Ever wondered what lurks in the mysterious corners of the internet? Welcome to the dark web: an uncharted digital territory that’s inaccessible through regular search engines and is notorious for its association with illegal activities, like drug trafficking, firearm sales, and stolen data trading. How did this underworld come to be, and what risks does it pose to you and your business?
Step into the shadows of the dark web, where anonymity reigns and practically anything is for sale.
Let’s learn a little history to understand this incognito platform
Much of this journey tracks back to 1995 when the US military began utilizing the dark web to transmit critical information without worrying about being watched or intercepted. However, it’s unclear who originally developed the dark web and the motivations for the dark web’s creation are similarly unknown. Although based on its functionality, its designers most likely aimed to create a mechanism for individuals to interact and share information anonymously without being watched or restricted by governments or other groups. Because of its anonymity, it has become a sanctuary for unlawful behavior.
So, how does the dark web accomplish its hush?
The answer lies in the Tor (the onion router) network, which utilizes multiple layers of encryption to protect transmitted data. Operating on the outskirts of the internet, it forms the foundation of the dark web—a collection of concealed websites that cannot be accessed through regular browsers. It remains un-indexed by search engines like Google.
What makes it scary
It’s not controlled by a central authority and is commonly used for illegal behavior. As the line between the digital and physical realm becomes increasingly blurry, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re protecting your enterprise and your personal information from identity theft. The dark web has been a breeding ground for cybercriminals and other dangerous people.
A thief may theoretically buy enough personal data to claim someone’s identity for a little more than $1,000, according to the Privacy Affairs Dark Web Price Index. Anonymity on the dark web makes it hard to verify the identity of other users, and there is a high risk of being tricked or scammed. For these reasons, it is vital to proceed with caution and be aware of the dark web’s potential risks and pitfalls.
Enterprises and the dark web—are they even connected?
So, what is the implication of the dark web for enterprises that don’t want to trade weapons or need to post material away from authoritarian regimes’ prying eyes? Companies must be cautious about their exposure to the dark web, even if they have no direct involvement with it.
For example, purchasing or trading illicit tools and services, like malware or stolen data, is something to be concerned about because these methods may be used to gain unauthorized access to computers or networks. Furthermore, the dark web’s anonymity can make it a handy platform for coordinating and carrying out cyber operations without being readily tracked down by law authorities.
Breached data often ends up on dark web marketplaces
Dark web markets are popular sites to trade and acquire sensitive corporate data. Employee and customer data—including personally identifiable information (PII), business credit cards and financial details, emails and passwords, company announcements that might affect stock value, and other data—can be purchased and sold. Furthermore, it is not unusual for private company data to end up on these platforms.
SpyCloud’s 2021 Breach Exposure of the Fortune 1000 research discovered 543 million breach assets on the dark web related to Fortune 1000 workers, as well as over 26 million plaintext passwords.
If you own a small business, it’s easy to believe that you’re not a target for hackers attempting to extort significant sums of money or disrupt your operations. However, smaller organizations may have fewer means to preserve and retrieve stolen data, or to protect themselves from assaults, making them more appealing targets for thieves aiming for a fast victory. And assuming that you aren’t a target will simply make you unprepared if you are.
It is safe to assume that you are a target, regardless of the size of your organization or the industry in which you operate. Therefore, it’s necessary to take the required precautions to reduce the harm that an attack can inflict.
Forewarned is forearmed: Some preventative measures for enterprises
Businesses must take proactive efforts to discover these sorts of threats, putting them on the offensive when it comes to protecting against them. Businesses should at the very least consider a proper security solution to prevent any breaches.
With Endpoint Central as your trusted ally, your enterprise transforms into an impenetrable fortress against the perils of the dark web. Unleash its powerful capabilities and emerge victorious against the menacing shadows that threaten your security. Navigate the treacherous digital landscape with confidence, knowing that Endpoint Central stands as your guardian, shielding your data, applications, and business from the deepest depths of the web’s darkness.
