The dark web is an encrypted area of the Internet that isn’t indexed by search engines and requires specific preparations to access. While everyone may have heard of the fabled “dark web,” not anyone can easily access it—at least not without the right tools.
In this IT guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about the dark web, specifically its role in cybersecurity. True to its name, the dark web is home to many illegal activities, including the sale of personally identifiable information (PII), stolen credentials, ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) kits, and a whole array of things that could significantly impact your business.
It is crucial that you discuss these concepts with your team, even if you consider yourself “above the board.” Remember that threat actors are not motivated by morality or legalities but by money or power. This makes them more dangerous because they are willing to go beyond what most people would consider “normal”. Denying their existence or motivations places your MSP, MSSP, or IT enterprise in a vulnerable position, as you do not know how to protect yourself fully against the various risks cyber criminals pose.
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Clear vs. deep vs. dark web
The internet that you see, use, and read about on the news is the “clear”, “open”, or “top” portion of the internet. This layer is easily accessible with search engines such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Microsoft Edge.
The deep web, often confused with the dark web, represents around 96% to 99% of the internet landscape and includes anything and everything on the net that is password-protected, paywalled, or protected from search engines crawling. It is meant for greater security and should not be associated with anything illegal. For example, you use the deep web to check your bank account balance online or log on to your company website to change specific features.
On the other hand, the dark web represents only a tiny fraction of the deep web (Britannica suggests only around 0.01%) and requires both a VPN and an anonymizing web browser (like Tor). Further, the dark web has no search engines, so you need to know which websites to visit specifically. This is an easy check whether you’re on the dark web or not: If you find yourself on a website that you have no idea how you got there, it’s most likely not a dark web page. All dark web users have the full intention of visiting specific pages.
As such, the deep web and the dark web are not interchangeable terms.
What is found on the dark web?
Simply: Everything. It’s hard to say what’s on the dark web because no one truly knows its full extent. However, many illegal activities are present on the dark web, and bad actors use it to buy credit card numbers, social security numbers, stolen credentials, accounts, software, and all manner of drugs, guns, and counterfeit money. That said, not everything on the dark web is illegal, but it is popular among cybercriminals, mainly due to its required encryption and anonymity.
It’s safe to assume that as long as you have enough money and motivation, you can buy whatever you want on the dark web—that is, of course, as long as you know where to go.
Let’s look at some numbers from Statista:
- Darknet markets and fraud shops worldwide were estimated to be valued at $1.5 billion in 2022, and this number is only expected to rise.
- Job seekers have turned to the dark web for remote work opportunities, with the median salary of promised jobs averaging $4,000 monthly.
- The dark web is known for selling many illegal products, including Distributed DoS attacks and RaaS kits. These products sell for up to $4,500 per 1,000 installs (Statista 2023 study).
Why use the dark web as an IT professional?
More and more cybersecurity companies access the dark web for educational and training purposes. Specifically, they train their IT personnel in ethical hacking, which is the practice of performing security assessments in a controlled environment. Ethical hackers use the same techniques as ordinary hackers to determine whether a company’s IT architecture is adequately protected. This can be part of a more modern vulnerability assessment.
Ethical hacking identifies security vulnerabilities in your IT estate to prevent cyberattacks and data breaches. The dark web, especially, is useful in knowing what information is currently available and selling, which digital assets are being monetized, and what hackers are targeting.
It’s easy to assume that the dark web is only for criminals, but that would be too hasty an assumption. Rather, it’s best to use the dark web as a tool and leverage it to strengthen your IT security.
Aside from ethical hacking, many IT enterprises also use the dark web to provide more secure communication between their various branches. For example, you can use its own tools to combat censorship or build private and anonymous emails for whistleblowers and the like.
So, while the dark web has an unsavory reputation, it can be used for legitimate purposes. Illegal marketplaces represent only a small portion of what’s actually there.
How to access the dark web?
- Use a VPN. A VPN encrypts your IP address and prevents third parties from identifying you or your location. It is highly recommended that you invest in a robust VPN service for dark web purposes.
- Download the Tor browser (or something similar). The Tor (short for “The Onion Router”) browser anonymizes your web traffic. Unlike other web browsers, Tor obscures your real IP address and other system information from the websites you’re visiting.
- Find the .onion address you wish to visit. As mentioned, the dark web requires you to know exactly what website you want to visit. These web pages will use .onion top-level domain names and may include long, random combinations of letters and numbers.
Is it legal to access the dark web?
You may be worried that you’ll get into trouble with government agencies if you go to the dark web. Nevertheless, accessing and browsing the dark web is entirely legal—but please exert caution. Many sites are illegal, but the actual act of browsing is lawful.
If you’re using it for endpoint security purposes or any other vulnerability management strategy, it’s important that you first speak with experts to fully understand the risks involved and what can be done to protect your organization.
Risks of the dark web
- Illegal marketplaces. The dark web offers many items and services for sale, including stolen credentials, guns, drugs, and pornography.
- Scams. There is a high possibility of being scammed on the dark web since there is no way of checking a person’s true identity.
- Malware. Like the clear web, the dark web may hide malicious code or software that can compromise your device.
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Using the dark web safely
The mystique of the dark web has led to it being considered more than it is. While it is home to many illegal activities, it also provides a space for things that are not easily accessed or found on the public web. More legitimate companies are starting to develop a presence there to build their threat intelligence and understand what threat actors are currently doing.
While NinjaOne is not a cybersecurity company, its #1 remote monitoring and management software can strengthen your endpoint security.
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