Protecting yourself online is crucial for businesses, and there are a lot of dangers out there. From phishing attacks to trojan horses, there are all sorts of ways that criminal elements can attack your business. You also need to consider your online reputation by monitoring reviews and social media interactions with customers. But there are some aspects of your online presence that you may not be taking care of.
Many people have heard the term ‘Dark Web,’ but it’s unlikely you’ve ever accessed it, and you might not know exactly what it is. However, it’s important that you are aware of the potential dangers of the dark web because it can impact your business in a number of ways.
The Online Iceberg
People assume that when they load up their browser and do a Google search, they have the entire internet at their fingertips. However, the parts of the internet that you interact with on a daily basis are only the tip of the iceberg. All of the sites you can access through a standard web browser are known as the surface web, and they actually only make up 10% of the internet iceberg.
Underneath this layer, you have the deep web and the dark web, making up the other 90%. The majority of this underlayer of the internet is made up of content that is behind paywalls or private company intranets that are only accessible by specific people. It also covers things like banking information and applications and private social media.
However, a small portion of the online iceberg is made up of the dark web. This is a section of the internet that you can only access using specialized browsers, and it is not possible to search the content using a normal search engine. On the dark web, there is a huge amount of criminal activity going on. It is also used by intelligence services around the world.
Why Should Your Business Care?
You may be wondering what any of this has to do with your business. Companies assume that they don’t need to worry about the dark web because they are not involved with any of the criminal elements that lurk there. But in reality, a lot of the digital threats to your business begin and end with the dark web.
Criminals will discuss their plans to launch cyberattacks on dark web forums. After a successful attack, all of the sensitive information they stole will be sold through the dark web too. By monitoring these spaces, you could protect yourself. By finding a reliable IT company to conduct dark web scans for you, it is possible to learn of impending attacks before they happen, so they can be prevented. You can also find information about your company that is being sold online.
A better understanding of the dark web can help businesses take a more proactive approach to their cybersecurity. Instead of waiting for cyberattacks to happen and then reacting to them, you can identify threats and avoid them in the first place. So, start paying attention to the dark web today!
