Do Dark Web Monitoring Tools Work?

Every 39 seconds a cyberattack happens online (Cybersecurity Ventures).

Businesses that fail to monitor the dark web increase their risk of becoming the next victim.

But do dark web monitoring tools actually work?

Yes, dark web monitoring tools work, but their effectiveness depends on how they’re used.

These tools provide early warnings when sensitive data like customer records, login credentials, or financial information appear on the dark web.

While they can’t prevent breaches, they help businesses respond to threats faster, reducing potential damage.

To understand how these tools work, let’s first explain what the dark web is and how sensitive data ends up there.

What is the dark web?

The dark web is a “hidden” part of the internet that isn’t indexed by traditional search engines like Google or Bing.

It includes anything from private forums requiring authentication to criminal marketplaces on the Tor network.”

The dark web is best known for underground markets selling stolen data, hacking services, and counterfeit documents.

However, it also has legitimate uses, providing a platform for anonymous communication and information sharing.

For folks living under oppressive regimes, the dark web is a crucial tool for maintaining privacy and accessing uncensored information.

Here’s a list of the most common ways data ends up in the dark web:

Data Breaches: Hackers leverage exploits to gain access to company databases. This enables them to steal sensitive data like customer records, payment details, and intellectual property. The stolen data is then sold on dark web marketplaces.
Phishing Attacks: Cybercriminals trick their victims into sharing personal information through fake websites, emails, or text messages. Stolen credentials are often sold or leaked on the dark web.
Malware & Ransomware Attacks: Malware (malicious software) can extract sensitive data from infected devices, including plaintext passwords. In double-extortion ransomware attacks, the ransomware gang leaks their victim’s stolen data on the dark web when their ransom demands aren’t met.
Weak Passwords & Credential Stuffing: When people reuse passwords, attackers can use credentials leaked in one breach to gain access to access multiple accounts elsewhere. These credentials often end up in combo lists.
Insider Threats: Disgruntled employees with access to sensitive data may leak or sell that data on the dark web.
Accidental Exposure: Misconfigured servers, unsecured cloud storage and shadow IT can expose sensitive data. This makes it easy for threat actors to exfiltrate the data and leak it on the dark web.

In 2023, the average cost of a data breach was USD 4.45 million (IBM).

Every day, threat actors sell stolen data like customer information, internal company documents, and login credentials on the dark web.

Cybercriminals exploit these for fraud, identity theft, and to steal more data.

By knowing what data has been exposed, companies can take immediate action, reducing the impact of the breach.

Common actions include resetting passwords, terminating compromised sessions or geofencing access.

Additionally, identifying fraud early can prevent further data breaches, helping to protect both a company’s operations and its reputation.

Now that we’ve established why dark web monitoring is critical for your business, here are some free tools you can leverage to help.

Shodan: Think of Shodan as a “search engine for the internet. It helps find devices connected to the internet, like webcams, servers, and routers. Businesses use it to see what parts of their network are visible online and check for security risks.
CT Logs: Certificate Transparency logs are a public record for website security certificates. Companies use crt.sh to search these logs to see if someone created fake certificates pretending to be their website. These are used primarily to find phishing and look-alike domains.
MISP-Project: MISP (Malware Information Sharing Platform) is a tool for sharing cybersecurity threat information. It’s essentially a central library where organizations share and access details about cyber threats (like malware or phishing campaigns).
Telegram: Telegram has become a hub for threat actors leaking credentials, infostealer logs, and combo lists. Here’s a list of channels you should monitor on a regular basis.
Tor: Ransomware threat actors tend to leak their victim’s files on the Tor network. Note, you should monitor your vendors to make sure that your data, doesn’t get leaked in their breach. Here’s a list of the most active ransomware threat actors. Make sure to use a Tor Browser to access the links.