SBN

What does dark web monitoring really do?

Introduction

The dark web has earned a reputation as the internet’s shadowy underbelly. Hidden from search engines and only reachable with an encrypted web browser, it’s become a haven for cybercriminals and illicit activity. 

What makes the dark web so appealing to fraudsters is the total anonymity it affords them. By masking IP addresses, cybercriminals can operate without the threat of detection to commit a slew of crimes, including identity theft. 

This is where dark web monitoring comes in. Also known as cybermonitoring, dark web monitoring is a service that plumbs the depths of the dark web for pieces of your personal identity information. If it discovers something — say, your Social Security number or banking information — you’ll receive an alert. 

What is the dark web?

The term “dark web” sounds like something straight out of “Blade Runner,” but it’s merely a term for websites that aren’t accessible by standard web-surfing means. 

To understand what the dark web is — and isn’t — it’s helpful to first know a thing or two about the deep web. The deep web is the vast portion of the internet that isn’t indexed, and therefore isn’t accessible via a quick Google search. It’s mostly mundane stuff — emails, social media profiles and subscription sites. 

The dark web, on the other hand, is the small sliver of the deep web that consists of encrypted sites. Common web browsers like Google Chrome and Safari can’t access dark web sites, so visitors need a specialized browser like Tor. The Tor browser masks the user’s IP address, which protects them from being traced and identified.

Not all dark web users are nefarious. In fact, it’s a popular tool for whistleblowers and people living in countries with restricted internet access. However, that hasn’t (Read more...)

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Infosec Resources authored by Christine McKenzie. Read the original post at: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/infosecResources/~3/tpyIG0maQKg/