What is Dark Web Monitoring?

Dark web monitoring involves actively searching for and tracking your organization’s data on the dark web. These tools function similarly to search engines like Google but are tailored for the dark web. Their purpose is to identify leaked or stolen information such as compromised passwords, breached credentials, and sensitive data traded among malicious actors.

Compared to identity theft monitoring tools or antivirus programs, dark web monitoring tools offer enhanced detection capabilities against dark web threats. While identity theft monitoring tools focus on protecting individuals and antivirus programs aim to prevent malware, dark web monitoring tools specifically search for confidential information on the dark web, benefiting both businesses and individuals.

How Does Dark Web Monitoring Work?

Dark web monitoring is a continuous process of searching the dark web for specific and general information related to your organization, such as corporate email addresses or company names and industries. This monitoring allows for near real-time collection of raw intelligence from millions of sites.

When a threat is identified, users have the ability to create customized alerts. These alerts notify relevant team members within the organization, including those in marketing, legal, human resources, or fraud teams, ensuring prompt action and awareness of potential risks.

Features of Dark Web Monitoring

Threat Intelligence

Dark web monitoring tools chart out valuable segments of the dark web and identify crucial sources of threat intelligence—information or knowledge that aids in mitigating or preventing hacking. Through a dark web monitoring tool, you can subscribe to a stream of threat intelligence without the necessity of hiring an expert to manually search, compile, and analyze it.

Threat Hunting

A dark web monitoring service detects emerging threats and shields you from targeted attacks, such as fraudulent hacking attempts. It operates under the assumption that an adversary is targeting your system and initiates an inquiry to pinpoint abnormal activities indicative of malicious behavior.

Expedited Incident Response

Lacking dark web monitoring, you might remain unaware of a data breach for months. Dark web monitoring empowers you to swiftly recognize instances where your sensitive information is compromised by cybercriminals. Consequently, this aids in minimizing the overall timeframe during which criminals can duplicate and distribute sensitive data.

Integration with Security Platforms

Furthermore, you can integrate the data amassed by a dark web monitoring platform into other security systems. This facilitates the creation of more precise insights across the entire security framework.

Why Use Dark Web Monitoring?

Compromised credentials are just one concern for businesses on the dark web. Activity and discussions in this realm can signal that a business is under attack, has been attacked, or is linked to other threatening activities, such as breaches affecting its supply chain partners. In the context of an overall security strategy, dark web monitoring serves as a proactive measure, similar to using a canary in a coal mine.

Beyond detecting data breaches, a dark web monitoring service can help classify risks originating from unknown sources. Businesses that receive alerts about their data appearing on the dark web can correlate this information with other threat indicators, enabling faster profiling and mitigation of potential threats.

The types of risks that can be identified through dark web monitoring include:

• Third-party breaches
• Data dumps on hacking forums and criminal chatrooms
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) leaks
• Accidental leaks
• Brand misuse
• Impersonations
• Domain spoofing
• Potential threats

Benefits of Dark Web Monitoring

Dark web monitoring offers the advantage of identifying exposed data and the duration of its exposure. Through continuous monitoring and swift mitigation of exposed assets or identities, these tools reduce the window for cybercriminals to exploit confidential information, thereby thwarting further data leaks through prompt intervention.

Businesses employing dark web monitoring can ascertain if they’ve experienced a breach or detect indicators suggesting a potential breach. Moreover, they may gain insights into the identities of attackers and their potential methodologies.

Who Needs Dark Web Monitoring Services?

The short answer is: Everyone. Any organization responsible for protecting sensitive customer data or possessing valuable intellectual property, or that is a common target for hacktivists, nation-state actors, or criminal activities, would benefit from using a dark web monitoring tool.

A more important question is, “Is dark web monitoring worth the investment?” Dark web monitoring provides visibility into threats that traditional security tools may miss. Organizations committed to comprehensive security strategies to protect their business and customers should consider the potential benefits of incorporating dark web monitoring into their security protocols.

How Does Personal Information Get On the Dark Web?

Malicious actors employ various common methods to pilfer personal information:

• Phishing: Cybercriminals craft phishing emails resembling legitimate requests to trick individuals into divulging confidential information.
• Malware, Loaders, and Botnets: Hackers utilize malicious software to stealthily steal and gradually leak confidential data.
• Insecure Networks: Cybercriminals exploit insecure network connections, especially when users are connected to vulnerable networks in close proximity to the attacker.
• Vulnerabilities and Exploits: Exploit kits, available on various forums, target software or system weaknesses to install additional code and gain unauthorized access.
• Keylogging: Keyloggers record keystrokes, enabling cybercriminals to monitor activities and obtain personal information.
• Screen Scraping: Screen scraping involves copying information displayed on a screen.

Once obtained, comprehensive sets of personal data, including name, date of birth, social security number, address, etc., are bundled (referred to as “fullz”) and sold. The price of fullz can reach up to $30, depending on the victim’s assets and market demand. Some threat actors go further by aggregating personal information stolen from multiple organizations and selling it in bulk.

What Does It Mean If Your Information Is On the Dark Web?

For consumers, discovering that their information is available on the dark web typically necessitates changing all passwords, monitoring credit reports, and considering card replacements. Following years of significant data breaches, where as many as 148 million records have been stolen in a single incident, virtually everyone’s personal information has been available for sale for some time—even if an identity theft victim is only learning about it now. While consumers should implement the protective measures outlined below, there is no need for panic.

Businesses, on the other hand, must respond with much greater urgency. As custodians of their customers’ data, any exposure to risk signifies a failure. Potential consequences include litigation, damage to brand reputation, regulatory fines, and audit expenses. Moreover, the risk of future attacks escalates as stolen credentials are utilized in credential stuffing and other malicious activities.

Receiving an alert indicating that your information is on the dark web implies that your identity, data, or assets are at risk. Personal information exposed on the dark web typically includes credentials and personal identifiers susceptible to identity fraud or unauthorized access. Immediate action is crucial to prevent cybercriminals from further exploiting the stolen data.

Tools to Help Protect You from Threats on the Dark Web

To safeguard against concealed threats lurking on the dark web, consider employing a tool to safeguard private information and thwart identity theft. The following practices represent exemplary methods for fortifying defenses and vigilantly monitoring dark web threats:

• Foster a Cybersecurity Culture: Recognize the pivotal role of end-users in thwarting breaches. Initiate user awareness programs to counter the persistent threat of phishing and related social engineering tactics. Cultivate an environment that routinely conducts tabletop exercises and red vs. blue teaming exercises to pinpoint and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
• Secure All Workloads: Comprehensive security entails safeguarding every asset within an organization. Protect critical areas of enterprise risk, including endpoints, cloud workloads, identities, and data. Seek solutions offering precise detections, automated protection and remediation, advanced threat hunting, and prioritized vulnerability visibility to prevent exploits from being sold on criminal forums.
• Maintain Robust IT Hygiene: Establish strong IT hygiene practices by maintaining an accurate asset inventory and consistently managing vulnerabilities. Remember, defending systems you are unaware of is impossible.
• Identity Management: Leverage identity management tools to oversee the lifecycle of identities within your environment. Identity threat protection technology can segment identities to autonomously enforce risk-based conditional access and promptly revoke access when threats arise.
• Dark Web Monitoring: Utilize dark web monitoring tools to surveil the dark web for stolen data. These tools promptly notify businesses and users about breaches, impersonations, accidental leaks, and other detected threats on criminal forums.

FAQ’s

How does dark web monitoring work?

Dark web monitoring involves continuously searching the dark web for specific and general information related to an organization, such as corporate email addresses or company names. This monitoring allows for near real-time collection of raw intelligence from millions of sites. When a threat is identified, customized alerts can be created to notify relevant team members within the organization, ensuring prompt action and awareness of potential risks.

What are the benefits of dark web monitoring?

Dark web monitoring offers the advantage of identifying exposed data and the duration of its exposure. By swiftly mitigating exposed assets or identities, these tools reduce the window for cybercriminals to exploit confidential information, thereby thwarting further data leaks through prompt intervention. Additionally, businesses can detect breaches or indicators of potential breaches, gain insights into attackers’ identities and methodologies, and classify risks originating from unknown sources.

Who needs dark web monitoring services?

Essentially, every organization responsible for protecting sensitive customer data, possessing valuable intellectual property, or being a target for hacktivists, nation-state actors, or criminal activities would benefit from using a dark web monitoring tool. Dark web monitoring provides visibility into threats that traditional security tools may miss, making it essential for organizations committed to comprehensive security strategies.

How does personal information end up on the dark web?

Personal information finds its way onto the dark web through various common methods employed by malicious actors, including phishing, malware, insecure networks, vulnerabilities, keylogging, and screen scraping. Once obtained, this data is bundled and sold, with comprehensive sets of personal data known as “fullz” fetching prices of up to $30, depending on the victim’s assets and market demand.

What does it mean if your information is on the dark web?

Discovering that your information is available on the dark web typically necessitates changing all passwords, monitoring credit reports, and considering card replacements. While this situation may cause concern, it’s important to implement protective measures without panic. For businesses, such a revelation demands urgent response to prevent potential litigation, brand reputation damage, regulatory fines, and other consequences associated with data breaches.

Conclusion

Dark web monitoring is essential for modern cybersecurity, providing organizations with vital insights into potential threats lurking in the hidden corners of the internet. By actively tracking sensitive data, these tools enable swift identification and mitigation of risks, safeguarding assets and customer trust. Integrating dark web monitoring into security protocols is imperative for any organization aiming to protect its data and reputation in today’s digital environment.