It’s pretty safe to assume that you, like most of the people on the planet, browse the internet on a regular basis. Whether you use it for work, shopping, or just for fun, the internet has become a necessity in our daily lives.
But do you know what the dark web is? And did you know there are even different types of ‘internet’!?
Let us break everything down and let you know how we can help.
Surface Web
The surface web is the public part of the internet that anyone can easily access, you only need your internet browser and a search engine. These are sites such as Google, Wikipedia and Bing. Search engines “crawl” the surface web for new websites and pages, and index their findings (‘Indexing’ is an important term we will be using later on). When you search for a website or term, the search engine shows you results from its index that it thinks best match your query.
Examples of the surface web can include News and informational websites, general sales websites, video-hosting platforms. This ‘surface internet’ only actually makes up about 4% of the internet.
Deep Web
The deep web, also known as the invisible or hidden web, is actually the majority of the internet. You won’t find these pages in search engine results, but you likely visit them every day. The deep web includes any page that requires a login. Such as Social Media sites, legal documents, bank information, your medical records, the list goes on and on.
Essentially, all items are stored in the deep web and all require encryption to access this data, even the intranet you used at school! This however is not without risk, details and data on the deep web can still be compromised, which means a hacker could break through a company’s security systems and access your personal information via what’s known as a data breach.
Dark Web
The dark web is a small subsection of the deep web that’s only accessible with special tools, software or authorisation to access its content. The dark web refers to anything that is not indexed and allows full anonymity whilst using it, you create an encrypted entry point to access the dark web allowing your dark web searches and actions to be completely anonymous.
As with the other parts of the internet, the dark web doesn’t refer to a specific site or page. Instead, it’s a type of network called a darknet. If you set up a private and secure network with a group of friends, that could be an example of a darknet.
How can I tell if my information is on the Dark Web and how does it get there?
Because the material and websites on the dark web are not indexed (told you we would be using this word often) by search engines it makes it impossible for the average user to access, due to this elusive nature, it’s also a haven for criminal activity.
Cybercriminals use the Dark Web to buy and sell pieces of personal information, such as a person’s name, email, account numbers and passwords, etc. They piece this information together bit by bit until they have enough information on a person to steal his or her identity to create a full profile. This can lead to identity fraud and a massive headache to get accounts back in order.
Because only those with access have access, it makes it very difficult for the average person to simply ‘log in’ and check.
However, we, ScoresMatter, have created a solution.
Using the Dark Web Monitor from ScoresMatter, you can check to see if any of your information is at risk on the Dark Web in real time. Our monitor will send you alerts to let you know if any of your personal information has leaked onto the Dark Web. Not only that, but our dashboard features personalised tips and information, along with next steps on what to do if your information has been compromised.
How it Works
Your details are searched for on an extensive database, which holds a record of information that has been in criminal hands, chatrooms, or marketplaces, and we then notify you of your risk based on those findings. We search for any mention of your data, such as your name, address and email address, which you have to consent to providing us for the service to be able to work for you.
Why it Matters
Data breaches and cyber attacks have become commonplace. Even your favorite retailers aren’t immune, and like it or not, we all take risks every time we make purchases, whether we use an app or plastic. That’s why Dark Web monitoring matters. Because even if your Dark Web Monitor doesn’t yield a match on the Dark Web initially, it doesn’t mean that it couldn’t at some point. That’s why it’s important to watch for activity on a continuous basis using the Dark Web Monitor.
Prevention is always better than a cure as they say! Act now by trying our Dark Web Scan today!