Your business's digital footprint is essential for its growth. It's a concept that defines all online content about you and your work: the good, the bad, and the ugly. By tracking it, you can see what is said about you and by whom. You can manage your reputation, engage with customers, and spot developing problems.
Usually, a simple Google search is all it takes to give you an overall picture of a situation. But does that search really tell you the whole story?
What about the stuff that isn't that easy to find? That is hidden from plain sight in the darkest parts of the web? Shouldn't a business be wondering what stories that footprint tells? And what, if any, impact it could have on its growth and customers?
Just what is the dark web footprint? And why is it important?
The dark web is a secluded part of the internet. It covers a series of hidden networks and forums that search engines do not index. It requires special software and technical know-how to visit.
Research from 2023 paints a worrying picture of our understanding of the dark web. It found that only 50% of adults in the United States were "somewhat familiar" with the dark web. Moreover, it found that 8% of people had never heard of it before.
Because of this unfamiliarity, the dark web has become a popular haven for criminals. They can share stolen data freely without much resistance or repercussions. User identities are anonymized, further encouraging illicit activities.
Like its digital namesake, your "dark web footprint" is instrumental in tracking what is said about you online. However, rather than focusing on public opinion, it prioritizes your cybersecurity.
By tracking your dark web footprint, you can determine whether hackers are talking about attacking your business. Knowing if and when your company is mentioned can give you precious time to anticipate and contain threats. It can help identify vulnerabilities you may be overlooking in your cybersecurity plan.
But as said already, the dark web is a secretive place, and businesses may have trouble figuring out how best to search it or even where to begin!
Why a business must implement dark web monitoring
Dark web monitoring for businesses is a comprehensive way of identifying flaws in your cybersecurity. With its help, you can explore the hidden recesses of the internet in search of potential threats. Key benefits to implementing this service include:
Early detection of threats
Statistics from 2024 found that "a human element" was responsible for over 68% of data breaches. People may have clicked a phishing link, shared personal information, or made some error that exposed their accounts to hackers.
Dark web monitoring can help address this major cybersecurity issue. It works by scanning the far reaches of the dark web for mention of your company. Using keywords, it can detect compromised accounts found in infostealer logs.
You can be alerted to everything from stolen passwords to session cookies and more. With a list of affected accounts, a business can reset credentials to repel a future attack. The threat can be contained, data protected, and vulnerable accounts identified.
Reduced risk of data breaches
The average cost of a data breach reached a record-breaking $4.88 million in 2024. However, targeted organizations that incorporated automation security (like dark web monitoring) saved an average of $2.22 million in incidents versus those that didn't.
These numbers highlight the effectiveness of services like dark web monitoring in reducing the risk and financial impact of a data breach. Early threat detection allows you to have quicker reactions when a crisis unfolds. Rather than trying to identify the source of an attack, you can skip directly to a solution.
For example, if you detect compromised credentials, you can revoke user logins and reset passwords. This action can prevent hackers from accessing unauthorized sensitive data, thus minimizing risk.
Real-time protection
Cybersecurity is a 24-hour concern. No one knows quite where or when the next attack might come from. As such, it helps to have continuous protection against threats.
Dark web monitoring provides uninterrupted security from emerging threats on the dark web. It relentlessly scans hidden forums and marketplaces for any new mention of your business.
Even if your security team has left for the day, the service works in the background. Moreover, by taking care of the dark web searches, it allows employees to focus on other aspects of cybersecurity.
Plug gaps in your cybersecurity through dark web monitoring
Businesses might think that ignoring the dark web keeps them safe from any shady activity. Security teams have enough problems with known threats and don't need the hassle of searching for hidden ones.
Unfortunately, this inaction can put you at incredible risk. Monitoring the dark web and identifying compromised data can give you the heads-up you need to avoid an attack. And as it works in real time, you're given the best chance to mitigate a devastating data breach.
Also Read
Cybersecurity for Small Businesses: 10 Essential Tips for Staying Safe