Many solutions empowering businesses like yours — internet telephony and cloud technology, to name two examples — are possible because of the internet. But not everything on the world wide web can benefit your organization. The dark web, in particular, can pose a very serious danger to your company, your vendors, and your customers. This is why dark web scanning, a specialized service offered by many managed IT services providers (MSPs) like Fidelis , is so important.
What is the dark web?
The dark web is a part of the internet composed of websites and services that are intentionally hidden from the average user. Unlike public web resources that you can readily access using conventional internet browsers like Chrome or Safari, those on the dark web are accessible only through specialty software.
The privacy and criminal laws that govern the public internet do not reach far into the dark web, which is why the latter is a hotbed of illegal activities. In fact, among the resources commonly traded in its online marketplaces are private data stolen during cyberattacks. Back in 2021, for instance, cybercriminals put up data they scraped from over 700 million LinkedIn accounts for sale on the dark web.
Stolen data is a popular commodity because it can be used to commit identity theft, fraud, and other cyberattacks. Different types of data fetch various prices depending on the information’s sensitivity and potential applications. Social media account details, for example, could cost less than $10, while passport information prices soared up to $6,000 last year.
What is dark web scanning?
A dark web scan uses artificial intelligence (AI) to scour lists of data, also known as data dumps, found on the dark web. The goal is to identify data that may have been stolen from your company without your knowledge.
To get started, you need to provide the information you want the scanner to find, such as your email address, domain name, or a set of credentials. The tool will then scan websites, marketplaces, and other areas in the dark web where data dumps are traded. Once the tool detects your information, it will issue an alert.
Dark web scanning is crucial because it proves the existence of vulnerabilities in your IT systems. Thanks to the insights it provides, you’ll know it’s time to reevaluate and strengthen your cybersecurity infrastructure, potentially reducing the risk and impacts of future cyberattacks.
What is dark web monitoring?
Dark web monitoring is a service that may be packaged together with or offered as an add-on to dark web scanning. Just like dark web scans, this service uses AI to parse through data dumps, but the process happens continuously.
How soon you respond to a breach is critical to mitigating its impact not just on your business, but on your customers and other stakeholders as well. With dark web monitoring, you are immediately notified of a potential breach, enabling you to respond as promptly as possible.
The dark web can be a dangerous place, so you should think twice about diving in and looking for your data yourself. Dark web scanning and monitoring are best left to companies that specialize in gathering data and which have the tools and experience to find your data and provide you with the best outcomes.
Learn everything you need to know about data breaches and how to prevent them by downloading this free eBook.
