The dark web is an infamous part of the Internet that houses illegal databases. Cybercriminals can steal sensitive personal information from data breaches and sell it on the dark web for financial gain.
Identity thieves can use this stolen data to access your financial accounts and commit identity theft. Dark web scanning is one way to prevent this from happening.
What is a Dark Web Scanner?
A Dark Web Scanner is a cybersecurity service that scans the dark web for data breaches. This dark web scanner can help users protect themselves from data breaches and identity theft by finding stolen information on the dark web.
Cybercriminals often steal personal information from companies that have suffered a data breach and sell it on the dark web. This can include usernames and passwords used to access online accounts and financial information like credit card numbers and bank account information.
Freezing your credit and using strong, one-of-a-kind passwords on your accounts are the greatest ways to prevent becoming an identity theft victim. Use two-factor authentication whenever it is possible as well.
But even if you take these security measures, hackers might still access your data. This is why it’s crucial to perform a Dark Web Scan regularly.
How Does a Dark Web Scanner Work?
Dark Web scanning services search the dark net, a subset of the deep web that doesn’t appear on standard search engines. This portion of the Internet is where cybercriminals sell stolen personal information, allowing them to use it for identity theft, fraud, and other crimes.
To access the dark web, you must use a VPN or Tor, a security tool that routes your traffic through a series of anonymous proxy servers worldwide. This makes it impossible for anyone to track you or your IP address.
A Dark Web scanner works by scouring the dark net looking for matches to your email addresses or other personally identifiable information. Once the scanner finds a match, you’ll receive an alert so you can take action to protect your data.
The most popular dark web scanners are bot-based, so they operate without the client’s involvement, and they do an initial Dark Web scan for markers that you enter in their dashboard. They then continue to search the dark web around the clock, letting you know when it detects a threat.
What are the Benefits of a Dark Web Scan?
A Dark Web Scan is a cyber security tool that monitors chat rooms, blogs, forums, and other sites criminals are known to visit. These scans detect compromised credentials on the Dark Web and notify businesses of potential data breaches.
Dark Web scanning is necessary for any business that wants to stay safe from cyber attacks and identity theft. It can help you identify any past data breaches that have affected your company and mitigate the damage they could cause in the future.
These services are expensive but a great way to keep your information safe. They will also alert you if your credit card or banking information has been sold on the Dark Web.
However, these services are limited in what they can find. Searching every site on the dark web would be impossible, and new ones pop up overnight. Private transactions also happen in secret, so the service must be selective and focused on the areas it can easily access.
Fortunately, several companies offer free Dark Web scans. A good way to find out which is right for you is to read reviews and look at testimonials from previous customers.
What are the Drawbacks of a Dark Web Scan?
The dark web is a hidden part of the Internet that doesn’t appear in regular search results. It’s different from the surface web — which includes most of the Internet — because websites on the dark web aren’t indexed and are only accessible with special browsers.
A lot of information on the dark web is illegal. This could include piracy websites, radical political forums, and disturbing content. It’s also a place where people can engage in extortion and fraud, including identity theft.
Despite the drawbacks, dark web scanning is still valuable for businesses and organizations. It can help prevent cyber-attacks and data breaches.
When a business’s information is stolen and sold on the dark web, it can lead to huge financial impacts and intellectual property losses. This is why businesses are beginning to incorporate dark web monitoring into their security strategies.
A free dark web scan can alert you when your email address and password are on the web, helping you protect yourself from hackers. If your data is found on the dark web, contact your credit card companies and banks immediately to close any accounts and set up chargebacks if necessary. These measures can limit the damage from unauthorized users who steal your credit cards and bank accounts.
