IT and cybersecurity teams are bombarded with security notifications and alerts within their own systems, making it difficult to monitor the outside malicious environment.
In March, a high-profile data breach made national headlines when personally identifiable information related to hundreds of lawmakers and officials was leaked onto the dark web. The cybersecurity incident involved DC Health Link, his online marketplace that manages health plans for members of Congress and Capitol staff. The FBI reportedly managed to buy some data on the dark web, including social security numbers and other sensitive information.
The story was picked up by many media outlets that rarely cover dark web-related cybersecurity crimes because the victims are prominent. A reminder that the web remains fertile ground for cybercriminals.
The dark web is getting more sinister
Once upon a time, the dark web was filled with bad actors whose primary goal was to steal your banking and financial information. Cybercriminals were there to buy, sell and trade large data sets belonging to financial institutions. Purpose: Steal names, security numbers, and credit card information and hack into people’s accounts to combat identity theft attacks. But as technology evolves and becomes more sophisticated, not only are bad actors lurking on the dark web and underground forums, but so are the tools they use.
Even more concerning is the number of inexperienced hackers who are becoming increasingly disruptive in the growing Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) market. These amateur threat actors build and operate entire malware infrastructures, selling access to cybercriminal software tools without exposing them to cybercriminal risk.
Cybercriminals have created a huge market for malicious software, such as “Info Stealer” malware, which harvests personal information from vulnerable networks and computer systems. The malware is designed to find compromised credentials that can be used to plan large-scale and sophisticated attacks targeting everyone from small businesses to large corporations to government agencies with thousands of employees. used for
These attacks come from all directions, from state-sponsored campaigns used to overthrow government political parties and social movements, to large-scale attacks against some of the world’s largest corporations. And hackers aren’t just looking for personally identifiable information, they’re looking to steal intellectual property and proprietary data. Their goals are far more nefarious, with irreversible consequences that endanger the entire industry.
Meanwhile, while malicious software like “Info Stealer” is gaining prominence among cybercriminals, the dark web has traditional cybercriminal tools such as ransomware, Trojans, spyware, and adware. Lots of stories, tactics, and tips to use.
Why the Dark Web Is a Threat to Organizations
For cybersecurity and IT teams, one of the most threatening aspects of the dark web is simply ignorance of what they don’t know. No matter how strong cybersecurity technology is, it is difficult to monitor every corner of the internet. And as a company, we have limited security controls. Vendors, partners, clients, and even employees can accidentally compromise their entire infrastructure before they know there’s a problem.
For example, in today’s world of hybrid and remote work environments, an organization’s security tools cannot protect devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets that are used outside the business security perimeter. With so many different systems, employees are unknowingly creating blind spots that provide little to no visibility to the teams tasked with securing an organization’s computer systems. Instead of “hacking” your network, cybercriminals often use compromised credentials purchased on the dark web to penetrate your perimeter.
Unfortunately, many organizations don’t have the people or resources to monitor the dark web and underground forums where hackers live. Cybersecurity technology is a necessary defense, but security teams need an extra layer of protection to monitor the threat environment and detect compromised credentials.
Large organizations with extensive IT and security teams often have entire departments dedicated to monitoring the dark web to identify and track cybersecurity threats before they become major incidents. But small teams with barely enough people to manage incoming security alerts don’t have the bandwidth to monitor the darkest corners of the Internet.
Lighthouse Service: You don’t need it because it monitors the dark web
No sector is left untouched when it comes to cybersecurity attacks caused by compromised credentials. Some of last year’s major data breaches affected big brands like Microsoft, Uber, and Rockstar Games (the company behind Grand Theft Auto). All of these were victims of attacks resulting from compromised credentials. If a company like Microsoft with a lot of resources and people can’t protect their systems, what good luck will a small organization have on a tight budget with a lean IT team to work with?
very took this question to heart and launched the Lighthouse service in response. This service monitors the dark web and underground forums so that customers don’t have to. Cynet’s Lighthouse Service is specifically focused on monitoring stolen credentials, as compromised credentials are a key component of cyberattacks. The team searches for the “latest” data they can find. From there, teams can digest and easily navigate large datasets to discover information about customers in areas unprotected by cybersecurity platforms.
By monitoring the dark web, Cynet gains deep insight into cybercriminal behavior. The Lighthouse Service identifies newly launched exploits used or searched by attackers. The Cynet team can track malicious activity and uncover data breaches affecting customer-connected third parties. This allows Cynet to notify customers of potential data breaches if one of her vendors or partners is hacked.
In fact, Cynet was able to make hundreds of security disclosures to companies not connected to Cynet while protecting customer data in the process. The Lighthouse team regularly publishes its findings in his Lighthouse series on the Cynet blog.
How to Strengthen Your Cybersecurity Posture
The activity seen on the dark web and the ever-growing threats emerging from these forums are alarming for cybersecurity professionals. And if you run a small IT team that lacks the staff and skills to stay ahead of these threats, being prepared for the impact can feel impossible.
But there are things you can do to help your organization remain resilient to whatever threats the dark web poses.
where do i start? You can start with the NIST CSF framework. See the Cynet ebook: “NIST CSF Mapping Made Easy – How to Organize Your Security Stack with the Cyber Defense MatrixAnswer the biggest questions about the NIST CSF framework for managing cybersecurity risk and easy-to-use tools that can visualize your existing security programs and identify gaps and overlaps in your cybersecurity technology stack.
Ready to plug holes in your cybersecurity program? Get the ebook here.
