Why Businesses Need to

Invest in Dark Web

Scanning Today

No business is immune to data breaches. High-profile companies like Equifax and Uber experienced massive cyberattacks in 2017 that compromised millions of user accounts and put countless people at risk of identity theft. The number of data breaches in the U.S. rose 29 percent in the first half of 2017.   Businesses are pouring money into data security to prevent cyber criminals from accessing sensitive data, but attacks are still difficult to monitor and prevent. Many cyber criminals take to the dark web to sell and buy stolen personal information.

What Is the Dark Web?

The dark web, also known as the darknet, is a layer of the Internet that’s hidden from search engines. The dark web is only accessible through special software, such as a Tor browser, and allows users to remain anonymous, making it easy to buy and sell illegal items and services.   Cyber criminals buy and sell stolen data on the dark web to commit identity theft and fraud. They also leverage stolen data to fund criminal organizations around the world.

What Happens During a Dark Web Scan?

Dark web scanning helps organizations detect cyber threats that expose stolen email addresses, business accounts and other personal information on the dark web.   A dark web scan uses human and artificial intelligence to scan criminal chat rooms, blogs, forums, private networks and other sites. The scan operates 24/7.

How Does the Scan Identify Your Stolen Data?

A dark web scan identifies stolen credentials and other personal information that’s circulating on dark web networks and channels. This scanning method searches specifically for your business’s top-level email domains and IP addresses. The scan can detect data from private sites that require a membership within the cyber criminal community to enter.   If a dark web scan determines that your credentials have been exposed on the dark web, you should consult your IT and/or security teams to determine the cause of the data breach.   You can’t remove data that has already been distributed within the dark web, but you can take precautions immediately to contain your data and protect users against identity theft.

Why Invest in Dark Web Scanning?

Unsure whether dark web scanning is a necessity for your business? Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t delay this small investment:  

1. Data Breaches Are Costly for Businesses

  In the United States, the average cost to recover from a data breach is $225 per compromised record. If your data is compromised, you could face a mandatory forensic examination, compliance fines and potential lawsuits. These activities incur huge costs that are damaging to your business.  

2. Data Breaches Impact Real People

  Exposed data links back to real people – your customers and employees. Identify theft adversely affects people’s lives. People can have their licenses revoked, have criminal warrants issued in their name and even have medical care issued to another person due to identity theft.   Dark web scanning is critical to monitor the security of your customers’ and employees’ personal information.  

3. Small Businesses Are Not Immune to Hackers

Big companies like Equifax, Uber and Yahoo end up in the news when they experience data breaches, but that doesn’t mean small businesses aren’t vulnerable. Stolen information on the dark web is up to 20 times more likely to come from an entity whose breach wasn’t reported in the media. Retail, hospitality and food and beverage are three of the top compromised industries.

Invest in Dark Web Scanning for Your Businesses Today

At SugarShot, we help businesses protect their data from modern digital security threats.   Our dark web scanning technology uses sophisticated intelligence to identify, analyze and proactively monitor for potential compromised employee and customer data. We provide compromised data tracking and reporting and real-time alerts to help you manage and mitigate threats before they get out of hand.  

Want to learn more about protecting your Los Angeles business’s data from the dark web? Contact us today.