quickly if a mishap occurs. Without this, you may know about data leaks too late, and by then, the losses could be too big to control.
Ready to Protect Your Data?
Regular dark web monitoring is a hassle-free way to keep your data protected and focus on business operations without worries.
As discussed, the dark web is a hotbed for crimes; if your data gets there, it can cause problems for you. By monitoring your data, you can peacefully carry out your digital activities.
If you’re keen to learn more about the dark web or how to protect your business or individual data, contact us right away.
