When you hear about the Dark Web, you may think the very idea is based on fiction, innuendo and fear-mongering. After all, how could it be so bad? It’s as though the boogeyman joined forces with the worst cyber stalker and decided to let loose their evil machinations by deploying thousands of malicious attacks and breaches, with the sole goal of undermining identities and infrastructures. It can’t be that bad, can it?

The real question you’ve got to ask is: whatever the Dark Web is (and what it represents), what does it mean to you and your livelihood? What can you really do about it?

What is the Dark Web? 

The Dark Web is a part of the internet that’s not as easily accessible to you. By design, it’s not indexed by search engines like Edge or Safari. For some, that’s a positive, since it supports anonymity and untraceable transactions, offering uninhibited searching and free-wheeling interaction. It’s also a virtual playground for thieves, hackers, and other nefarious criminals–facilitated by a shield of anonymity.

What Does the Dark Web Mean to You? 

You can buy anything on the Dark Web. That anything could mean the user name and password to all your accounts. It could mean your name, address, phone number and all the personal details an unscrupulous person could use to steal your identity. Your clients’ data could be compromised. And, there’s the very real possibility that information posted on the Dark Web could be used to destroy your business and your reputation. 

How Can You Protect Yourself Against the Dark Web? 

Education and knowledge is power, even though it does sound a bit cliche. Now that you know what the Dark Web is and how easy it is for criminals to share your personal information, it’s up to you to take steps to protect yourself and your business.

Initially, of course, you must take extra care to protect your personal and financial information. There’s no good reason to share your identifying and secure information with anyone, even your closest friends. Let’s say that you are careful and secure, though. There’s still the possibility (even a likelihood) that your personal information is already available for criminal abuse misuse, especially through malicious activity like phishing.

Your cybersecurity may not be strong or comprehensive enough, or you may have been (and probably are) part of a massive data breach that has laid bare the terrifying reality of how vulnerable your data really is. You may have also begun to realize how powerless you are to protect your identity. That’s really why we, at Great Lakes Computers, are offering a FREEscan service to identify and inform you about any personal information on the Dark Web. 

Contact Great Lakes Computer

Great Lakes Computer is an experienced IT provider in Cleveland Ohio. Our scan service will give you insight into your cybersecurity and if your data has been a part of a data breach, our service offerings are designed to address your concerns related to network design, backup and recovery, cybersecurity, data protection, and repair. We’re your go-to IT-support solution. Call us today!