What is the dark web?
You may hear it mentioned on the Investigation Discovery channel, but it seems like an abstract idea rather than a real thing. The dark web sounds like a mysterious place that is exclusive to a small group of Internet users. However, that is not the case. Getting onto the dark web is way more common than you think.
According to Police Chief Magazine, “only .2% of the Internet is estimated to be on the surface web; the other 99.8% of Internet data resides on the deep web.”
Although they sound alike, the terms dark web and deep web are not interchangeable. The deep web holds mostly benign, hidden sites such as databases or private business websites.
The dark web is a subsection in the deep web. With untraceable search engines and total anonymity, it’s the perfect environment for criminal activities/services to thrive. These activities range in severity. Some of the most common are the buying and selling of illegal substances, stolen items, and hacked passwords.
Yes, it does sound mysterious and intriguing. That is NOT a reason to delve into the world of the deep web.
While it might sound interesting, accessing the dark web is unsafe for all computers and possibly incriminating. Logging into the dark web can put your device at risk for expert hackers, comprising all information found in your storage files or accounts. Furthermore, this side of the Internet is crawling with criminal activity daily. Inserting yourself into the dark web could connect you to those criminal offenses.
Knowing about the deep web and dark web is useful when protecting your devices and yourself. Cyber-security is going to be one of the most talked-about topics of the year due to the rise of ransomware and phishing. Opening your computer to unknown criminals on the dark web is like leaving the front door to your home wide open.
Our advice to you is this:
1. Don’t go searching for the dark web
2. Take protective measures for your devices.
This can be done through antivirus software for personal computers or a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) for business databases.