Hackers and dark forces are lurking in the dark depths of the web, but you may not know how deep they go. The dark web is a hidden network of websites only accessible through the use of specialized browser. It's used for keeping internet activity anonymous and private, which can be helpful in both legal or illegal applications; though it has also been known to facilitate highly illegal activities on occasion. It's important for us to be mindful of these places so we can protect ourselves from cyber-attacks!
The Deep Web
The Deep Web is a vast untapped resource of information that's not indexed by standard web search engines like Google or Bing. It holds countless articles, videos and other resources but it can be difficult for the average person to access without technical know-how or specific software. Estimates put the size at between 96% and 99% percent of all internet pages, with only inaccessible parts being found on this portion--which covers everything from medical records to corporate secrets!
The internet plays an integral role in our daily lives: from checking email counts on news organizations websites; reading blogs about celebrities' latest exploits (or lack thereof); watching YouTube tutorials teaching us how do new things like play bass guitar - just some examples among many others! The deep web however goes beyond this basic definition since there are also dark corners within online spaces where content may never get past its indexers into any form accessible publicly.
The Dark Web
The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that's accessible only through special software and also isn't indexed by search engines like Google or Bing. The number of dark web listings that could harm an enterprise has risen to 60% according to a 2019 study by Dr. Michael McGuires, and executives are starting to take notice as they worry about the potential cybersecurity risks these sites pose for their company’s data integrity.
The Dark Web uses a browser like Tor which allows you to browse the internet in an anonymously without being tracked. This is accomplished by routing your web page requests through a series of proxy servers operated by volunteers all over globe, rendering your IP address unidentifiable and untraceable. Search engine for dark webs exist, like Hidden Wiki and Grams. And with that, sites are also available, ending their domain names to .onion.
Here are some threats that can be found in the dark web:
- Malware
- Ransomware
- Phishing
The Surface Web
The open web of the internet is only 5% of the internet that is visible or the public side of the web. The open web is fully dependent on authors who use coding and implementation of standards to publish their creative works via search engines, browsers, and other open applications. With more and more people using search engines to explore new topics for themselves, there seems less room left with each passing day as long as these old guard institutions refuse—or even try too hard--to keep up with technological changes that affect how information flows every single second around our world today
Important stats about your data
This is a visualization of the most current prices for some data and services commonly traded over the dark web according to Privacy Affair's Dark Web Price Index 2021:
- PayPal transfers from stolen accounts: $50 to $340
- Hacked eBay accounts with good reputation: $1,000
- Cloned credit card with PIN: $25 to $35
- Stolen online banking logins with at least $2,000 in the account: $120
- Hacked Coinbase verified account (even crypto!): $610
The Dark Web isn’t illegal, but it can be dangerous
In reality, there's plenty of practical value from the dark web that is beneficial for some organizations. It's a popular source for illicit goods and services, causing law enforcement agencies to watch this area closely. They use forums like Reddit's Silk Road Revolutions forum as well as websites such 3rd party marketplaces like E-Bay or Alibaba Group to monitor recent security breaches in order find out who was responsible so they can bring them down from their high horse! Many mainstream media organizations also keep an eye on whistleblower sites with tips about newsworthy stories that might have been overlooked by other publications.
Stay mindful that there are dark web marketplaces that provide services of password cracking, credit card information trading and malware hosting. By entering, you can be vulnerable to getting your information stolen meaning you've been compromised. Try not to play with fire. Contact us today to help keep your company secure.