One of the most common issues on the Dark Web – whether you use it or not – is the sale of passwords, bank account information, Social Security numbers, and other private data.

Hackers can breach firewalls and software to obtain this information and then go to the Dark Web to sell it to other criminals.

Antivirus protection at a minimum is a practice to use for your business. This will be sure protections are put in place on your network to be on the lookout for computer viruses and other malicious software.

There are 3 other key practices to implement to protect your data:

1. Keep your eye out for strange emails.

What this means is even if you receive an email from someone or a company you know, check the email address, look for signs of poor grammar or spelling, and tread carefully before clicking any links. If you get something saying your account is suspended and to click to verify details, go straight to the site and check it that way.

2. Pay attention to data breaches.

An easy way to do this is to subscribe to online newsletters, such as Data Breach Today. This way you’ll be regularly alerted if a large company gets hacked. You’ll also want to keep a close eye on bank statements and credit card usage to make sure your information is accurate and you don’t notice anything fraudulent.

3. Choose unique and hard to learn passwords.

As easy as it is for you to remember the same password for every account and device, imagine what happens to your data the second a hacker figures that one out. Choose the strong passwords assigned by your phone or computer, and use a free password tool, such as LastPass to keep track so you don’t have to. Don’t share them with others and don’t use identifying information when selecting them.

While you might do everything in your power to prevent your data being stolen, you’ll want to have monitoring software in place. We have multiple plans available, depending on your budget. 

To schedule a free 10-minute discovery call to see the cybersecurity protections we offer and determine if your information is already available on the Dark Web with a free scan, click here to schedule or call us at 1-888-966-9514.

TOSS C3 is a trusted Cyber Technology Services provider in Massachusetts that specializes in serving municipalities and businesses throughout the US.