To understand what the Dark Web is it must be put into context with the web overall.
Surface Web: anything that can be indexed by a typical search engine like Google.
Deep Web: anything that a Surface Web can’t find. Examples of Deep Web content can be found at any time – whenever you navigate away from Google and do a search directly in a website, examples government databases and libraries. Google search can’t find the pages behind these websites.
The Dark Web: is a section of the Deep Web that has been intentionally hidden and cannot be accessed through standard web browsers. Users must download specialist browsers, for example Tor. Tor – The Onion Router is one of the most widely used platforms for navigating hidden ransomware group sites, markets, and forums. Users can discuss or purchase:
Personal Identifiable Information (PII): Stolen personal data such as names, date of birth records, addresses, email accounts/addresses, and social security numbers.
Company Data: Confidential records, including financial accounts, invoices, purchase order records, intellectual property applications, customer databases, and trade secrets.
Intellectual Property Theft: Copyrighted goods, patents, and valuable intellectual property.
Credit Card Information: Illegal trading of stolen credit card details and bin numbers.
“Phishing Kits” and Guides: Tools, tutorials and dummy company websites designed to undertake high volumes of phishing attacks and capture personal identifiable information and credit card information of victims.
Hacking Tools: A range of software tools and services, including RaaS (Ransomware- as-a-Service) and MaaS (Malware-as-a-service) used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems, posing serious security threats that ruin reputations and cost millions of pounds in ransom payments to threat actors and ransomware groups.
Counterfeit Products: Fake and imitation goods that infringe on copyright and trademarks, potentially endangering consumers and negatively affecting income for the genuine brand.
Ransomware: Organised crime undertaken at high volume for huge profits. Threat actors and ransomware groups use malicious software designed to encrypt a victim’s data, demanding a ransom payment for decryption, causing significant disruptions to organisations, financial loss and reputation damage.
It is of utmost importance to prioritise dark web monitoring and investigate your organisations presence on the Tor network. The consequences of not taking the threat of the Dark Web seriously are significant; successful exploitation and distribution of material across the Dark Web can result in massive financial and/or reputational damage.
Any material found on the Dark Web that incorporates even simply a company’s logo can immediately portray the company as vulnerable or a target. Knowing a company has to some extent or another been exploited on the Dark Web can damage consumer confidence and B2B relationships. Failing to be proactive in protecting the organisation’s position can have real consequences in terms of reputation and consequently will have damaging financial consequences. Not taking action can lead to:
Legal or Regulatory Fees/Fines: Organisations may face legal repercussions and financial penalties from the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) due to data breaches and non-compliance.
Damage to Customer Loyalty and Acquisition: Consumer trust might be tarnished, leading to the loss of loyal customers and difficulty acquiring clients, customers, or partners.
Competitive Loss: Competitors may exploit the situation to attract customers who have lost confidence in the affected company.
Reputational Damage: Negative publicity and news coverage can smear the company’s brand image, negatively impacting its reputation within industry.
Impact on Business Relations: Partnerships and sponsorship deals may be lost and difficult to recover.
Our Dark Web Investigation and Consultancy Services, include:
Dark Web Investigations: Discover potential threats that are relevant to your business and receive in-depth findings report.
Dark Web Research: Use cutting-edge techniques to gather research information for dissemination within the academic, business or security community. Clients include Cifas, Aston University, HP Wolf Security and Venafi. Our innovative techniques have been funded by UK Government (Innovate UK).
Dark Web Monitoring: On-going monitoring of the Dark Web to identify mentions, discussions, or potential threats related to your business, employees, partners, customers, and clients.
Threat Intelligence Analysis: In-depth analysis of Ransomware Group activities including identifying latest victims and Ransomware Group Site Monitoring.
Breach Detection and Response: Rapid detection and response to data breaches on the Dark Web, including identifying stolen data, compromised credentials, and illegal listings involving your organisation and supply chain.
Cyber Investigations: Conducting in-depth investigations to uncover the sources and actors involved in Dark Web activities targeting your business, aiding law enforcement, and providing actionable intelligence.
Whether you are currently engaged in a live investigation or planning an upcoming research project, we encourage you to reach out to us for expert assistance and support.
Forensic Pathways is here to help your business in the fight against cyber criminals, contact us to find out how we can help you:
Ransomware is an aggressive form of malware that locks out users from their data or systems until a ransom is paid. With attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s critical to understand how to defend against this pervasive cyber threat.
