The 5 Biggest Dark Web Threats Businesses Face

The dark web is a hotbed for illicit activities and clandestine transactions, from employees selling access to initial access brokers to bad actors selling stolen identities – and the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) assisted cybercrime is giving this already booming economy a push to new heights. This makes the dark web a significant threat to individuals and organizations alike. There are a wide variety of threats that businesses face from information and activity rolling around on the dark web.

 These are the five biggest dark web cyber threats facing organizations today. 

1. Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) 

Ransomware continues to be a pervasive threat, with cybercriminals leveraging sophisticated techniques to encrypt valuable data and demand ransom payments for its release. What’s even more alarming is the rise of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) on the dark web. RaaS platforms allow aspiring cybercriminals to easily launch ransomware attacks without needing extensive technical expertise. These platforms provide everything from ransomware deployment tools to customer support, making it easier than ever for individuals to profit from ransomware attacks.

2. Stolen data marketplaces 

The dark web is teeming with marketplaces where stolen data is bought and sold, and it’s not experiencing an economic downturn. Today, the dark web is the world’s third-largest economy. Immense quantities of data are available for low prices or even free, ranging from personal information and login credentials to financial data and corporate secrets. Cybercriminals steal this data through various means, including phishing attacks, data breaches, and malware infections. Once obtained, the data is sold on underground forums and marketplaces to the highest bidder. This stolen data can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities, posing a significant threat to individuals and organizations alike. 

3. Insider threats and corporate espionage 

Insider threats pose a significant risk to organizations, with disgruntled employees or malicious insiders using their access to sensitive information to steal data or sabotage systems. The dark web provides a platform for insiders to sell stolen corporate data to competitors or malicious actors. Additionally, with corporate espionage is on the rise and cybercriminals targeting organizations to steal proprietary information, trade secrets, and intellectual property for financial gain or competitive advantage. Employees who have given notice that they’re leaving a company are at major risk for stealing data like intellectual property – 70% of insider intellectual property thefts occur within 90 days of an employee’s resignation. 

4. Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) 

Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) and its offshoot Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) is a booming industry on the dark web. The affordability and availability of these services make it easy and affordable for cyber criminals to access and deploy sophisticated malware tools and services easily. Some providers even offer monthly subscriptions.

5. Zero-Day exploits and vulnerability trading 

Zero-day exploits, which target previously unknown vulnerabilities in software and hardware, are highly sought after on the dark web. This is a type of risk that is growing exponentially.

How does dark web monitoring help neutralize dark web threats?

Dark web monitoring is a proactive cybersecurity measure aimed at detecting and mitigating threats emerging from the dark web. It involves continuously scanning underground forums, marketplaces, and other hidden corners of the internet for any mention of sensitive information belonging to individuals or organizations. 

Data Collection: Dark web monitoring begins with with collecting vast of vast amounts of data from hidden online sources like dark web markets and data dumps. This data includes everything from stolen credentials and financial information to proprietary business data and intellectual property. For example, a dark web monitoring solution could monitor a company’s employee and executive credentials, domains, IP addresses and email addresses. 

Scanning and Analysis: A combination of human analysts and advanced algorithms that harness AI may be employed to scan and analyze the collected data for any matches with information relevant to the monitored individuals or organizations. This could include email addresses, usernames, passwords and more. 

Alerting and Notification: When a match is found, indicating that sensitive information belonging to the monitored entity has been compromised and is being traded or sold on the dark web, the monitoring system generates an alert. This alert is promptly relayed to the organization’s security team or a designated point of contact. 

Response and Mitigation: Armed with this intelligence, the organization can take immediate action to mitigate the potential impact of the data breach. This may involve resetting compromised passwords, monitoring affected accounts for suspicious activity, notifying affected individuals, and implementing additional security measures to prevent further unauthorized access. 

Source: ID Agent