Monitoring the Dark Web: Why It Matters and How to Do It

The dark web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through standard web browsers. It is often associated with illegal activities, making it a breeding ground for cybercriminals. Monitoring the dark web is essential for businesses and individuals to protect themselves from potential threats. In this article, we will discuss why monitoring the dark web matters and how to do it effectively.

Why Monitoring the Dark Web Matters

Final Thought On Dark Web Monitoring

Cybercriminals often use the dark web to buy and sell stolen data, including credit card information, personal identities, and intellectual property. By monitoring the dark web, businesses and individuals can identify potential threats and take action to protect themselves. Here are some reasons why monitoring the dark web is essential:

Furthermore, cybersecurity platforms and professionals adhere to ethical guidelines and legal requirements, so they do not engage with illegal activities on the dark web. Their goal is to identify and mitigate potential threats, not to interact with the illicit components of this hidden network. Dark web monitoring involves proactively scanning and analyzing the dark web to identify potential threats linked to your organization’s data. Additionally, being aware of employees using their corporate email accounts on external sites allows your organization to proactively remediate and prevent data breaches. Flare monitors thousands of cybercrime channels across sources as diverse as Telegram, the traditional dark web (Tor) and I2P.

For example, if you don’t run your tool as a managed service, you may need to spend some time setting up and tuning the monitoring for maximum effect. Dark web monitoring services, like Bolster’s , play a crucial role in helping businesses detect and respond to threats originating from the dark web. Get visibility into illicit activity such as malware and phishing kits, pre-built exploits, and underground activity and chatter. Bolster allows organizations to easily identify criminal intentions and predict how threat actors will behave.

• Protect Your Business: By monitoring the dark web, businesses can identify and mitigate potential threats before they cause damage. This includes identifying stolen data, phishing scams, and other types of cyberattacks.
• Protect Your Identity: Personal identities are often sold on the dark web. By monitoring the dark web, individuals can identify if their personal information has been compromised and take action to protect themselves.
• Stay Informed: Monitoring the dark web can help businesses and individuals stay informed about the latest cyber threats and trends. This information can be used to improve cybersecurity measures and protect against future attacks.

Credit ScoresTypes Of Identity Theft And Fraud

How to Monitor the Dark Web

That said it’s not only illegal activity the dark web is used for, Facebook and NyTimes have sites on the dark web as well as a number of other legitimate publications and companies. ImmuniWeb® is an honorable mention to our list of the top 10 dark web scanners. The company’s suite of products offer easy, affordable penetration testing that anyone can use.

Monitoring the dark web can be challenging, but there are several tools and techniques that can help. Here are some ways to monitor the dark web effectively:

What Is Dark Web Monitoring?

Use Dark Web Monitoring Tools

Estimates place the size of the deep web at between 96% and 99% of the internet. Moving lower down the rabbit hole, you finally get to the infamous dark web. To determine if your passwords were exposed in a data breach, Sticky Password prepares a unique and anonymous request to the ARC database of breach data at Crossword Cybersecurity.

• Dark web monitoring tools are not illegal, but they do not take any action to remove your information from ending up on the dark web.
• Like CrowdStrike, this system requires you to set up a list of identifiers for your company, which include domain names, addresses, and product names.
• Dark web monitoring is hugely important to businesses as, without it, it’s extremely difficult to find out whether your information has been leaked.
• The dark web is a hidden part of the deep web that isn’t indexed by search engines.
• Using Falcon Intelligence Recon can help businesses prioritize vulnerabilities based on real-life observed exploits, by offering insights on all publicly known CVEs, related actors, and threat research reports.
• No one can prevent all identity theft or monitor all transactions effectively.

There are several dark web monitoring tools available that can help businesses and individuals monitor the dark web for potential threats. These tools use advanced algorithms to scan the dark web for stolen data, phishing scams, and other types of cyber threats. Some popular dark web monitoring tools include DarkOwl, Webhose, and Sixgill.

Conduct Regular Dark Web Searches

Conducting regular dark web searches can help businesses and individuals identify potential threats. This can be done using a dark web browser such as Tor. When conducting a dark web search, it is essential to use caution and avoid clicking on any suspicious links or downloading any files.

Partner with a Cybersecurity Firm

Partnering with a cybersecurity firm can help businesses and individuals effectively monitor the dark web. Cybersecurity firms have access to advanced tools and techniques that can help identify potential threats and mitigate risks. Additionally, cybersecurity firms can provide guidance on improving cybersecurity measures and protecting against future attacks.

Dark web monitoring tools work in a similar way to a normal search engine but are custom-built to scour the deepest parts of the dark web. Using these tools, it is possible to find leaked data such as stolen login credentials, intellectual property, and other forms of sensitive data that are being shared or sold by cybercriminals. Dark Web Monitoring is an invaluable tool to assist organizations in detecting stolen data and protecting their brand reputation.

Stay Informed

Staying informed about the latest cyber threats and trends is essential for effective dark web monitoring. This can be done by following cybersecurity news sources, attending industry events, and participating in online forums and communities.

Conclusion

Monitoring the dark web is essential for businesses and individuals to protect themselves from potential threats. By using dark web monitoring tools, conducting regular dark web searches, partnering with a cybersecurity firm, and staying informed, businesses and individuals can effectively monitor the dark web and mitigate risks. Remember, cybersecurity is an ongoing process, and staying vigilant is key to protecting yourself and your business.