Dark Web Monitoring Explained: What Is It and How Can It Help Protect Your Identity?
Dark Web Monitoring Explained: How It Helps Protect Your Identity
What is dark web monitoring and why does it matter for identity protection? Learn what dark web monitoring can and cannot do, what types of personal information may be exposed after a breach, how alerts can help you respond, and why dark web monitoring should be combined with strong passwords, multifactor authentication, credit monitoring and other identity protection practices.
What is the dark web?
The dark web refers to portions of the internet that are not accessed in the same way as ordinary websites and search engines. Some criminal marketplaces and forums operate there, which is one reason security services monitor certain online sources for compromised information.
What does dark web monitoring do?
Dark web monitoring services may search for certain personal information and alert consumers when matching information is identified. Some of our ID Protection Plans include internet black-market surveillance designed to identify compromised credentials and potentially damaging use of personal information.
Does dark web monitoring remove my information?
Usually, monitoring and removal are different services. A monitoring service may alert you when information is found, but that does not necessarily mean the information can be completely removed from the internet.
Does finding my information mean I've been hacked?
Not necessarily. Information may appear online because of a previous data breach, reused password, exposed database, or another incident. An alert should be treated as a reason to investigate rather than proof that a particular criminal has accessed your accounts.
What should I do after a dark web alert?
Consider changing affected passwords immediately, especially if the password is reused elsewhere. Enable multifactor authentication, review relevant accounts, and monitor financial and credit activity.
Should I change a password that appears in a breach?
Yes. If a password has been exposed, change it on the affected account and anywhere else that same password was used.
Can dark web monitoring prevent identity theft?
It cannot guarantee prevention. Its primary value is early awareness of certain exposures so you can take protective action.
Is dark web monitoring included with every ID protection plan?
Not necessarily. Benefits vary by plan. Consumers should review the plan's current benefits, limitations, exclusions, and eligibility requirements before enrolling.
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