The dark web functions and is recognized as the largest black market in the world where individuals can find just about anything they are looking for.
The major difference and difficulty in accessing content from the Dark Web, as opposed to the regular Web, is that when content is submitted or shared on it, the location of the host is obfuscated. What this means in layman’s terms is: deleted links and sites are difficult to track back because they’re “hidden”, and normal browsers cannot currently visit it without using a web-proxy software such as Tor (the onion router). This occurs because of a translation step between what you’re viewing on your computer screen and what data you can push along to end up at its final destination—meaning if your computer knows where the computer directing traffic cares about is located and type in that
What is the Dark Web?
The dark web, or Darknet, is a massive collection of websites that cannot be accessed by normal means and are not indexed by typical search engines such as Yahoo and Google. Accessing the dark web requires downloading specialized software that gives you access. This specialized software allows the dark web to not be monitored or identified by authorities since all activities on the dark web are almost entirely anonymous.
How is Your Business at Risk from the Dark Web?
The mistake many business owners make is believing that since they don’t transact a great deal of business, or that they do not process such information at all, that they are not remotely an interesting target of dark web activity. This could not be farther from the truth, however. Even the slightest back end credentials that you provide to other online marketplaces can become compromised and leaked to the dark net ultimately allowing fraud hackers to gain access to information needed to take temporary ownership of banking information and other data. There is no business size or specific activity base that is entirely safe from the dark net.
Ransomware and other types of malicious spyware software are sold via the dark net and often times put unsuspecting computers at risk. Since talented criminals can easily obtain malicious code and spyware on the black market, the once upon a time high technical protocols that used to provide barriers from attacks are now a thing of the past. With that said, it is critical that business owners take steps to protect their computers, networks and customer data from the villains of the dark web. Business owners need to take vigilant steps in being proactive and preparing for when the fraudsters of the dark web and black market may very well find their way to your business doorstep.
[Related: Ransomware Backup Strategies For Businesses]
Steps to Take to Protect Your Business and Keep it Safe
Sad as it may be, today we hear often that a cyber-attack on a business is not a question of ‘will it happen’ but rather the question is ‘when will it happen?’ This unfortunate scenario is well out of the hands of business owners but preparing for a cyber-attack and knowing exactly how to respond are necessary steps for all business owners to take. With that said, the professionals here at CorCystems want to share some important cybersecurity ‘must-dos’ for every business owner.- Start by creating cloud-based data backups and implementing a disaster recovery plan. Often times, with a cyber-attack, the only means of recovery is a full system restore.
- Training and educating all your employees on security policies and protocols is a critical next step. Since phishing, spams, and social engineering, to name a few, are some of the main tactics used by cyber attackers, it is important that both you and your employees are fully trained on effective security protocols.
- Upgrade your network-attached storage (NAS) to the latest back-up data recovery systems to defend against ransomware attacks.
- Today dual-factor authentication and exceedingly complex and strong passwords are essential strategies to put in place and adhere to.
- It also makes perfect sense to invest in cybersecurity insurance for your business. Should your company fall prey to a cyber-attack, appropriate cyber insurance can certainly help you to recoup the many damages you are apt to incur.
