Competent dark web threat detection involves advanced tools security experts rely on. One such tool is the dark web scanner. It is a software tool designed to uncover personal and organizational information across the dark web. Scanners leave no stone unturned in their search for compromised information.
Given the nature of the dark web and its threat to both businesses and individuals, threat detection must be continuous. It must be ongoing. Therefore, investing in a dark web scanner dictates choosing a tool that continuously scans 24/7.
Dark Web Scanners: How They Work
Dark web scanners are sophisticated pieces of software capable of doing amazing things. This post will not get into the details of how they work simply because it doesn’t make sense to reveal such information to people security experts want kept in the dark. That being said, here are the basics:
- Data Input – A dark web scanner needs to know what to look for. So before scanning can begin, data must be input. Whether it is user credentials, proprietary business information, or business accounts and numbers, data is fed into the system.
- Search Execution – After data is input, a search is executed. Software continually scans the dark web using secure and anonymous networks. One such network is Tor.
- Data Matching – As a web scan unfolds, discovered data is compared against input data. Matches indicate a data breach in some form.
- Reporting – All matches will trigger a scanner alert. It is up to the user to look at the details of each alert and figure out how to proceed from there.
Although the principle itself is not highly sophisticated, the tools and strategies employed by dark web scanning are. As a dark web threat detection tool, a scanner can be a powerful ally. It can find and identify compromised information in the earliest possible stages. This gives organizations and individuals more time to mount a response.
Scanning Around the Clock
DarkOwl is an industry-leading provider of dark web threat detection tools. They explain that some security providers only conduct dark web scans on a predetermined schedule. It could be weekly or monthly. Others scan around the clock, looking for information 24/7.
The benefits of 24/7 scanning should be obvious. Continual scanning uncovers data breaches at the earliest possible moment. But it goes one better. Scanning 24/7 gives security experts a heads up on the things hackers are working on.
By scanning marketplaces, forums, and other dark web properties, security experts can keep apprised of dark web chatter. They can learn what hackers are talking about in real time and potentially learn about future threats already planned for launch.
Use Cases for 24/7 Scanning
Experts acknowledge that there are some legitimate reasons for not scanning the dark web 24/7. A glaring example would be a sole proprietor whose website serves only as a digital calling card. The proprietor does not collect or store information online. His website is not utilized to accept payments or schedule work.
This individual would still benefit from weekly or monthly scans just to ensure his own personal or business information hasn’t been breached. But his limited use of the internet for business purposes suggests he probably does not need to scan the dark web 24/7.
So then, who does? Here are some use cases:
1. Financial Institutions
Financial institutions are among the most attractive victims. Hackers target them for obvious reasons. It doesn’t make sense for a financial institution to employ a litany of dark web threat detection tools only to limit scanning to a weekly or monthly schedule. Given the sheer volume of information such institutes deal with, 24/7 scanning just makes sense.
2. Healthcare Companies
Healthcare is another highly targeted industry due to the fact that companies in the sector collect all sorts of information on patience, family members, vendors, and just about every tertiary organization that exists to support healthcare. Simply put, there is a lot of information waiting to be harvested.
Like financial institutions, healthcare companies have a vested interest in protecting all of the information they store. Around-the-clock scanning should not even be a question. As long as a healthcare company is investing in dark web threat detection, their package should include 24/7 dark web scanning.
3. Government Entities
It goes without saying that government entities store a ton of sensitive information. If that information falls into the wrong hands, the nation’s security could be at risk. Not only that, but we also know that rogue nations utilize the dark web to wage digital warfare against their enemies. So to not scan 24/7 is akin to surrendering. It is simply not acceptable.
4. Fighting Organized Crime
The dark web is a haven for organized criminals engaged in everything from illicit drugs to large-scale cybercrime. Fortunately, law enforcement agencies have caught on to the fact that dark web scanning is a worthwhile practice.
Scanning 24/7 is a virtual necessity for the simple fact that criminals do not limit their activities to a standard 9-5 schedule. They do what they do at all hours of the day and night. So to stay a step ahead, security experts have to be on the lookout around the clock.
Dark Web Threat Detection Without Scanning
It should be obvious that dark web threat detection without scanning is not possible. The whole point of threat detection is to scan for potential threats in hopes of finding them before they materialize. Therefore, the practice itself involves the use of software scanners. Those scanners should operate 24/7 when conditions call for it.
Scanning for threats around-the-clock is one of the fundamentals of dark web threat detection. If your organization is invested in a threat detection platform or outsourced services, how frequently are scans being conducted? Make sure your organization’s scanning schedule is commensurate with the amount of data you store and its potential sensitivity. If you are not scanning frequently enough, your limited scanning efforts could ultimately prove worthless.