How Does the Dark Web Impact Your Organization?
In our last article, we explained many of the basics that you need to know about the Dark Web and how you can protect your organization with a Dark Web Breach Assessment (DWBA). But there’s more we wanted to share with you in this article.
Your Employees Must Be Trained To Prevent Data Breaches
Many things can compromise your data. Password reuse by your employees increases the risk of external access to your network.
Social Engineering also exposes personally identifiable information (PII) and opens the door to convincing phishing attempts. Social media is great for a lot of things. Sharing photos, reconnecting with old friends, finding like-minded people and groups to share ideas and hobbies. But when does sharing become oversharing?
Hackers gain access to your employees’ personal data via their profile and the information they share there; and they don’t even realize it’s happening: Photos with their children and pets with identifying names on them, locations of where they’ve been, or where you are currently on vacation.
By posting this all and not ensuring that their profile is private or protected, they are handing over valuable information that attackers can use to guess passwords or hack your business accounts.
Were they tagged in a photo from that recent work conference? Now hackers know where they work and what you do for a living. Some people even post detailed resumes online that give away an incredible amount of information.
While their likes and dislikes can create online engagement for them, it can also be a goldmine for cybercriminals who can not only guess their whereabouts and possible login information, but they can also create duplicate (fake) online profiles using all of the personal information they’ve shared. Using professional headshots only adds to their bank of resources and credibility.
If You’re Breached Your Data Still Remains On The Dark Web
Once a breach occurs, the cycle of damage starts, often before anyone even knows about it. Imagine it like a photo that you take and post on social media.
You may decide to delete it, and you can remove it from all of your devices and profiles, but it’s still out there. Someone may have taken a screenshot or shared it before you took it down. You no longer have control over your photo being shared by other people.
This is what happens with your identification and account credentials once your data is out there. Your IT team can help you to undo immediate damage (i.e. change passwords, notify banks, remove information) but someone somewhere still has your data.
They can use that data to create fake accounts, steal your identity, and gain access to other accounts you may have overlooked.
Employees should be trained on cybersecurity and know how to spot a phishing email. Switchfast Technologies found that 91% of cybersecurity attacks originate with a phishing email, outlining the overwhelming need for employees to be trained and tested on how to spot these attempts.
To Protect Your Business, You Need Ongoing Dark Web Monitoring (DWM)
Without continuous monitoring, new compromised employee data available on the Dark Web will go unnoticed. This will put your business in danger of a data breach.
Unnoticed activity puts many organizations at risk. Did you know that having compromised information on the Dark Web can increase your risk of receiving a phishing email? And if your employees click a malicious link, your data will be exposed to hackers.
We have the tools to assess organizations by exposing their current human vulnerabilities, providing remediation, and justifying the need for ongoing support.
To help, we offer a complimentary Dark Web Breach Assessment, which is a baseline security assessment that analyzes your business’ Dark Web presence.
Those not yet our clients get this one-time scan, providing them a snapshot of that point in time, alerting them to potential breach risks.
Current clients receive a much more robust solution with ongoing Dark Web Monitoring, in case something comes up as part of a new breach, as well as, simulated phishing email test campaigns and regular security awareness micro-training via quick videos and quizzes to provide an overall strategy for your human-related security risks. All are included as part of our managed and co-managed service offerings.
Remediation and Ongoing Assessments & Training Are The Answer
Once you have a baseline assessment, it’s time to remediate and manage the identified risks. We offer our clients continuous education to help keep security top-of-mind, along with:
- Dark Web Monitoring
- Unlimited Simulated Phishing Campaigns
- Monthly Security Newsletter
- Written Security Policies
- Weekly Micro-Training Video & Quiz
- Employee Vulnerability Assessment
- Security Risk Assessment
Dark Web Scanning Is The Best Way To Keep Your Data Off The Dark Web
There’s only so much you can do on your own. Our Dark Web Breach Assessment and Monitoring solution puts strategies in place to combat any type of threat.
It will detect compromised credentials that surface on the Dark Web in real-time, offering your organization a comprehensive level of data theft protection. It’s an enterprise-level service that can be tailored to your organization or business.
Dark Web Breach Assessment and Monitoring keeps tabs on the shadiest corners of the online world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year without exceptions.
Get Your Free Dark Web Scan and Baseline Assessment
Your data could be circulating on the Dark Web without your knowledge. A scan via our Dark Web Breach Assessment will tell you if it is. Here’s where you can sign up and protect your business.
