Dark web monitoring refers to the practice of monitoring the dark web to identify potential threats, leaked data, or other malicious activities that could impact a business or individual. Dark web monitoring is not just for individuals to keep an eye out for identity theft and stolen passwords, it’s an important security tool for businesses.

Cybersecurity experts, like Concensus Technologies, offer dark web monitoring to help companies get out in front of potential data leaks or breaches. The sooner organizations know about the sale of breached company data or account credentials on the dark web, the faster they can take protective measures.

What is the Dark Web?

The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and is known for its anonymity. It can’t be accessed by normal web browsers and is notorious for all sorts of illicit activities, including the sale of stolen credentials, personal information, and company data.

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, then you can consider the “normal” internet as Diagon Alley, and the dark web as Knockturn Alley. In other words, it’s not generally a place you want to be browsing. Some people use the dark web for illegal or shady activities, like buying drugs, weapons, or stolen data. Others use it for privacy or anonymity reasons.

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Why Do Businesses Need Dark Web Monitoring?

Early Threat Detection

The dark web is a haven for cybercriminals and threat actors who engage in illicit activities such as selling stolen data, compromised credentials, hacking tools, and malware. By monitoring the dark web, businesses can detect early indications of potential threats targeting their organization.

Data Breach Awareness

Dark web monitoring helps businesses become aware if their data has been compromised or exposed on the dark web. It provides insights into leaked customer information, proprietary data, intellectual property, or other sensitive data that could be used for malicious purposes.

With this information, organizations can promptly investigate the source and extent of the breach, notify affected individuals, and with the help of a trusted expert, such as Concensus Technologies, implement appropriate security measures to prevent further damage.

Credential Protection

Many data breaches occur due to compromised credentials. Dark web monitoring enables businesses to monitor for stolen or leaked usernames, passwords, and other authentication details associated with their organization.

By identifying compromised credentials early on, businesses can take immediate action, such as resetting passwords, implementing multi-factor authentication, and alerting affected users, to prevent unauthorized access and protect their systems and accounts.

Brand and Reputation Management

Dark web monitoring helps protect a company’s brand reputation by identifying instances of brand abuse, impersonation, or fraudulent activities associated with their organization.

It allows businesses to detect instances of phishing campaigns, scams, or unauthorized use of their brand assets on the dark web. By responding promptly to such incidents, businesses can mitigate the impact on their brand reputation and maintain customer trust.

Compliance and Legal Requirements

Many industries have regulatory compliance obligations regarding data protection, privacy, and incident reporting. Dark web monitoring can assist organizations in meeting these requirements by providing evidence of proactive monitoring, detection, and response to potential data breaches. Using a dark web monitoring service helps businesses demonstrate due diligence in safeguarding customer data and complying with legal obligations.

Proactive Risk Management

Dark web monitoring goes beyond incident response. It provides organizations with valuable insights into emerging threats, new attack techniques, and trends within their industry. By staying informed about potential risks discussed on the dark web, businesses can proactively implement security measures, educate employees about new threats, and enhance their overall cybersecurity posture.

What Does Dark Web Monitoring with Concensus Technologies Offer You?

Protects Company Credentials

Employees often aren’t aware that their credentials have been compromised until someone uses them to breach a business account, such as email or Microsoft 365. This can lead to financial losses and a loss of customer trust.

Dark web monitoring services through Concensus include credential monitoring for your supply chain and the personal email addresses of your executive and administrative users. This reduces the risk of a privileged account being compromised.

Monitors Across Many Popular Areas of the Dark Web

Hundreds of thousands of dark web entities are monitored 24/7/365 to identify any mention of your company or employees. This includes:

  • Hidden chat rooms
  • Unindexed sites
  • Private websites
  • Peer-to-Peer networks
  • IRC (internet relay chat) channels
  • Social media platforms
  • Black market sites
  • 640,000+ botnets

Identification for Domains, IP Addresses & Email Addresses

Data on the dark web can be sold in many forms once it’s stolen. Email addresses can be coupled with business data to enable business identity theft. Criminals also target certain IP addresses for botnet attacks.

Concensus offers complete dark web monitoring coverage. You’re alerted as soon as any company information, such as your domain, IP address, or email addresses are found. You’re no longer in the dark about the theft, and we help you take the measures necessary to mitigate the damage.

Provides Comprehensive & Validated Data

The dark web monitoring offered by Concensus Technologies gives you a combination of human and machine monitoring and analysis. This ensures that data is properly validated and that you get immediate notification if any of your business information is found.

Offers Confidence for Your Customers

Whether your organization is a law office or retail store, your customers are very aware that you have their sensitive data. One breach can mean a loss of trust and loss of business as a result.

Dark web monitoring offers additional confidence to your customers and lets them know that your organization is proactively involved in its data security. This fosters trust that you’re diligently safeguarding the sensitive data that has been entrusted to you.

What Sets Concensus Technologies Apart from the Rest?

Concensus Technologies offers tailored cybersecurity solutions that fit any size organization. For over two decades, we’ve worked with large corporations, government facilities, educational institutions, and small and mid-sized businesses. We understand how to fit solutions to your distinct needs.

Our dark web monitoring service is one of the holistic solutions we offer to keep organizations protected in an ever more threatening online world. You can trust that we’ll have your best interests at heart always. We don’t sell services… rather, we provide solutions to empower your business.

Dark Web FAQ

How does dark web monitoring work?

Dark web monitoring consists of using tools to continuously monitor known locations on the dark web for the mention of specific company names, email addresses, IP addresses, and other specific data. The locations monitored may be hidden chat rooms, private websites, peer-to-peer networks, social media platforms, botnets, and black market sites.

What types of threats and risks can dark web monitoring help detect?

Dark web monitoring can alert companies of the breach of login credentials for one of their accounts. It can also identify threats such as business identity theft, an impending malware attack, and the compromise of company and customer data.

What kind of information or data can be monitored on the dark web?

The dark web monitoring services offered by Concensus Technologies monitor for several types of company information. This includes looking for the mention of the company’s name, specific IP addresses, domains, email addresses, privileged credentials, and more.

Is dark web monitoring a one-time service, or is it an ongoing process?

The internet and dark web are being updated every second. To be effective, dark web monitoring needs to be an ongoing process that can catch any new mentions of company data as soon as they’re detected.

Learn More About Our Message Security Solutions

We have message security solutions for SMBs and large enterprise organizations. Stop the constant worry that one phishing attack can bring you down, and get peace of mind through an all-in-one solution.

Contact our message security experts at Concensus Technologies today, and let’s chat.