Dark Web Scanning: Why Is It Important?
November 11th, 2020 by Ed Hoffmann
DARK WEB SCANNING: WHY IT IS IMPORTANT?
Have you heard of the dark web? It’s the hidden part of the internet where the illegal activity takes place online. The dark web has become a hotspot for criminals who want to sell your data. Fortunately, dark web scans are now accessible and detailed. Here’s why understanding it is essential for your business.
A dark web scan is a service offered by companies that will search the dark web for you, combing through its extensive databases of stolen usernames, passwords, Social Security numbers, and credit card numbers for sale.
The scans providers will then notify you if they find your personal information on the dark web. Even though there’s no way of removing your personal information from the dark web, once you know what information is exposed, you can take action to help protect yourself against identity theft.
What is the Dark Web?
Picture2-1The dark web features websites that you can’t access through the usual channels. Usually, these websites end in .onion. To access them, you need to download a unique browser called Tor and use its associated search engine, DuckDuckGo.
Not all the information on the dark web is devious and immoral. But some sites will sell your login credentials to buyers who are interested in identity theft. Startlingly, the dark web represents 99% of the internet you can’t Google.
What kind of information is on the Dark Web?
As you can see, fraudsters can get just about anything they want from the dark web, and that might include your personal information. The prices that cybercriminals fetch for these items can vary. For instance, criminals might pay $1 for a stolen Social Security number or from $20 to $200 for login information for your PayPal account. They might pay $5 to $110 to access your stolen credit card information.
Depending on the skill of the criminal who buys your data, your losses could range from someone using your bank account to someone stealing your business data. If the person who has purchased your data knows your business activities, they could breach your current security defenses. Using a combination of identifying information, they may be able to bypass two-factor or multifactor authentication.
Unfortunately, this could then lead to you losing your customer and client data. While this example is extreme, it does reveal how far the problem could go.
How does a Dark Web scan work?
A dark web scan works by scouring stolen personal information collections and alerting you if your data is discovered. You can then take the appropriate steps to help mitigate the resulting damage.
What is the importance of Dark Web scanning?
- Compromised credentials are used to conduct further criminal activity
- 60% of employees use the same password for all services such as network login, social media, and SaaS business applications, exponentially increasing the potential damage from a single compromised credential – even one that does not originate from within a company network
- Over 75% of compromised credentials are discovered after the fact – either at the time of breach or when reported to the victim’s organization by law enforcement
- Size does NOT matter: 43% of online attacks are aimed at small businesses, and nearly 70% of SMBs experienced cyberattacks in 2019.
- Once breached, 70% of companies with fewer than 250 employees were forced offline for a period of time, 37% experienced measurable financial loss, and fully 10% were forced out of business altogether
Because over 80% of breaches begin with stolen credentials, real-time monitoring is a vital layer of protection. The good news is this: live, ongoing dark web scanning is a very inexpensive solution that even the smallest companies can afford.
How can I scan the Dark Web for free?
Cybersecurity services sometimes offer dark web scans. If you’re worried that your financial information has been exposed on the dark web, such a service could help alleviate or confirm these fears.
To get your complimentary, no-obligation dark web scan for your business, please visit function-4.com and enter your company website in the comments section as in the example on the right.
Posted in: Cybersecurity