What Is the Dark Web?
The dark web presents some threats to organizations. What is the dark web? Discover what the dark web is and how to handle its dangers.
DD Organizations need to protect their sensitive information. These details can be login credentials, social security numbers, medical data, etc. Organizations that do not protect their data are susceptible to cyberattacks and damage to their reputation.
DD Organizations face various threats to their data. One developing danger is the dark web. In 2019, the number of dark web listings that could harm an organization had risen by 20% since 2016. About 60% of listings on the dark web could hurt organizations.
Is your organization susceptible to scams via the dark web? Do websites on the dark web have your data?
Clients often ask GO Concepts what is the dark web? GO Concepts provides IT solutions to organizations offering services to the Development Disabilities community throughout Ohio. This article will help you discover more about the dark web.
Watch our latest video to discover more about the dark web:
What Is the Dark Web?
The dark web comprises parts of the internet that are not indexed by search engines.
Have you heard people refer to it as a hotbed of criminal activity?
The dark web is a hotbed of criminal activity. A significant portion of the dark web hosts illicit materials. One can buy credit card numbers, stolen subscription credentials, hacked bank accounts, software that helps them break into other people’s computers, hire hackers, etc.
The dark web has a legitimate side — not everything on the dark web is illegal. For example, you can join BlackBook (described as “the Facebook of Tor”) or a chess club.
Dark Web vs. Deep Web
Is there a difference between the dark web and the deep web?
People interchange these terms, but they are distinct. The deep web is anything online that is not indexed by search engines, making it inaccessible via a search engine. Deep web’s content is anything behind a paywall or needs credentials to access. It includes content that its proprietors have restricted web crawlers from indexing.
Membership websites, fee-based content, medical records, and confidential corporate web pages make up the deep web. The deep web makes up 96–99% of the internet. People can only access a tiny portion of the internet via a standard web browser — typically referred to as the “clear web” by internet experts.
The dark web, a subset of the deep web, requires a specific browser (Tor) to access. This hidden portion of the internet makes up around 5% of the internet.
Is the Dark Web a Threat to DD Organizations? Some dark web tools and services can present a risk through a data compromise or network breach. They include:
- Attacks or infections, such as malware, botnets, and distributed denial of service (DDoS)
- Access, such as keyloggers and exploits and remote access Trojans (RATs)
- Espionage, including customization, targeting, and services
- Support services, such as tutorials
- Refunds
- Financial data
- Customer data
- Credentials
- Operational data
- Phishing
- Trade secrets/intellectual data
- Other emerging threats
Cybercriminals can use the dark web to devalue your organization/destroy your reputation, disrupt your operations, or defraud your organization.
Dark Web Browser: Navigating the dark web is challenging. The place is chaotic and messy. Some criminals take advantage of the dark web’s anonymity to scam others.
People can only access the dark web with a specific browser — Tor. Tor routes your web page inquiries through various proxy servers, rendering your IP address untraceable and unidentifiable. Tor’s experience can be like that of the dark web — unpredictable, slow, and unreliable. Tor’s anonymity can make users susceptible to DDoS attacks.
Dark Web Search Engines and Sites
Dark web search engines exist. You may struggle to keep up with them because of the ever-changing landscape. They may return irrelevant and repetitive results for your search queries.
Dark websites resemble typical websites but have a few differences. One distinction is that they end in .onion and not .com or .co like regular sites. Dark websites also have a distinctive naming structure, creating URLs that are often impossible to recall. Many sites’ owners are criminals evading law enforcement, meaning pages can disappear without notice to avoid law enforcement catching their owners selling contraband. Users transact using cryptocurrencies to enjoy their anonymity.
Is the Dark Web Illegal? Some parts of the dark web are illegal, primarily those selling contraband. The other portion may not be unlawful. Tor can help people communicate in regions where people are hostile to free speech. The dark web can also teach you a lot about topics, such as privacy protection. You may also find various things that you cannot find in the typical web through it, such as links to full-text editions of rare books.
Is Your Information on the Dark Web? Your information can be on the dark web. This data can be a login or password to your email, social media credentials, credit card number, etc. Handle this availability to avoid issues, such as breaches.
Are you concerned about what information of yours is lurking on the dark web?
GO Concepts can help you deal with this threat.
How GO Concepts Helps
You can reach out to our team to schedule your dark web scan today and learn what information about you or your DD organization is out there on the dark web. Our help will help you avoid threats, such as breaches, data loss, and damage to your reputation.
Contact us now to discover more about how we can help you deal with the threats the dark web poses to your organization.
