5 ways to protect yourself from the dark web

Use a VPN

A VPN can protect your online activity from corporations, governments, and other prying eyes. By connecting to an external server and adopting its IP address, you can appear to be in the same country as the server you are using. For example, if you are in America and connected to a server in the UK, the website will believe you are in the United Kingdom. Although a VPN doesn’t make your online activities impossible to track, having that extra layer of protection gives you the best chance of keeping your data safe.

Use a free dark web scan

If you suspect that one of your accounts, whether personal, email, or bank, has been compromised, one of the first things you should do is run a free dark web scan. A dark web scan will search the dark web for your personal information among all stolen data lists. A web scan will not reveal the entire amount of stolen information on the dark web, but it will notify you immediately if any of your information is discovered.

Use a password manager

Another way to give yourself the best possible chance of protecting your personal information is to change your passwords and use a password manager. Many of us are guilty of using the same password for all of our accounts, but this can lead to your information being more easily accessed. Your passwords for online accounts should all be different, strong, and one-of-a-kind. Your Instagram password, for example, should not be the same as your Amazon or online banking password. Using a password manager is a simple way to avoid this. Password managers generate secure passwords for you, so you never have to worry about forgetting another password again.

Enable two-factor authentication

One of the best ways you can try to protect your online accounts from the dark web is to use two-factor authentication. A second authentication step makes it much more difficult for a hacker to gain access to your accounts because it combines two factors as a way of confirming authorization, either your username or password and then your phone number or possibly something physical like a fingerprint. If your username or email address has been compromised, this additional layer of security will protect you even further.

Close accounts and report evidence of identity theft

Identity theft is one of the most common crimes in the world, with an increasing number of victims each year. It is critical to act quickly if you notice any suspicious transactions on your financial statements or if you receive an email about a login attempt that was not made by you. By closing your account, reporting it to your bank, as well as filing an identity theft report with your relevant governmental authority you can prevent further financial harm.

"There is no single solution to data security. True security comes from a combination of the right software tools, increasing your knowledge of cyberthreats, and establishing safe online practices. Hackers are constantly devising new and innovative methods of gaining access to your data, which can then be uploaded to the dark web and sold. If you want to give yourself the best chance of preventing your information from ending up on the dark web, or if you want to explore the dark web out of curiosity, you should use a VPN because it will conceal your IP address, protecting your identity and location."