Have you ever heard of the dark web? Then you probably know that it can be just as ‘dark’ as it sounds. For both organizations and individuals, there is always a risk that confidential data ends up on this hidden part of the internet and is even sold by cybercriminals. Of course, you want to prevent this. In this blog, we explain what the dark web is exactly, why it can be dangerous and how you can effectively protect your company data.
What is the dark web?
You can think of the Internet as an iceberg, which consists of three layers:
Surface web
This ‘top’ part of the internet is accessible to everyone and consists of websites that can be found via search engines. Almost everyone uses this part daily.
Deep web
This larger ‘lower’ part of the internet contains information that is not accessible to everyone and requires authentication. Think of medical or corporate information and intranets.
Dark web
The dark web is a part of the deep web. Anonymity is paramount here, which makes both legal and illegal practices possible. Many criminal activities take place on this hidden part of the internet, such as trading leaked company data, credit card details and hacking software. Although this part of the internet is known for these criminal activities, it is also used for legitimate purposes such as protecting privacy by journalists and activists to be able to communicate safely.
What are the dangers of the dark web?
On the dark web, criminals can communicate anonymously with each other, performing various illegal activities. These activities can have negative consequences for organizations. The following things are regularly leaked and sold on this part of the internet:
- Sensitive Company Data: Login credentials, credit card numbers, and other sensitive company information are sold for small amounts of money. This is how criminals can sometimes penetrate the most critical corporate systems.
- Phishing templates: Phishing templates are also traded. This allows cybercriminals to send convincing phishing attacks.
- Ransomware: Malicious software is easy to obtain here and can be deployed without the cybercriminal having any technical knowledge.
Protect your data with dark web monitoring
Our ‘dark web monitoring’ service searches the dark web for information that relates to your organization. For example, it checks whether stolen login details, credit card numbers and other company information have been leaked or sold on the dark web. Is something found? You will be warned immediately and receive a report with details about the leaked data, such as:
- Which accounts have had their login details leaked?
- When was this data found on the dark web?
- How did this data get there?
This way you can take the right actions to prevent further damage such as identity theft and financial damage. For example, you can reset your passwords or increase the security of certain accounts. In this way, you can respond as quickly as possible to possible threats as an organization and increase your cyber security.
Dark web monitoring proactively searches for sensitive data that has ended up in the wrong place, before it can be abused. Do you also want to protect your company data and take your cybersecurity to the next level? Then contact us without obligation!
