The dark web is uncharted territory on the Internet. It has millions of pages that don’t show up in Google and other search engines. The dark web has a bad reputation for criminal activities such as pornography, terrorism, and stolen information. A study conducted in 2019, Into the Web of Profit, indicates that 60% of dark web pages could pose significant harm to enterprises.
The dark web also contains financial and health information stolen from individuals. Do you want to buy the login information for a six-figure bank account or access prepaid debit cards for a fraction of their value? It’s all available on the dark web.
Many people use the dark web for more legitimate purposes. Blackbook is Tor’s (Tor is the Google of the dark web) version of Facebook. Also, people join everything from cyber chess clubs to coding boot camps. In general, however, you should avoid the dark web.
Reasons to Avoid the Dark Web
The main reasons to stay off the dark web include security risks.
Crypto Scams
Crypto scams involve fraudulent transactions to provide goods or information in exchange for untraceable cryptocurrency. You hand over the cryptocurrency in a crypto scam but never received the information or items you purchased.
Pornography
The dark web has plenty of illegal pornography for sale. It’s often used to scam people out of money.
Hoaxes
Cybercriminals find plenty of ways to scam people out of money on the dark web. Most hoaxes take advantage of people who want to purchase illegal services.
Terrorism
Terrorist groups use the dark web to hide in plain sight. They run their finances and organize activities on the dark web.
Follow the tips below to prevent your personal information from ending up for sale on the dark web.
Protect Your Privacy
While surfing online, you leave traces of your identity behind wherever you go. From purchasing items on Amazon to browsing Instagram and Twitter, you leave behind nuggets that savvy cyber thieves can follow.
Here are some tips to help you cover your digital footprints:
- Digital footprints give cybercriminals insight into your preferences. These details can expose you to identity theft and a slew of other privacy violations. Maintain the appropriate privacy settings for social media cybersecurity.
- Social networking allows us to learn more about one another and provide information about ourselves. However, social networks also expose you to potential cyber theft, invasion of privacy, and data breaches. Create strong passwords and utilize built-in security to help maintain your internet privacy.
- Set strong passwords for your online accounts and turn on multi-factor identification whenever possible. Your privacy and online safety settings help you keep your information off the dark web.
Now that you know how to protect your identity, it should be clear why hanging out on the dark web puts you at risk. Keep your information to yourself whenever possible when you’re surfing on and off the dark web.
