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Dark web threats and what to do about them
Read time: 6 mins Added date: 05/03/2025
The dark web can pose challenges for businesses, with criminals using it to launch cyber-attacks and sell stolen data. Understanding how they operate and how to protect yourself can help keep your business safe.
The internet has three layers: the surface web (what you see on Google), the deep web (like your email or bank account), and the dark web.
The dark web needs specific software to access it.
While using the dark web is not illegal, it is notorious for hosting a significant amount of illicit content including compromised data. But not all content on the dark web is illegal; for example, the BBC uses it to help people in restrictive countries access news.
The advantage that the dark web has for criminals is that it’s completely anonymous. Search engines can’t detect the browsers used to access it, and those who publish material on it are also anonymous because of encryption.
This makes it an ideal meeting place for organised criminal gangs, who use chat rooms on the dark web to communicate with each other, sharing techniques and services, including encryption, counter anti-virus and renting servers to host criminal activity. Crypto currencies, such as Bitcoin, Monero, Ethereum, and Dash enables payments to be made on the dark web anonymously.
The sale of ransomware and malware
In the latest IBM report, the global average cost of a data breach in 2024 is approximately $4.88 million1. This represents a significant increase from previous years, highlighting the growing financial impact of data breaches on organisations worldwide.
These attacks occur when malware, inadvertently downloaded onto a computer, encrypts the victim’s files, and attackers then demand payment for restoring access. You can discover what these and other cybersecurity terms mean in our cyber glossary. Ransomware attacks can be devastating for businesses. For instance, in January 2023, the LockBit ransomware group attacked Royal Mail, paralysing international mail delivery and crippling several services, having to spend £10 million on the recovery and remediation2.
Ransomware packages sold on the dark web, including custom-built models and ransomware-as-a-service subscription packages, allow non-technical criminals to launch attacks on businesses.
The sale of business data
If your business is hacked and your data stolen, it may end up for sale on the dark web. Hackers also sell access to breached company databases, which can include anything from financial information to employees’ personal details.
Data breaches can be damaging both reputationally and financially for companies. For instance, in 2023, the pharmaceutical giant Cencora experienced a data breach that compromised the personal and protected health information of over a million clients3.
In the same year, the MOVEit cyber-attack campaign targeted numerous organisations, including Maximus, a U.S. government services contractor. Hackers accessed the protected health information, including Social Security numbers, of approximately 11 million individuals4.
Understand the financial implications of a cyber incident on your business
Understanding the financial effects of a cyber incident on your business is crucial for risk management and resilience strategy. Direct costs typically include immediate expenditures such as system repairs, data retrieval, and security enhancements. Indirect costs can be subtler and more enduring.
Operational impacts might involve considerable downtime, disrupting services and transactions, which lead to immediate revenue loss and potentially loss of opportunities as customers turn to your competitors.
Regulatory impacts are equally pressing, as breaches may result in non-compliance with data protection regulations that could lead to fines. A cyber incident can also significantly damage customer trust, crucial to your reputation. This loss of trust can lead to a drop in customer loyalty and retention, further affecting profits.
These breaches can often result in contractual penalties if service level agreements aren’t met, increasing financial pressure. The effect of these elements combined could lead to a fall in your credit rating and an increase in cyber insurance premiums, making it both difficult and costly to secure future coverage.
So, the financial implications of a cyber incident go well beyond the initial event, affecting your operational capacity, regulatory position, market opportunities, customer relations, and financial stability.
You can use dark web monitoring tools to check if your data is stolen. But it’s better to prevent incidents by understanding and addressing cyber threats beforehand.
Businesses are increasingly relying on technology to generate revenue. This makes it crucial to proactively reduce the probability and impact of a cyber-attack. Identify the critical data in your business and protect it against dark web threats. Plan for operational continuity, including managing your finances and cash flow, during disruption and recovery.
Giles Taylor Head of Resilience & Security, LloydsCybersecurity awareness training
This is crucial. Many incidents use social engineering to exploit your staff. The most common method is phishing – emails with malware that can launch ransomware or steal information. Everyone in your company needs to recognise malware, not just the IT team.
Password protocols
Use strong passwords that change regularly. Introduce two-factor authentication, combining passwords with a second factor like a token or fingerprint.
Internet and email guidelines
Employees can compromise security by using work computers for personal tasks. Set clear guidelines on what they can and can’t do. Include rules about plugging personal devices into company computers and warnings against clicking on suspicious links.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
A VPN hides your location and internet activity, protecting you from cyber criminals.
Regular security checks
Keep firewalls up to date and regularly check for vulnerabilities to keep your data safe from dark web threats.
Taking these precautions, keeping firewalls up to date, and regularly checking for security vulnerabilities can help keep your data safe from dark web threats.
Keeping your business safe
Minimising the financial impact of dark web threats on your business
- Get cybersecurity insurance to protect your business finances against potential losses.
- Budget for IT security. Allocate funds for IT security upgrades and employee training.
- Diversify assets. Spread out your assets to reduce risk.
- Create a contingency fund. Set aside money for unexpected cyber events.
- Negotiate better rates. Work with suppliers to get better rates on security tools.
Cyber Insurance
Cyber Insurance can protect your business by providing cover for threats such as malicious cyber-attacks and data breaches. Cover also provides access to 24/7 specialist IT advice and guidance.
Norton Small Business can help protect you
Through our collaboration with Norton, you can benefit from a 60-day free trial and get special discounts on Norton Small Business plans.