Ignore The ‘Dark Web’ At Your Peril

If your systems security personnel are not scouring the dark web for current threats or possible future risks, you are doing yourself and your customer base a disservice.

Internationally, law firms, among other industries, are increasingly recognizing the threats to their clients and their own internal systems, and boning up their dark web monitoring efforts. It may be an expensive pursuit, but you don’t want to think about the havoc that might be caused by ignoring or missing a threat that would bring your business to its knees, not to mention create a public relations catastrophe.

Just as Boris and Natasha played the antagonistic foils to Rocky and Bullwinkle, so does the “dark web” lurk as the malevolent shadow of the internet as most of us know its presence within the depths of cyberspace. The dark web’s disturbing content enables financial scams, high-level hacking, and other illicit activities including drug and human trafficking.

But those responsible for systems security are often disregarding the dark web at their significant professional peril. There is actionable intelligence to be gathered on the dark web, foreshadowing new, and ever widening efforts by the “bad guys” to undermine your system and critical data contained within. Avoid being the next victim by assuring that your team is taking aggressive efforts to monitor the place common business ethics is non-existent.

AT&T learned all too well what lies in the deep corners of the dark web when it discovered data from 2019 and earlier, further revealing the files affecting 7.6 million current subscribers and 65.4 million former account holders. Worse, for AT&T, was the extent of the exposure: full names, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, dates of birth, and AT&T account numbers. The fallout from the revelation is only now shaking out.

While AT&T searches for the source of the breach, an expensive reparations process has begun—providing credit monitoring service to the millions affected. That’s the right reaction to a breach of such magnitude. And one those affected should rightly take advantage.

In an era where digital threats loom large, businesses must turn their focus to the dark web, not as a nefarious playground, but as a critical frontier in cybersecurity defense. The dark web, a term that evokes intrigue and caution, has emerged as a double-edged sword in the realm of digital security. Monitoring dark web activity has become a mandatory response in an era when your business can be stopped cold with a brutal and merciless attack.

It’s difficult to know if two of the more well publicized and pernicious recent disruptions foisted on businesses by bad actors—the UnitedHealth Group payments system compromise and Colonial Pipeline cyberattack—could have been prevented with diligent dark web monitoring, but it is a relevant question. Were there clues hidden in the recesses of the dark web that could have foreshadowed events that crippled a major payments system or a critical part of the nation’s fuel distribution infrastructure?

In the current digital environment, ignorance is not bliss—it’s a liability. Businesses, regardless of size, are potential targets for cybercriminals leveraging the dark web. From ransomware attacks that can cripple an organization’s operations to data breaches that compromise sensitive customer information, the risks are real and growing. It’s within this context that dark web monitoring emerges as a crucial tool in a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

Has your security team performed an extensive search to determine if any of your data has been breached? Are there customer lists, trade secrets lurking behind a hidden doorway on the dark web?

Sony paid a deep price for the hack that exposed salacious internal company emails and scripts of unreleased films.

To protect your company from becoming the next AT&T or Colonial Pipeline, here are three immediate steps CEOs and senior executives can take to  secure their systems:

• Enforce strong protocols. That includes a password and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) policy, and a password manager. Companies should require complex, unique passwords  along with multi-factor authentication (MFA) for enhanced security. Using a password manager can help generate and store strong passwords while notifying users if credentials are weak, reused or compromised. This strengthens password practices and reduces the risk of breaches from compromised credentials often sold on the dark web.

• Implement dark web monitoring. Invest in tools that automatically scan the  dark web for threats related to your business, such as leaked employee credentials, sensitive company data, or mentions of your organization in illicit forums. This proactive  measure allows organizations to respond to early warning signs before cybercriminals can exploit the data.

• Train employees on cybersecurity awareness. Regular cybersecurity training is crucial to help employees recognize phishing attempts, avoid unsafe browsing practices, understand relevant aspects of the dark web, and secure their login credentials. Companies should ensure that all employees understand how their online behavior can make the organization vulnerable.

The ramifications of dark web activities on businesses are multifaceted, affecting everything from operational continuity to legal compliance and brand reputation. In response, organizations must adopt proactive security measures that include dark web monitoring to identify and respond to threats before they materialize into full-blown attacks.

Understanding and monitoring the dark web is not just about keeping pace with cybercriminals; it’s about staying ahead of them. As businesses navigate the complex digital landscape, the dark web will undoubtedly continue to play a significant role in shaping cybersecurity strategies. By embracing the challenges and opportunities it presents, organizations can not only protect themselves but also turn potential vulnerabilities into strengths. The journey through the digital underworld, while fraught with risks, offers invaluable insights and tools for those willing to venture into its depths.