How Your Data Is Sold on the Dark Web After a Breach
When your data is compromised, it can be difficult to know where to start with protecting yourself moving forward. Cybercriminals can sell your data on the dark web, allowing others to open accounts in your name, drain your bank account, damage your credit, and cause significant stress. Understanding how your data can be sold on the dark web after a data breach can help you learn how to better protect yourself and your data.
What Happens to Your Data After a Breach?
Criminals who steal people’s data and information commonly sell this information on the dark web, which is a part of the Internet that can only be accessed through encrypted networks or browsers.
In a data breach, a cybercriminal takes your information, creates profiles, and sells individual details or entire profiles to other criminals through the dark web. Cybercriminals may use encrypted messaging platforms such as Telegram to arrange sales, but these communications are separate from the dark web itself. The dark web acts as the marketplace, while encrypted apps help facilitate transactions.
How the Dark Web Enables the Sale of Your Data
The dark web sounds like something from the movies, but it is real. The surface web is the part of the internet most people use regularly, such as search engines and common web browsers.
People use the deep web daily, but it includes pages that require a password to log in before accessing a webpage. It could be your social or streaming services, where people store their information or videos, or private networks that businesses or governments use.
Accessing the dark web typically requires specialized browsers, additional authorization, or private networks. These sites use encryption to hide their location and users. Although the dark web itself is not inherently illegal, because of its anonymity, it is often used for illicit transactions.
Cybercriminals use the material from data breaches to sell each item of your personal information. These sellers are known for using forums and encrypted messaging platforms to sell stolen data. Some even have online stores, and cryptocurrencies are used to purchase this information.
The Types of Data Sold on the Dark Web
When a data breach occurs, sensitive personal or financial information can be accessed by unauthorized individuals. Others can use this information to steal your identity and open accounts under your name, damaging your credit. With access to your banking information, cybercriminals can easily steal your money and use credit cards under your name.
Data that can be sold includes:
First and Last Names
Social Security Numbers
Bank Account Numbers
Credit Card Numbers
Debit Card Numbers
Medical Details
Email Addresses
Street Addresses
Phone Numbers
Passwords
Driver License Numbers
Security Questions and Answers
PINs
Beyond the financial and legal issues that can occur after having your personal information stolen or shared on the dark web, it can be emotionally exhausting and stressful.
Why is Data Sold on the Dark Web?
Cybercriminals steal data to sell on the dark web, mainly for profit. With so much business conducted online, identity theft and fraud cases are increasing.
On the dark web, different types of information are sold for various prices. Credit card details can cost $10 to $240, and bank account details can go for $30 to $4,000. Criminals can misuse your credit, enjoy the gains, and leave you struggling to recover.
How to Recognize if Your Data is on the Dark Web
To know if your personal information has been stolen, keep alerts on all your financial accounts for purchases, and keep an eye out for password reset notifications you didn’t initiate, or other changes to your email account that you didn’t make.
Your data might have been stolen if you are receiving more phishing emails or spam calls. Other signs that your data was breached may include losing access to accounts or unauthorized transactions. Dark web monitoring services can alert you if your personal information is found in underground marketplaces, helping you respond quickly.
When a major company experiences a data breach, it will send you a notification, but make sure to verify that any notifications are legitimate.
Monitor your credit report and score, and consider using an identity theft prevention service. Dark web monitoring services can also inform you if any of your information has been leaked.
Protecting Your Data After a Breach
If you believe your data was breached, the first step is to change your passwords, monitor all your accounts for unusual activity, and freeze your accounts if you do. Contact your bank and credit suppliers so they are aware, and submit a fraud alert to your credit report.
Learn all you can about a breach after it occurs. If a company or credit service notifies you of a breach, they should provide what they know. Stay aware of any suspicious activity.
If you don’t already, these actions can be the extra step to keep your data protected:
- Use strong passwords
- Use multifactor authentication for logging in
- Do not use public Wi-Fi
- Monitor your financial accounts
- Use a virtual private network (VPN) when accessing sensitive accounts on an unsecured network
If you believe your information has been leaked in a data breach, there are ways to limit the damage, even if you can’t permanently remove the data from the dark web.
What Legal Actions Are Available After Your Data Is Breached?
If a company’s failure to protect your information led to your data being exposed and sold, you may have legal options—including joining or initiating a class action lawsuit to recover compensation for losses and preventative measures you’ve had to take.
Once your data has been leaked onto the dark web, it is nearly impossible to completely remove it. You might not be able to undo the damage from a data breach, but you can decide how to respond.
If you believe your data was sold on the dark web after a data breach, contact Class Action U today. We will connect you with a data breach lawyer experienced in class action lawsuits. There is no cost or obligation to reach out, and acting quickly can help protect your rights.
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