We know you're regularly using the internet for work, shopping, email, social media, banking and more. But you might not realize that there's literally a "dark side" to the web.
If you aren't familiar with the Dark Web, it's a part of the internet that won't come up in your Google searches, and it can only be accessed with a special software or specific Dark Web-enabled browser.
The Dark Web is different from your normal internet because it hides your identity and location by sending your browsing information and data through encryption. It's called "Dark" for a lot of reasons, including "cloaking" your identity and not having information out in the open where it can be searched or accessed easily.
There are a lot of legitimate reasons to access the Dark Web. These include times you might want to protect your privacy. For example, detectives use this sometimes in their investigations, and journalists might use it to communicate with confidential sources. Sometimes, people who live in restrictive countries use the Dark Web to access information. Accessing the Dark Web is not illegal in most countries (including the United States).
Unfortunately, there are a lot of illegal ways that people use the Dark Web. This includes people who use the Dark Web to buy or sell illegal products, share stolen data or commit acts of fraud. Not to scare you, but there's a chance that your personal data and information might be on the Dark Web right now.
How to Protect Yourself
Fortunately, there are a few ways you can protect yourself from scams, fraud and unauthorized transactions that initiate on the Dark Web. Here are a few you should consider:
Dark Web Monitoring Services - A DWMS scans the dark web to see if your personal information, such as your account numbers and passwords, have been exposed or are being sold. Once you know what information is out there, you can take steps to secure your identity like changing passwords and keeping an eye out for unauthorized transactions.
Credit Monitoring Services - Credit monitoring is just what it sounds like! A company keeps track of your credit reports and usage, and alerts you if something seems off. It can be a valuable source of information that often tells you about problems before you discover them on your own.
Additional things you can do:
- Lock your credit reports. You can ask the major credit monitoring agencies to lock your credit reports so that no one can access that information without your specific permission. (Sometimes you can do this on your own online by logging into the official websites for Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.)
- Act quickly after a data breach. If your information has been compromised, you should do all you can to re-secure your information quickly. This includes changing passwords, fixing new errors on your credit report if they exist and enabling two-factor authentication on accounts.
We hope this information is helpful and you consider taking action to protect yourself from whatever is *out there* about you.
