In today’s digital age, personal information is worth more than gold, and cybercriminals are always on the lookout for new ways to obtain it.
The dark web serves as a thriving and clandestine marketplace where cybercriminals exploit various methods, such as phishing scams and malware attacks, to acquire breached credentials containing usernames and passwords. Subsequently, these ill-gotten details are frequently sold or traded within the shadowy realms of the dark web, perpetuating a cycle of data theft and illicit transactions that pose significant threats to individuals and organizations alike.
This pervasive and alarming trend underscores the pressing need for robust cybersecurity measures to effectively combat the ever-evolving tactics employed by cybercriminals in their relentless pursuit of personal information.
Have you ever wondered how much these credentials are sold for? In this post, we will take a closer look at the prices of breached credentials (and other illegal items) on the dark web.
In September 2022, Patricia Ruffio, a cybersecurity specialist, shared the prices of various items for sale on the dark web in an article. We have compiled the information she provided in charts to give a visual representation of dark web prices. (zoom in)
Dark Web Price Index 2022
The dark web data market has grown significantly in the past year. With more than 9,000 active vendors, the number of items sold has increased and each vendor is reporting thousands of transactions this past year. Furthermore, The variety of items offered has also increased, now including hacked cryptocurrency accounts and hacked web services such as Netflix and Canva.
Why is the dark web hard to secure?
There are several reasons why the dark web is difficult to secure:
- Anonymity: The dark web allows users to remain anonymous, which makes it difficult to track down and prosecute individuals who are engaging in illegal activity.
- Encryption: The dark web is encrypted, which means that the information being transmitted is secure and cannot be easily intercepted by outsiders.
- Lack of centralization: The dark web is not centrally organized, which makes it difficult for authorities to shut it down or regulate it.
- Complex infrastructure: The dark web is made up of a complex network of servers and nodes, which makes it difficult to trace the source of illegal activity or to locate and seize servers that are being used for illicit purposes.
What is dark web monitoring and why is it important?
Dark web monitoring is the process of tracking and analyzing activity on the dark web in order to identify and mitigate potential threats. This can include monitoring for the sale of stolen data, such as credit card numbers or login credentials, as well as tracking hacker chatter geared at your organization. Dark web monitoring can be important for organizations for several reasons:
- Detection of data breaches: By monitoring the dark web, organizations can detect when their data has been compromised and take appropriate action to secure their systems and protect their customers’ information.
- Compliance: Some organizations are required to monitor the dark web as part of their regulatory compliance obligations. For example, financial institutions may be required to monitor for the sale of stolen financial data.
- Risk management: Dark web monitoring can help organizations to identify and mitigate potential risks to their business, such as the sale of counterfeit goods or the distribution of malware.
Overall, dark web monitoring is an important tool for helping to protect organizations from the potential threats that exist on the dark web.
Get a demo from Bolster to understand your organization’s leaked data, hacker chatter, and potential threats on the dark web.
