Imagine a hidden marketplace where sensitive information, proprietary data, and corporate vulnerabilities are bartered, sold, and exploited—all in complete anonymity. This is the dark web, a concealed layer of the internet where illegal activity takes place under our noses.
Recent high-profile data breaches show just how urgent this threat has become. In May 2024, over half a billion Ticketmaster customers had their personal information leaked on a dark web forum. Just a month earlier, AT&T faced a similar blow when data from 73 million customers, including social security numbers and passcodes, appeared in dark web listings. Even LinkedIn couldn’t escape; in 2021, data from 700 million users—over 90% of its user base—was posted for sale.
While it occupies only a sliver of the internet, the dark web has become a growing threat to businesses everywhere. From stolen credentials to trade secrets, corporate data circulates in these encrypted spaces, out of reach and often out of sight, creating potential crises for any company that handles valuable information.
To protect against these threats, companies need to stay informed and prepared.
Global Sales Engineering EMEA at CyCognito.
Pulling back the veil on the dark web
The dark web is a hidden layer of the internet that most people never see. Unlike the websites we visit every day, it requires specialized tools like the Tor browser for access, and it operates under unique .onion domains that aren’t seen or indexed by search engines. Originally created by the U.S. Department of Defense for secure communications, the dark web has grown into a largely unregulated space where anonymity reigns.
Although it makes up a tiny fraction of the internet—less than 0.01%—the dark web has become notorious for illegal activities. Under its cloak of encryption and multi-layered routing, users can find marketplaces for drugs, stolen data, counterfeit documents, and even weapons. While some people use the dark web for legitimate reasons, such as protecting privacy or bypassing censorship, this hidden network is rife with risks. Users face exposure to scams, malware, and potential legal trouble if they wander into illegal territory.
Government agencies actively monitor the dark web to counter these threats, but it remains a place where law and order have limited reach. For most, the dark web is best left alone—a reminder of the internet’s power to enable both secrecy and risk.
So, what can businesses do to protect themselves in this high-stakes environment?
Protecting against the dark web
Organizations need to assume their attack surface is bigger than they previously thought. What we used to simply call an “attack surface” has very quickly become an “extended attack surface” due to the growing complexity of IT environments.
Given this, the first step is to accept that some of the organization’s data (like leaked credentials to access details available for sale) is already circulating on the dark web—because it is. Then, take action:
Scan for leaked credentials: Regularly monitor for any exposed username and password combinations associated with the organization. This includes tracking hashed credentials that attackers could decrypt. By catching these vulnerabilities early, you can secure accounts before they’re exploited.
Search for accounts and access for sale: Dark web marketplaces often list user accounts and privileged access for sale. Actively scanning these spaces lets you identify compromised accounts linked to the organization, allowing you to promptly disable or re-secure them and prevent unauthorized access.
Monitor for IP-based leaks: Sensitive data leaks are sometimes associated with specific IP addresses tied to the company. Proactively searching for IP-based information on the dark web gives you visibility into potential network vulnerabilities, allowing you to shut down access points before attackers can exploit them.
Identify data from past breaches: Ransomware and data breaches often lead to sensitive information being leaked online. This could include internal documents, customer data, or other proprietary information. Recognizing which data has been exposed helps you understand where the organization is most vulnerable.
Now map them back to the attack surface graph for added context and to prioritize remediation efforts. Here, context is everything—it shows you not just where the data has ended up, but also where the security efforts need to focus next. By overlaying these risks onto the existing attack surface, you gain a clearer, strategic view of how the exposure on the dark web intersects with the organization’s vulnerabilities, guiding the team to address the most critical gaps first.
Securing the business from dark web threats requires not just the right technology but a proactive approach rooted in vigilance, strategy, and readiness. Acknowledging that even a seemingly small leak can have devastating consequences is essential. By educating teams and embedding this awareness into your security strategy, you strengthen your defenses and ensure everyone is prepared to respond swiftly and effectively.
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