{"id":3691,"date":"2020-01-24T16:16:25","date_gmt":"2020-01-24T16:16:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conferencecall.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3691"},"modified":"2021-06-15T10:50:10","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T09:50:10","slug":"dont-lose-personal-data-dark-web","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conferencecall.co.uk\/blog\/dont-lose-personal-data-dark-web\/","title":{"rendered":"Don&#8217;t lose your data to dark web hackers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The frequency and severity of cyber attacks rose again in 2019 as hackers successfully attacked major cities, governments, businesses, hospitals, and schools across the globe &#8211; in October alone 421,103,896, data records were confirmed to have been breached, with 111 incidents in which sensitive and financial information was compromised.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s been a few years since the Wannacry cyber hack hit thousands of organisations worldwide, including the NHS, and brought the reliance on the internet and technology into sharp focus.\u00a0 While the events were more about hackers holding large organisations to ransom, many individuals could be concerned about whether their personal data might be at risk as a result of the hack. And the hackers are showing no signs of slowing down.<\/p>\n<p>But how well do you know the web?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>What is the dark web?<\/h2>\n<p>The surface web is any content that can be catalogued by search engines. This includes the types of websites we all use every day, which search engines like Google \u2018index\u2019 by following hyperlinks and tracking keywords.<\/p>\n<p>Content in the deep web is not necessarily completely hidden or anonymous, but it cannot be indexed in the same way as the surface web. This includes content that is behind firewalls, and other types of protection, or things like a website\u2019s internal search results.<\/p>\n<p>The dark web is a section of the deep web that is deliberately hidden and cannot be accessed with regular web browsers. It was developed by the US government to allow intelligence to be shared around the world without fear of interception, by encrypting a user\u2019s location and the information they send or receive. Inevitably a community of users grew that exploited this security for illicit means \u2013 giving rise to \u2018the dark web.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Research from Intelliagg* released in 2016 showed that the dark web is made up of around 30,000 websites, but 48% of the content could be deemed illegal.\u00a0 40% of this illegal activity was categorised as \u2018leaked data\u2019 or \u2018financial fraud\u2019 \u2013 suggesting that the dark web is an important tool for criminals looking to compromise or abuse personal financial details, such as credit card numbers or bank log-in details.<\/p>\n<p>Criminals on the dark web often sell packages containing people\u2019s personal data, such as credit card numbers, including the CVV2 code and their name. Thieves steal financial details in a number of ways, including \u2018phishing\u2019 and malware, usually via emails or visiting unsafe websites, skimming card details or company data leaks.<\/p>\n<p>Lisa Hardstaff, identity fraud expert at Equifax\u201cThe better consumers understand how the internet and various new technologies work, the better armed they will be against the threat of fraud. There\u2019s no room for complacency in this connected world.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>How to keep data safe from the dark web<\/h2>\n<p>At the heart of keeping personal data safe is the keys that unlock the information \u2013 passwords and PINs.\u00a0 Equifax is, therefore, offering tips to consumers who might be worried that their identity could be at risk.\u00a0 \u201cOnline research** of over 2,000 people in 2016 found that more than a quarter (27%) change their online passwords less than once a year and 23% never change their passwords without being prompted\u201d added Lisa Hardstaff.\u00a0 \u201cThe fact that people now have so many passwords to remember could be a reason why they don\u2019t regularly update their passwords.\u00a0 But anyone concerned about the security of their financial information should think about changing their passwords and PINs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChoosing safe passwords has become a fixture in modern security, and as security becomes more complex so do the methods criminals will use to get past it.\u00a0 Criminals on the dark web often sell packages containing people\u2019s personal data, such as credit card numbers, including the CVV2 code and their name. So understanding what makes a password strong can help keep information safe.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn addition to ensuring you have a strong password to reduce the risk of falling victim to identity fraud and other cybercrimes, it is also worth considering subscribing to a service like Equifax Identity Watch Pro which will alert you if your credit \/ debit card or personal information is found on websites used by fraudsters\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>For more information on choosing secure passwords and keeping your data safe, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conferencecall.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-safe-password-and-stay-secure-online\/\"><em>How to choose a secure password and stay safe online<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What are the many layers of the web?<\/h2>\n<p>If you&#8217;re serious about cybersecurity, it&#8217;s\u00a0important to understand the different layers of the web \u2013 the surface web, the deep web and the dark web \u2013 and how your\u00a0personal information might be found and traded.<\/p>\n<p>This\u00a0infographic from Equifax, the credit referencing agency, illustrates the scale of the dark web<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.equifax.co.uk\/ribbon\/img\/DarkWeb_infographic.png\" width=\"800\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.equifax.co.uk\/resources\/dark-web-infographic.html\"> Delving into the Dark Web \u2013 An infographic from Equifax UK<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conferencecall.co.uk\/conference-call\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1777 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conferencecall.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/conference-call-banner.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"118\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The frequency and severity of cyber attacks rose again in 2019 as hackers successfully attacked major cities, governments, businesses, hospitals, and schools across the globe &#8211; in October alone 421,103,896,<\/p>\n<div class=\"more-link-wrapper\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.conferencecall.co.uk\/blog\/dont-lose-personal-data-dark-web\/\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Don&#8217;t lose your data to dark web hackers<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[19,17],"tags":[29,26,18],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.9 - 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