In case of data breaches, analysts and investigators need to dig into the dark web in search of their stolen data and to find the perpetrators. The dark web is used by threat actors to conduct their criminal activities with a minimal chance of being detected. They also hide their physical location, which makes it hard to determine the jurisdiction they reside in or operate in. All kinds of threat actors use the dark web, from terrorists and criminal organizations to lone wolves, hackers, and other threat actors. They use the anonymity of the dark web to plan and execute a multitude of criminal acts, including phishing and ransomware attacks, selling leaked and stolen credentials, espionage, extortion, human trafficking, money laundering, buying and selling drugs, and acts of terror.

But first, we must answer the question: what is the dark web? The dark web is part of the internet. The internet consists of millions of web pages, databases, and servers, all running 24/7. The part that most people use is the surface or open web. This part is only a small section of the internet; the majority of the internet is not visible. This part consists of the deep web (where content can only be accessed with authorization, such as bank accounts) and the dark web. The dark web is the part of the internet that few will ever see, let alone interact with. It consists of IP addresses that are routable, but not in use. Basically, it is a repository of hidden websites that can only be accessed with special software. There is a lot of dark web vs deep web misunderstanding. To clarify, the deep web refers to non-indexed pages only, while the dark web refers to pages that are both non-indexed and involved in illegal niches.

Now that we have defined what the dark web is, we must answer the next question: how to access the dark web. Standard search engines only work on the surface or open web since the content is indexed there by search engines. The answer is using dark web search engines to access the dark web. Since the dark web is not as safe as the surface web, analysts and investigators could be vulnerable to the scrutiny of the threat actors related to the investigation, once they have accessed the dark web to trace e.g., stolen data, suspicious cryptocurrency payments, and criminal activities.

To access the dark web safely, analysts and investigators need powerful tools to detect index hundreds of millions of web pages and other online content on the dark web to gain real-time intelligence. Only such an automated dark web tool can conduct a comprehensive and safe dark web search to collect and analyze huge volumes of public dark web data for actionable insights.

The automated dark web monitoring tool of Cobwebs searches and analyzes the dark web activities that are on the radar to gain real-time intelligence for acting upon and preventing threats to the community. Dark web monitoring is the process of searching for and keeping track of relevant information found on a portion of the internet not accessible via normal means. Dark web monitoring can e.g., identify mentions of threats to entities on dark websites and marketplaces, particularly any mentions which include compromised data being illegally shared or sold. Dark web monitoring services are therefore a great way to get actionable dark web threat intelligence by conducting a dark web scan.

The AI-powered automated dark web tool of Cobwebs answers three important questions that investigators and analysts have: how do you access the dark web, how to browse the dark web, and how to search the dark web.

With a dark web scanning service, they know how to get on the darkweb safely and anonymously. Dark web searching to e.g., get a dark web list is done quickly and efficiently, evening the playing field between law enforcement and threat actors. The dark web tool of Cobwebs, using artificial intelligence (AI) as well as machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) smart algorithms, can also recognize threat patterns stemming from the dark web by searching and analyzing large volumes of big data. The platform can also assist in identifying and reconstructing the real identities of virtual personalities on the dark web by extracting critical insights. It also allows analysts and investigators to gain situational awareness, get real-time alerts to prevent crime and other illicit activities by staying ahead of threat actors and criminal acts, and trace dark web footprints to find out what certain persons and groups are up to.

To conclude, dark web tools help investigators and analysts to get dark web access to identify threat actors, follow the cryptocurrency money trail, map connections between threat actors, their affiliates, and group members to solve and prevent crimes such as cyber threats. They are also useful for detecting and preventing insider threats since dark web monitoring software can scan for direct mentions of a specific organization or specific assets that could indicate a potential breach. As there is a lot at stake, a proactive dark web solution covers all the possible places where key data could wind up, and help businesses and governments stay one step ahead of the criminals. The AI-powered WEBINT platform of Cobwebs knows how to search on dark web to get the actionable data needed to detect and trace illicit activities.