{"id":38685,"date":"2021-05-27T12:43:30","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T07:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/?p=38685"},"modified":"2021-05-27T12:47:51","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T07:17:51","slug":"protect-your-information-before-it-ends-up-on-the-dark-web","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/security\/protect-your-information-before-it-ends-up-on-the-dark-web\/","title":{"rendered":"Protect Your Information \u2014 Before it Ends Up on the Dark Web"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/au.norton.com\/internetsecurity-emerging-threats-what-is-the-deep-dark-web-30sectech.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is the dark web?<\/a> To explain the dark web, we need to start at the surface \u2014 or rather, the surface web. The surface web is the server that we access on a daily basis to browse, read, shop, and chat with friends; it contains all of the websites that search engines such as Google crawl, rank, and index to provide you with your search results.<\/p>\n<p>The deep web can be thought of as sitting one step below the surface web. You probably also access the deep web on a daily basis, although many people don\u2019t realise that it even exists. The deep web contains any website you access that is behind a secured server.<br \/>\n<!-- Home page 728x90 --><br \/>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 728px; height: 90px;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9864771813712812\"\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><br \/>\nOnline banking, for example, is possible thanks to the deep web. You are required to provide at least a username and password before accessing your online account.<\/p>\n<p>Deep websites are not ranked in the same way as surface websites \u2014 if you want to access your own private bank account, you cannot simply Google \u2018my bank account\u2019, which is for your own security and privacy.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the dark web. The dark web can\u2019t even be accessed via regular internet browsers. Instead, a special server known as the \u2018Tor\u2019 browser must be downloaded. The dark web operates via anonymity, meaning your identity, location, and actions are also masked.<\/p>\n<p>This is why many people associate the dark web with criminal behaviour. But <a href=\"https:\/\/au.norton.com\/internetsecurity-privacy-is-the-dark-web-illegal.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">is the dark web illegal<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/au.norton.com\/internetsecurity-privacy-is-the-dark-web-illegal.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">?<\/a> Technically not \u2014 there are no laws against accessing this part of the internet. However, you should be aware that criminal activity does occur on the dark web, including the sale of personal information to commit identity theft.<\/p>\n<h2>Why is my information on the dark web?<\/h2>\n<p>Many people are shocked to learn that their private information has wound up on the dark web, particularly as most of the time they didn\u2019t even know the dark web existed.<\/p>\n<p>In our day and age, most activities are conducted online, be it internet shopping or booking a medical appointment. All of the information that we provide is incredibly valuable to online criminals, who can sell data stolen in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/security\/top-15-ways-to-protect-from-online-hacking\/\">security breaches<\/a> on dark web forums for quite a profit. This data typically includes a person\u2019s:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Full name<\/li>\n<li>Date of birth<\/li>\n<li>Email address<\/li>\n<li>Physical address<\/li>\n<li>Mobile number<\/li>\n<li>Mother\u2019s maiden name<\/li>\n<li>Medicare number<\/li>\n<li>Tax file number<\/li>\n<li>Passport number<\/li>\n<li>Driver\u2019s license number<\/li>\n<li>Online login credentials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In isolation, this information may seem quite innocuous. What, for example, is someone going to do with your full name? However, when combined, data such as this can be used to commit full-scale identity theft. This can involve everything from starting a new phone contract in the victim\u2019s name to taking out a significant loan that ruins their credit history.<\/p>\n<p>The worst part? It is practically impossible to have information on the dark web removed, meaning that your best offence is a good defence.<\/p>\n<h2>Top security tips<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s very upsetting to find that your personal information has been uploaded to the dark web and is now in the hands of online criminals. While we can\u2019t always control the security of large organisations \u2014 often the ones at the centre of data breaches \u2014 there are steps that you can take in your everyday life to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/security\/top-15-ways-to-protect-from-online-hacking\/\">protect your personal data<\/a>.<br \/>\n<span class=\"seethis_lik\"><span>Also read:<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/mobile-apps\/blocked-on-snapchat\/\">Blocked On Snapchat: Figure Out What-To-Do, The Fixes, and FAQs<\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Set strong passwords: <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you are one of those people that use the same password for every one of your online accounts, you are simply asking to be hacked.<\/p>\n<p>Each of your accounts should have a different secure password, made up of a combination of uppercase letters, lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. If you struggle to remember passwords, consider using a password manager.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Keep track of your online activities: <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Many of us sign up to an online service \u2014 be it a telehealth provider or a social media platform \u2014 only to never return to the site ever again. However, your information remains uploaded to the site, most likely only protected by an easily guessed password. Keep track of your online activities and fully delete any accounts that you no longer use.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Monitor your financial accounts: <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One of the first signs of identity theft is unusual activity coming from your banking accounts. Monitor your financial statements carefully and contact your bank if you notice anything unusual.<br \/>\n<span class=\"seethis_lik\"><span>Also read:<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/finance\/forex-trading-benefits\/\">What Is Forex Trade? 5 Untold Forex Trading Benefits + Expert Tips For Higher Forex Profit<\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use dark web monitoring: <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While it\u2019s very difficult to have information removed from the dark web, there are tools available that can sweep the dark web for your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/security\/data-security-tips-to-keep-your-financial-and-personal-information-safe\/\">personal information<\/a> and alert you if anything is found. Knowledge is power and simply knowing that your information has been breached means you can take the appropriate steps required to protect yourself.<br \/>\n<!-- Home page 728x90 --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 728px; height: 90px;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9864771813712812\" data-ad-slot=\"3152971286\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Given the amount of information that we share online, there\u2019s always a risk of it ending up in the wrong hands. Identity theft may be one of the biggest challenges facing digital users in the 21st century, which means that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/artificial-intelligence\/10-predictions-about-the-internet-of-things-for-future\/\">internet security<\/a> should be one of your top priorities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is the dark web? To explain the dark web, we need to start at the surface \u2014 or rather,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2736,"featured_media":38688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[49],"tags":[4876,3933,4875,3265,4877],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38685"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/2736"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38685"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38695,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38685\/revisions\/38695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/38688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.the-next-tech.com\/rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}