What is the dark web?

Debit and credit cards, social security numbers, and banking information are just a few examples of personal information that has been stolen and posted on the dark web. Organizations become victims of cyber attacks as threat actors seek to compromise corporate accounts and sell their information. Fortunately, the dark web’s threat to cyber security can be mitigated with preventative measures. Follow these steps to use cyber security measures against the dark web.

1. Frequent security scans of the computer environment

Run automated scans of your computing environment to identify, analyze and mitigate threats. For example, a vulnerability scan can identify areas of the network that may be vulnerable to a Common Vulnerability Vulnerability (CVE). Organizations that conduct frequent security audits allow IT teams to find zero-day vulnerabilities, unpatched devices, and other loopholes that actors can exploit. Other helpful security scans include penetration tests, malware scanners, database scans, source code scans, port scans, and more.

2. Multi-level authentication

Many applications, websites, and organizations have implemented a zero-trust security model, in which anyone trying to log into the network is hostile—whether they have the correct login information or not. In a zero-trust model, users must authenticate themselves through codes sent to emails or phones, hardware tokens, security questions, and other means. Enabling multi-factor authentication for personal and corporate accounts adds an extra layer of security to protect against malicious actors. Creating strong, unique passwords, changing them several times a year, and not reusing them is another way to protect against cyber threats.

3. Continuous security awareness training

An organization’s most valuable asset is its people, so threat actors exploit human weaknesses to compromise an organization. IT security teams should develop and maintain a robust security awareness training program that educates users about the dangers of the dark web and its impact on business operations. Equipping every user with consistent security awareness strengthens cyber resilience and reinforces an organization’s security culture.

4. Develop a comprehensive strategy for data protection

Any company, regardless of size or sector, is vulnerable to a data breach. Security controls such as data encryption, data loss protection, data loss policies, virtual private network (VPN) and data leakage protections are critical to designing and maintaining a strong data protection strategy. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a cybersecurity solution that protects against threats that can destroy data. EDR strengthens security through continuous monitoring and data collection from endpoints to identify and address cyber threats in real-time.

5. Develop and test a disaster response plan

Businesses should develop a disaster response plan for a cyber incident related to the dark web. This pre-determined plan to address cyber risks minimizes vulnerabilities and strengthens recovery from potential cyber attacks. The plan should define appropriate mitigation mechanisms, including assigning roles and responsibilities, including steps to detect and identify cyber attacks, processes to manage and mitigate damage, and develop corrective actions for recovery and business continuity.