What is Dark Web Monitoring and Why Your Business Needs It

In today's complex online world, businesses face many difficulties, including the dark web. This blog will simplify and explain dark web monitoring and highlight why it's important for keeping your business safe.

What is the Dark Web?

The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that can't be found by regular search engines. Often shrouded in mystery and sometimes misconceptions, the dark web is a part of the internet that isn't indexed by regular search engines like Google or Bing. This means you can't stumble upon it during routine browsing; it's accessible only through specific software like Tor (The Onion Router) which provides anonymity to its users.

Primarily, the dark web has gained notoriety due to its association with illegal activities. It's infamous as a marketplace for illicit goods and services. Among these, one of the most concerning for businesses worldwide is the trade of stolen information.

Cybercriminals often use the dark web as a platform to sell or trade data they've unlawfully acquired. This could include personal details such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, email addresses, and passwords, or corporate information like intellectual property, confidential business plans, or customer databases. It's known for being a place where people sell stolen information. To fight this, businesses are starting to monitor the dark web. This helps them spot and deal with threats coming from this secret part of the internet.

What is Dark Web Monitoring?

Dark web monitoring is a service that continuously checks the dark web to make sure a company's content and data are protected from cybercriminals. It's a process used to prevent identity theft by letting a company keep an eye on its confidential data on the dark web and sending alerts if such data is found. Specifically, dark web monitoring can be used by businesses to monitor for any stolen user credentials (usernames and passwords) that might be used to gain unauthorised access to company systems and data.

Moreover, this kind of monitoring can be important for both organizations and individuals for threat prevention and cybersecurity. It involves searching for, and tracking, your organization's information on the dark web. If any personal or business-related information surfaces on the dark web, the tool sends an alert so you can take action before a data breach becomes a major security incident.

In short, dark web monitoring is like a security guard for your digital assets, constantly patrolling the murkier corners of the internet to ensure your business's safety.

Why Monitor the Dark Web: The Hidden Threat

The dark web is a real danger for businesses, serving as a marketplace where cybercriminals exchange stolen information. If user credentials are acquired by cyber criminals, it may permit them unauthorised access to systems and data that may result in a substantial data breach.

This can lead to significant financial losses and damage a business's reputation. In the first half of 2020 alone, Australian businesses reported 518 data breaches. While the exact monetary impact of these breaches isn't specified, it's clear that they present a significant concern for businesses. Moreover, a report by IBM and the Ponemon Institute highlighted the financial risk from cyber threats, indicating that the average total cost of a data breach in 2020 was AUD$3.35 million in Australia. With such considerable risks, monitoring the dark web becomes a crucial line of defence against these covert cyber-attacks.

How Dark Web Monitoring Works: Your Digital Watchguard

Dark web monitoring uses both manual and automatic methods to safeguard your user credentials and data. In the manual approach, cybersecurity professionals actively explore the obscure parts of the dark web, hunting for potential threats that could compromise your business's data security. They use their expertise to navigate through complex networks and forums where illegal activities, such as selling stolen data, are conducted.

The automated method involves using sophisticated tools that continuously scan the dark web. These tools use specific keywords related to your business and monitor various platforms on the dark web for those keywords. If these keywords, which could be anything from your company's name to specific email addresses or other sensitive information, show up in the scanned data, these tools send out an alert. This allows you to take immediate action, such as changing compromised passwords or enhancing security measures, thus preventing potential data breaches.

The Benefits of Dark Web Monitoring: Safeguarding Your Business

Implementing dark web monitoring provides several benefits. It aids in preventing data breaches by detecting compromised data early. This early detection enables faster response times, allowing you to take immediate action like updating compromised passwords or implementing additional security measures. Such prompt action can often be the difference between a minor security issue and a major data breach.

Another crucial advantage is the protection of your business's reputation. In today's digital age, a data breach can spell disaster for a brand's image. Customers entrust their personal information to businesses with the expectation that it will be kept safe. A breach not only violates this trust but also raises questions about a company's competence in securing customer data. By preventing such breaches, dark web monitoring helps maintain customer trust and protects the reputation you've worked hard to build.

In essence, dark web monitoring isn't just about protection—it's a strategic approach to fostering trust, maintaining your brand's reputation, and ensuring the longevity of your business in an increasingly digital world.

Want to automate your dark web monitoring?

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, dark web monitoring is no longer a luxury but a necessity. It serves as an essential tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping safeguard your business from the hidden threats lurking on the dark web.

Are you ready to implement dark web monitoring and fortify your business's digital defences? Don't let your business be an easy target. Learn more about Enabl's Human Risk Management platform that helps you automate your dark web monitoring.