There’s More Than Meets The Eye…The Dark Web

On By John GrubbIn Internet, Security
iceberg showing the surface web, deep web and dark web.

Yesterday, I attended a very enlightening webinar regarding the dark web. The four moderators shared information about what can be found there. They defined terms, such as “market place” and “forum,” as those terms related to this shady area of the Internet.

The webinar was geared towards both businesses and consumers. I was struck by the reasons these panelists gave for a consumer’s information showing up on the dark web.

The Iceberg Above

Let me explain what’s illustrated in the photo above. The “Surface Web” is that area of the Internet that can show up in search engines. The page you’re reading right now would be an example of that. As you can see from the iceberg breakdown, the surface web only consumes about 4% of the Net. The rest is called the “Deep Web.” In this 96% of the Internet, web pages and other types of information are hidden from normal search engines. You might note that only about 6% of the Net holds the “Dark Web.” This is the area where encryption and hidden IP addresses are king. It’s also where many illegal activities occur – from the buying and selling of user names and passwords to drugs and illegal guns. Because of these types of activities, this is the one web area you want to stay out of.

Why Your Information Might Show Up On The Dark Web

But I digress. I want to share with you the reasons consumers often find their information on the dark web, as expressed by the webinar speakers. Read them carefully and ask yourself, “Do I do that?” If you answer “Yes” to that question for any of these reasons, you need to make a change.

  1. Using the same password across multiple accounts.
  2. Failing to use two-factor verification.
  3. Failing to use a password manager.
  4. Clicking on unknown links in an email.
  5. Opening unexpected or unknown attachments in email.

Any of those reasons sound familiar? The experts who spoke during the webinar understand the implications of consumers making the mistakes outlined. As I stated in my post of January 31, 2019, unfortunately, the weakest link when it comes to online security is the computer user.

Please…if you answered yes to any of the items listed, please take steps now to correct the problems.

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