There are about 75,000 terabytes of data stored on the dark web. While a lot of this is benign, much of it is also stolen from individuals and companies. Worst of all, those victims of data theft often do not even know that their information is being sold and traded in the more nefarious corners of the internet.
Luckily, there are ways that you can prevent your business from falling prey to dark web users in 2023. Here, we’re going to discuss how a dark web monitoring service can help to secure and safeguard your California business. Read on to learn how you can keep your organization, your employees, your clients, and yourself safe.
What Is the Dark Web?
There are three primary layers to the internet. The first, the clear web, is what you’re using to read this article right now. It consists of web pages that a user can access with a simple browser like Chrome or Firefox.
On the clear web, you’ll find social media pages. You’ll find legally-operating businesses that sell a wide range of goods and services. You’ll find blogs, online games, and professional applications.
One layer below the clear web lies the deep web. The deep web is mostly made up of codes. There are some websites, but most of them are boring HTML information, data storage, and backend functions for applications.
The dark web is different and often more nefarious than the simple deep web. It accounts for about 48% of the internet.
The dark web is technically part of the deep web, but it’s a place where people can access websites anonymously with a special browser called Tor.
While some dark websites are perfectly legal blogs, businesses, and gambling pages, most are not. A recent examination of the dark web concluded that 57% of the pages there were made for illegal dealings.
What Kinds of Illegal Activities Are There?
You might be imagining what horrors might take place on the dark web. There are some sites that feature truly terrible deeds like animal abuse and illegal pornography. However, this doesn’t make up even a fraction of what happens on the dark web.
The most common dark web activities are illegal sales. Some sites sell firearms; others sell illegal drugs. However, many of them also share and sell illegally-obtained information.
In fact, the most commonly-sold things on the dark web are credit card numbers. The average cost of sale is about $10.
However, this is far from the only type of data people might steal from your business and sell on the dark web. Financial records, payroll information, social media accounts, PayPal/Venmo information, cryptocurrency, employee/client identities, and social security numbers can also go up for sale there.
Businesses are at the greatest risk for theft. After all, a business network- whether it’s on the cloud or hosted in-house- has more data than any personal computer server would. Hackers tend to target businesses to make the most of their breaches.
How Dark Web Monitoring Works: A Quick Overview
When your data or credentials appear on the dark web, this is a surefire sign that you’re about to suffer from identity theft, financial attacks, or data breaches. This is because the information on the dark web is up for sale or trade. Once someone obtains it, they can use it.
Dark web monitoring is one of the best ways to secure your data in 2023 and beyond. It connects to multiple different dark web services at once and searches for pre-set credentials on the dark web. Some services that it connects to are Tor, I2P, and Freenet.
The software will then provide you with real-time alerts when it finds compromised credentials. You then will be able to identify a problem before identity theft or data breaches take place. You can prepare by backing up data, securing your servers, and adding new protective layers to your network.
This is critical for client and employee safety. Additionally, people tend to use the same password or credentials for several different services. So, if an employee’s password for one application is stolen, chances are that the hacker will be able to steal data from other profiles and money from eWallets or checking accounts.
It’s challenging to know when your credentials are stolen until you face real-world ramifications. By that point, it’s often too late. This is why dark web monitoring is critical for your personal and business security.
How Do Hackers Put Data on the Dark Web?
Knowing how exactly hackers violate your business data security can also help you to secure your network. An IT support team can give your more details, but the basic principles surrounding data theft and sales are simple.
Personal data is generally stolen when a hacker initiates a data breach on a business. They will use malware or other tools to automatically infiltrate your network. This malware usually comes onto the network because someone accidentally clicked a suspicious email or a vulnerability was found in your firewall.
At this point, the malware will crawl through the network and steal large chunks of data. The hacker will then gain access to this information. They can use a Tor browser to anonymously access the dark web and put the harbored data up for sale on illegal platforms.
Unfortunately, the anonymous nature of the dark web means that most hackers are uncatchable. It would take police or military tools to track them down.
Once your data is up on the dark web, removing it is extremely challenging. You don’t know who’s selling it or where they are. This is especially true because most transactions are made with untraceable cryptocurrency.
It’s best to keep your information off the dark web altogether if possible.
How Can You Keep Your Data Off the Dark Web?
There are a few simple ways that you can attempt to keep data off the dark web. An IT service provider in California can help you ensure that you’re protecting yourself properly.
Some ways to protect yourself include:
- Secure your network with professional-grade firewalls
- Use multi-factor authentication features
- Keep anti-malware/anti-virus software up to date
- Constantly back up data in real-time
- Use strong passwords with numbers and symbols
- Don’t click on pop-ups
- Train employees not to click on suspicious emails
However, none of these are surefire ways to keep unauthorized users away from your credentials. To ensure that you don’t suffer the ramifications of a $9.44 million data breach, you will need to invest in dark web monitoring services.
Sometimes, though, it’s impossible to keep hackers at bay even when you take all reasonable precautions. That’s why you need to choose the best data security tools for your business use.
How to Choose the Best Dark Web Monitoring for Your Business
Regardless of where in California you reside, it’s important that you invest in the best available dark web monitoring services. For example, a San Bernadino business should talk with experts about their specific needs. They can let the IT experts know whether they’ve been subject to data breaches before, what their current data monitoring strategy looks like, and more.
At this point, this business will be able to come up with a comprehensive plan to secure its data alongside professionals.
But what should a CA business look for when choosing someone to monitor their credentials on the dark web? Let’s take a look.
Location
It’s important to invest in an IT management service that resides close to you. Whether you operate in the Riverside area or further north, you’ll want to work with experts that know your local regulations. Since different counties have different data security codes, this is a critical consideration when choosing a dark web monitoring service.
Experience
It’s also essential that you choose a service that has previously worked with businesses in your specific industry. HIPAA compliance knowledge is much-needed in the medical field. SaaS businesses need to comply with data storage regulations, and those who work with healthcare or government data need to monitor information in industry-specific ways.
Make sure that you ask any California data security company about the specific markets that they have worked in.
You also need to inquire about their experience in general. You want someone with a lot of knowledge and a professional understanding of multiple types of security systems. They also should know what tools and malware dark web hackers have recently been using.
If someone has been protecting businesses for many years, they will be more familiar with these technologies.
Case Studies
When choosing a dark web monitoring service, be sure to visit the website and look at case studies. You want to see what other companies they work with. If an IT organization works with other renowned companies, they will be able to help you a lot as well.
You also can look into specific case studies to better understand how the company might prevent breaches in real scenarios. This will give you an idea of their methods so you can feel more confident in your decision. You can also make sure that they have actually assisted other companies by looking into statistical and analytical data about clients’ security upgrades.
Reviews
Speaking of past clients, you also may want to read online reviews for any potential dark web monitoring company.
There’s a reason that 84% of consumers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family. They give the reader insight into what to expect from a service. They’ll learn about the benefits of your software and any potential problems that they need to know about.
This, along with information about who can benefit the most from your services, will allow them to feel more comfortable when booking a consultation with a dark web monitoring business.
Forums are also a great place to talk about the reviews you read. Comment on reviews asking for clarification. Look into message boards where you can freely discuss business data security.
This will give you a comprehensive understanding of what to expect.
Transparency
Once you choose a potential IT company, it’s important that you ensure its quality. This means scheduling a call or speaking with a representative.
Write down any remaining questions you have. Ask them during your initial consultation. This won’t just give you the answers you want but will also give you a feel for how the company communicates.
You can make sure that they’re transparent when answering your questions and giving you information. You also can make sure that they’re upfront about pricing so you can avoid hidden fees.
Remember that communication is critical when hiring someone to manage your data security. You want a business that’s willing to transparently talk with you about potential vulnerabilities. It’s important that they make you a priority.
Invest in a Dark Web Monitoring Service Today
While data theft is a severe problem for small to medium-sized businesses, keeping information off the dark web is easier than ever. An excellent dark web monitoring service can help secure your data and ensure that unauthorized users can’t access your information.
If you’re looking to protect your California business, clients, and employees, it’s time to invest in business data security software.
Biztek is committed to helping you get the support and security that your organization needs and deserves. We also can help you ensure that you are up to speed with CA’s privacy laws and stop you from spending unnecessary money. Schedule a Discovery Call to talk about your specific needs and see why we’re a good fit.
