When you picture what sells in Dark Web markets, you’re probably thinking about things like stolen corporate data, pirated software, and lists of passwords. But that’s not the whole picture – and what you don’t know can hurt you, because it might just fuel the next cyberattack against your business.
60% of the Information for Sale on the Dark Web Can Damage a Business
There are many types of information that can hurt businesses that can be easily obtained on the Dark Web including:
- Payment Card Information – Stolen or skimmed credit card data (and the software to capture it) is a perennial bestseller.
- Research Data – Medical research including information about new drugs and therapies is a hot commodity, especially COVID-19 data.
- Trade Secrets & Formulas – Proprietary manufacturing information is both popular and easy to sell.
- Blueprints & Security Plans– From buildings to networks, all kinds of schematics and planning data is useful for bad actors.
- Medical Records – They’re especially popular for blackmail and spearfishing ammunition.
- Financial Records – This multipurpose data is desirable for money laundering, blackmail, spearfishing, and identity theft.
- Intelligence Reports – International espionage is a big market that’s high-danger but high-reward.
- Government Secrets – Investigations, communication, programs, budgets, documents, and more sell fast.
“As a Service” Offerings Are the New Hot Category
Why just sell your password when you can keep making money by selling your services? “As a Service” transactions on the Dark Web are proliferating, and that creates big dangers for every company. Malicious insiders with access to specialized data, systems, or institutions can make a fortune by selling their services to facilitate other cybercrimes.
This includes things like embezzlement, records tampering, money laundering, crypto mining, deploying malware, stock trading, espionage, and more dastardly deeds. These workers are generally looking for profit instead of revenge, but sometimes that’s a factor – and they’ll keep doing it until they’re caught.
Dark Web markets aren’t just focused on selling data, passwords, and hacking services. There’s also a booming trade in dangerous, illegal, and disgusting commodities that can’t be sold publicly like weapons, narcotics, stolen goods, looted antiquities, illegal commodities, endangered animals, slave labor, and child pornography.
Finding All the Ways That Dark Web Markets Can Endanger a Business Isn’t Easy – You Need an Expert
Fortunately, we are experts, and we have Dark Web Watch. Our award-winning Dark Web monitoring platform uses human and machine intelligence to scan the Dark Web 24/7/35 to find passwords, data, and other sensitive things that could put a business at risk for a cyberattack or data breach. If we find a red flag, we quickly alert organizations to the danger – giving defenders time to address vulnerabilities or mitigate damage.
Companies can’t afford to miss potential dangers from the Dark Web. Get the real picture with Dark Web Watch, the always-on solution that knows what to look for to find real threats in real-time – and adds real protection to keep data and systems safe.
– by Kevin Lancaster
