In this situation, if your personal data is on the dark web, you should be worried about your privacy and security. Cybercriminals can sell your data to malicious players and criminals who use this information to commit illegal acts. They can steal your money and personal details, learn about your internet activities, family history, home and business address, to impersonate you and commit illegal acts in your name. Your overall social security is at stake once your personal details are compromised on the dark web. So, what can you do to secure your personal information, and if it is available on the darknet, how can you remove it from there? In this write-up, we will take up and discuss this issue on a deeper level. So, let’s start with it!
How To Know Your Personal Information Is On The Dark Web?
There is no straightforward way or internet portal that can inform you your personal details on the dark web. No authority regulates darknet space in the internet world or government agencies to monitor deepweb information management. So, if you want to know whether your personal data is compromised on the dark web or not, you have to take a proactive approach to stay informed about potential data loss or privacy threats. Here are some methods that you can use to keep yourself aware of the fact whether your sensitive data is on the deepnet or not:
Always Check Notifications
Suppose you get notifications from credit card companies, your banks, and government authorities notifying you about suspicious activities, OTP numbers for changing passwords, or data breach activities. In that case, you need to take this seriously. These activities indicate potential data breaches or compromised details on malicious platforms.
Monitor Your Accounts
You have to keep a close eye on your important social media accounts, banking accounts, credit card transactions, etc., if you observe any suspicious activity make sure to report to the information technology department as soon as possible. Instant reporting will prepare you to deal with the potential threats in advance.
Monitor Financial Activities
Keep a close eye on your financial accounts, such as bank statements and credit card transactions. Report any unauthorized or suspicious activity to the respective institutions immediately. Timely notification to the individual institution will help you minimize significant losses and mend the situation immediately.
Set Account Alerts
You have to keep a close eye on your important social media accounts, banking accounts, credit card transactions, etc., if you observe any suspicious activity make sure to report to the information technology department as soon as possible. Instant reporting will prepare you to deal with the potential threats in advance.
Dark Web Monitoring Services
You can add dark web monitoring services to keep an eye on your personal data and get alerts if it is available on any illegal entity. These services send you details about email addresses, names, and other sensitive data used to identify your name on the dark web. Various credit-providing companies offer this service to their customers. You ask them to add this service along with your credit plans.
Password Vaults
Use a password manager to create strong passwords for important accounts and save them securely. Password managers keep your credentials secure and fully encrypted. This vault is protected with a multi-factor authentication system and a central password. You can access this password vault by typing this central password to the account from anywhere, anytime. It automatically fills your password to your accounts and logs out when you are not using them online.
Renew Passwords Regularly
If you are not using a password management facility, then it would be best for you to update and renew all the critical passwords at regular intervals. Doing so will protect your privacy even if some of your passwords are compromised or are available on the dark web. Changing passwords will prevent cybercriminals from accessing your critical account.
Stay Informed
The Internet and AI have made our lives easy and work convenient. But you must use this technology carefully. It would help to educate yourself before subscribing to any online service or agreeing to internet protocols. If you unthinkingly follow all the rules and services, you may make mistakes that can compromise your important information. So, get full information and learn tips and tricks to keep your privacy secure while browsing the internet.
Who Uses Your Personal Information On The Dark Web?
Online broker sites working in the dark zone of the internet collect and sort out your personal information. They categorize this data under different entitlements and table of contents such as gender, age, citizen, qualification, financial potential, online commercial activities, political beliefs, religion, browsing history, etc. These broker sites sell this data to different online sites, government and non-government agencies. When these sites possess your data, they use it to conduct various activities that include:
Online Commercial Platforms
Online commercial platforms use your data to create and send advertisements promoting their products and services. They run targeted ad campaigns to reach potential clients based on browsing activities, personal interests, and preferences. Government and law enforcement agencies use this data to create reports about the general population in a specific area. Using these reports creates new rules and regulations for the general public. Accordingly, they run their election campaigns and compose their agenda and policies.
Cybercriminals
Other than commercial sites and governmental agencies, there are online black hats that use this information to do scams, identity theft, and financial fraud. They can use your personal details to create fake profiles on different sites to trick people into offering important details about you. With these fake accounts, they commit financial fraud, collect sensitive data about you, and promote illegitimate acts about you.
How To Withdraw Personal Information From the Dark Web?
If your personal information is on the dark web, you should take instant action to prevent its misuse. Here are some key points that you should consider to do this right:
Change Your Email Address
If you are using your email address as a user ID for critical accounts, you are advised to change it as soon as possible. Create a new email address and add it to your account. Ensure you never share this with any random site or open-source platform asking for personal information.
Update Passwords
When you see any unknown activity or receive a spoofed notification about your account, instantly change your passwords. It will block cyberpunks from accessing your important accounts. New passwords will automatically make the old passwords invalid and useless. Hence, site broker sites and malicious players active on the darknet cannot interfere with your account.
Inform IT Department Cell
If your critical information is leaked or found on the dark web, inform the cyber crime cell without delay. They will provide you with further guidance to minimize the effect of dealing with future problems. You can request that they disable your essential accounts and business portals to prevent further escalation of damage.
Add Sim Swapping Protection
Black hats can get a new SIM issued in your name or generate an E-SIM using your personal information and email access. They can swap your sim temporarily to do illegal activities in your name. Hence, adding SIM swapping protection to your device would be best. It will generate alerts about SIM swapping attempts and block the further process at the outset.
Find What Information Is Leaked
It is essential to find out what information about you is leaked or put on, or accessible on the dark web. To do so, you can use tools that provide deepnet scanner facilities for fishing out critical data and social security numbers from the invisible resources.
Erase Browsing History
Go to the web browser and delete your internet search history. Turn off Web & App Activity Tracking on your Internet Explorer. It will prevent online hackers from tracking your online activities and collecting any data about you. Moreover, this act will make it difficult to make online decisions about targeting you for different online promotional and criminal activities.
Remove Unused Apps & Accounts
Unused apps and accounts store your personal data, payment details, and various personal information. Deleting and removing them from your device will save you from big data loss. Hence, if you have not been using apps and accounts for a long time and they are no longer needed, you must get rid of them immediately.
Download Antivirus Software
Malware, trojans, and phishing programs are some of the most handy ways that steal and avail your personal data on the deepnet. To stop these malicious programs from entering your device and stealing your personal information, it is obligatory that you download and install smart antivirus software on your digital devices. It provides comprehensive protection from cyber attacks, online phishing, data theft attempts, and the malicious acts cybercriminals do to steal your personal information.
