In the digital realm of the 21st century, the dark web has become a subject of fascination, often exaggerated in its portrayal. It's depicted as a hidden hub for cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors, where illicit activities against businesses, governments, and celebrities are believed to originate. While there's some truth to these claims, it's essential to demystify the dark web, its origins, usages, and risks posed to the mainframe population. Beyond the headlines lies a more nuanced reality, one that intersects with the backbone of our digital infrastructure — the mainframe. As security professionals, we need to delve into the dark web's relationship with the mainframe and explore the risks it poses to this critical component of modern computing.
Darkness Means Anonymity
The dark web is only accessible using specialized browsers. The most popular is Tor, whose stated mission is to provide “online privacy in an ever-growing un-private world.” It’s claimed the dark web is not called dark due to its criminal links but because of the privacy it offers. However, due to this privacy, criminal activity also flourishes. So does the dark web, by its very nature, foster and promote criminality? If I was going to commit an illegal act in the physical world, I probably wouldn’t do it in broad daylight, I would do it in a concealed area where no one was watching. Why would that be different in the virtual world? So naturally the dark web harbors illicit activities as well as serving as a platform for anonymity and privacy advocacy.
Many dark web users are simply seeking privacy and freedom, especially in regions with oppressive regimes. However, criminal elements also thrive in this anonymous environment, trading in everything from drugs and weapons to cyber threats and stolen data. The dark web is used for a range of social happenings, from the acceptable to the unlawful. These activities might be grouped into whistleblowing, activism, journalism, criminal activities, and cybersecurity threats. Hacking tools are discussed, traded, and purchased. Malware developers share and develop ideas.
For ethical hackers and security professionals, meanwhile, venturing into the dark web can be a double-edged sword. While it offers valuable insights into emerging threats and underground communities, it also exposes you to significant risks. There are no security requirements when accessing the dark web. When accessing the world wide web, the browsers we use employ built-in protections against dangerous websites, data theft, and phishing attacks. This does not happen in the Tor browser and could leave the ethical hacker open to harm and risk of infection. This might have privacy, monetary, social, emotional, or professional impacts on the individual.
Harnessing Threat Intelligence From the Dark Web
Despite its dangers, the dark web is a valuable source of threat intelligence. Security experts can leverage specialized tools and techniques to monitor dark web activity, identifying leaked or stolen data and pre-empting potential breaches.
By integrating dark web monitoring into their security protocols, organizations can stay one step ahead of cyber threats. So, what does this mean for the mainframe world? As data becomes increasingly valuable on the dark web, mainframe professionals must prioritize security measures. Proactive strategies, such as dark web monitoring and threat intelligence analysis, can help to safeguard sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. By staying vigilant and proactive, organizations can mitigate the risks posed by the dark web.
Threat intelligence providers play a crucial role in navigating the dark web's complexities, leveraging their specialized skills to access and gather data from its sources. It's important to note that while valuable information may surface on the dark web, it often migrates to other platforms that are more easily accessible and could pose more concern to mainframe data.
This is why you should aim to monitor threat intelligence from the dark web in combination with other sources. Dark web monitoring uses automated tools to assist in the discovery of leaked or stolen company information, such as compromised passwords and other sensitive data. In this way, companies can discover whether they’ve been hacked, or if there are signs that they could be, as well as who is attacking them and what strategies they are using.
How Does Dark Web Monitoring Work?
Software tools including crawlers, scanners, and scrapers are like supercharged surface web search engines that perform dark web scans and scrape forums where compromised credentials are offered and sold. Dark web data feeds are processed to identify information relating to customized search terms, and they produce alerts and reports that identify any hacked credentials for the account owner or company.
The dark web exists alongside the crypto markets. Their existence gives value to your mainframe and personal data. This value creates demand. With demand comes motivation. Do you want your mainframe data on the dark web? No, of course not. The dark web does impact us in the mainframe game: data is everything and we are the data powerhouse. We need to step up our game as far as mainframe security is concerned. To the bad actors, it’s just another computer; we need to get on the front foot and be proactive rather than reactive. None of us want our data for sale on the dark web.
The dark web is a complex ecosystem. While it is a haven for cybercriminals, it also provides anonymity for whistleblowers and activists. By understanding its dynamics and adopting proactive security measures, we can better navigate the dark web’s murky waters and protect our digital assets from exploitation. The choice is simple: if we don’t want our data to be a commodity on the dark web, we must take proactive steps to keep it safe.
Article source: Dark Web Definition and Examples
Leanne Wilson started her mainframe career in 2012 as an apprentice at RSM Partners. 12 years later, she specializes in mainframe security and works as a security consultant at Vertali in the UK. Leanne has a passion for mentoring, education, and being involved in the mainframe community. In her spare time, she is attempting to learn the piano, spends endless hours walking her two crazy spaniels, and loves live music and spending time with friends and family.