Is your data on the dark web?
Criminals could be selling your personal information on sites you can’t access in your browser. Robert Irvine explains how to find out what the dark web knows about you
Unless you engage in illegal or highly confidential activities, you generally don’t need to worry about the dark web. But when your data is involved in a breach or leak, it’s often where that information ends up, so it can be bought and used by criminals.
It’s therefore important to know as soon as possible whether your personal information is being sold on the dark web. Here are the best free ways to find out, so you can take immediate action.
What is the dark web?
The dark web – or darknet – is part of the internet that isn’t indexed by traditional search engines and can only be accessed using specialist software, most commonly Tor Browser (www.snipca.com/54847, see screenshot below). Dark websites have 56-character onion addresses, and all traffic to and from them is encrypted by the Tor network.
Tor Browser is the most popular means of accessing the dark web
It’s estimated that 50 to 60 per cent of dark websites host illegal content and services. But it’s not all bad: other onion sites are used for legal, privacy-related purposes, such as whistleblowing, anonymous communication and beating internet censorship.