We've all heard of the dark web and all the bad things that lurk there, but most of us do not know more than that. We all know the dark web is a marketplace for all types of stolen data. However, did you know that if your small business suffers a data breach, the stolen information will more than likely end up for sale on the dark web?
What are the Differences Between the Webs?
The part of the World Wide Web (www) we use every day for search engines such as Google and Bing is known as the "surface web."
Did you know that this part of the "surface web" is only 4%? The other 96% of the Internet is not searchable by search engines such as Google and Bing. This percentage of the World Wide Web is considered the deep web and the dark web.
It is good to know there is a difference between the two:
The Deep Web
The deep web is the part of the Internet which is hidden from public view. We actually access the deep web every day, though, whether it’s by logging into our bank accounts or Facebook or checking our email. It is content that you can only access behind log-in pages. When you log into your social media accounts and other accounts, including your workplace's intranet, the content that is available to you as a registered user is the deep web.
The Dark Web
The dark web is a part of the Internet that can't be found by regular search engines like Google or Bing. To access this part of the web you have to use a dedicated software. A popular example is TOR which stands for The Onion Router. It offers you a special layer of anonymity that the surface web and the deep web can't.
Because of its capabilities of keeping people and activities anonymous, the dark web is home to entities that don’t want to be found. The dark web is host to hundreds of underground markets that sell all kinds of illicit products and services, including stolen credit and debit card information, social security numbers, and other such information acquired by identity theft. Malware, ransomware and hacking services including hackers, phishing experts, and ransomware and malware developers will regularly advertise their services on the dark web.
Should Your Business be Concerned about the Dark Web?
Today cyber criminals target small to medium size businesses because it is believed they lack the security resources that larger businesses would have. So always assume you will be breached. Eventually, hackers will try to attack your business. If you prepare for a data breach, you can create better safeguards.
Making sure you have the proper security in place to protect your business is more important than ever. We recommend using KappaSecureIT as-a-service. This program provides your business with a multi-layered security approach. We layer your network with a business-class firewall, anti-virus protection, best practice network restrictions and permissions, security risk management, employee education, coupled with monitoring and management of your mission-critical network infrastructure like your firewall, switches, routers and wireless access points. Kappa will effectively and proactively manage your network security, allowing you to rest easy knowing your company is safe and secure.
Contact Kappa for your security assessment today: 407-3331-5921