Once upon time, in the whimsical world of the internet, where communities thrive and anonymity reigns supreme, an unlikely connection between a beloved film and the darkest corners of cyberspace began to emerge. It was a connection that transcended fiction as a notorious Silk Road mastermind found inspiration in the ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ from the film, ‘The Princess Bride.’
As inconceivable as it may seem, this notorious individual chose the moniker ‘The Dread Pirate Roberts’ as a tribute to this swashbuckling character. It seems his interpretation of the dashing hero embodied the perfect representation of his crusade on the internet and his contributions to the shenanigans on the deep web.
Grab your sword, and don your cloak – we are about to take a dive into the deep. A tale that will reveal some of the astonishing depths to which information is bought and traded on the deep web. Most importantly, how to protect your business against peril with Vodigy.
Buckle up Buttercup, this could be a bumpy ride!
Named after a historical network of trade routes established during the Han Dynasty. The ‘Silk Road’ spanned many miles across several different nations. Not only were goods traded along these paths but also knowledge and ideas. This is where our tale takes off.
In 2011, an individual named Ross Ulbricht (the Dread Pirate) launched the 21st century version of the Silk Road creating a space where just about everything could be bought, sold, or traded. Items range anywhere from cheap electronics and designer fashion to large quantities of drugs or even human lives. It seemed like nothing was safe from being exploited on the dark web.
However, stolen data remains on of the biggest ticket items passed around on the dark web. This includes everything from personal or private information to sensitive company financial data.
On a day-to-day basis, almost every SMB faces numerous cybersecurity challenges and unfortunately, the dark web is one of them.
How did they get the information in the first place?
Information ‘hacks’ and ‘leaks’ come from many varying sources. Some of the more popular methods of collecting this information include data breaches, phishing attacks, and malware infections. When a cyberattack has been successfully completed, the cybercriminal then uses varying protocols to post the information on sale in the dark web.
Purchasers are also required to go through a few hoops to make their malicious selections. For one, these dark web platforms are not accessible using a regular browser. Users trying to access the deep or dark web need to utilize a browser designed to access the Tor network. From there they are able search a purchase to their hearts content.
Another road block for some would-be cybercriminals is the use of cryptocurrency. Most vendors on these sites only utilize cryptocurrency for payments and rarely take credit cards. If they do take credit cards, you can bet your bottom dollar that info was stolen immediately! Plus with cryptocurrency still being hard to track, it’s easier for these ne’er do wells to move about their business in this fashion.
Well, what can we do to protect ourselves?
Thankfully, there is a lot we can do to help protect your SMB against these threats. By utilizing our suite of cybersecurity tools, including phishing/emails scam protection, endpoint security, and consistent monitoring we here at Vodigy can provide you with peace of mind.
We also recognize that the fight against cybercriminals is ongoing and new threats emerge consistently. This is why we are now offering Enhanced Dark Web monitoring as a tool to help better protect our clients.
To find out more about our cybersecure practices or how you can best protect yourself against the dark web, reach out today! We are excited to hear from you!
