The internet is limitless. Over half a million* websites are created each day. However, hidden within lays a secret realm full of mystery—the dark web. You may have heard this term which often conjures images of secrecy, illicit activities, and danger. This is for good reason. Because it can be used anonymously, the dark web holds a wealth of stolen data and illegal activity. It’s important to learn what you can do to protect your organization’s data from reaching the dark web.

*Source: https://websitesetup.org/news/how-many-websites-are-there/

History of the Internet and the Deep Web

First, let’s briefly learn the history of the internet. The first website ever created was launched over 30 years ago on August 6, 1991. It contained instructions on what the world wide web (WWW) was and how to use it. Since then, nearly 1.9 billion websites have been launched.

Because there are so many websites, there are also many layers of the internet. The most common is referred to as the “surface web” which only makes up roughly 4% of the total internet. This includes popular websites accessed everyday by those who have an internet connection. Remarkably, this leaves the remaining 96% of the internet to the “deep web”.

Deep Web Vs Dark Web

The deep web is the less sinister counterpart to the dark web. The deep web refers to the portion of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines. As a result, you will not find these sites listed on places such as Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo.

Search engines constantly collect data from the internet. They take this information and create a list of links. So, when a search request is made, the search engine will list the indexed links related to the inquiry. Websites can choose whether or not to be indexed.

The deep web is the unindexed part of the internet which houses the dark web.

There are many reasons a website may choose not to be indexed. One of the main reasons is due to privacy. Private databases, personal data, and sensitive information are examples of online content within the deep web. You wouldn’t want just anyone being able to access this information.

However, included in the deep web is the dark web. The dark web is a tiny fraction of the deep web where illicit activities often happen. This includes the selling and purchase of stolen data, personal information, and the distribution of malware or viruses. Even as a small part of the deep web, the dark web is estimated to be 550 times larger than the surface web and growing.

How to Protect Your Organization from the Dark Web

Unfortunately, human error is the number one cause of a data breach. Employees may click on what is assumed to be a harmless link or use their business email for personal use. If a website with the business email is exposed, so is your organization.

Check Out Our Infographic:
“Are Your Employees’ Credentials on the Dark Web?”

Using unique passwords along with multi-factor authentication (MFA) is only the start of protecting your business. Partnering with a trusted managed service provider (MSP) is a great way to ensure that your data remains secure. MSPs have advanced toolsets to monitor your data and help prevent it from reaching the dark web.

One advantageous toolset is Dark Web ID.

Dark Web ID and TREYSTA technology management

Many companies don’t realize their data is compromised until a breach occurs. A data breach can cause a multitude of issues–downtime, reputational damage, financial penalties, etc. The scary part is that your organization’s credentials may already be out there on the dark web. Monitoring your business data with Dark Web ID helps keep your information out of cybercriminal’s hands.

But what is Dark Web ID? Dark Web ID is an around-the-clock monitoring solution that can identify if your business credentials are up for sale on the dark web and provide you guidance to keep those credentials safe. You’ll also receive regular updates and detailed monitoring reports to detect any vulnerabilities.

Interested in learning more? Check out our video on Dark Web ID below: