For a long time the Dark Web has been a space for open exchange between cybercriminals around the world. However, although it is still difficult to identify a Dark Web user, in recent years security agencies have developed increasingly effective strategies to catch these digital criminals.
This has made it imperative for them to find alternative strategies that allow them to communicate without running the risk of being detected. This is where Invisible Net comes into play.
Encrypted apps, chat groups that can only be accessed by invitation, closed forums… According to a recent study, these are just some means that criminals in the digital world are using to send and receive messages related to their illegal transactions.
As a result, and despite the efforts of the authorities, it has become increasingly difficult to identify and trap individuals who engage in illegal activities in the digital world. Want to know more about the study? Read on and find out more.
The Invisible Net: What the Study Says
The study led by Dr. Mike McGuire, criminologist at the University of Surrey, suggests that through this Invisible Net, digital criminals are better able to cover their tracks to prevent authorities from accessing information related to the businesses they do on the Dark Web.
The most concerning fact is that in parallel with the popularization of the use of the invisible web, a considerable increase in attacks on large and medium corporations has been detected. This indicates that it has indeed become more difficult to detect illicit activities the way they are being done.
How does the Invisible Net work?
More than a space, the Invisible Net represents a technique that involves the use of encrypted apps, chat groups that can only be accessed by invitation, closed forums, among others, as a means of communication.
The idea is to be able to send messages referring to transactions that, due to their criminal nature, can only be carried out on the Dark Web.
The Dark Web
Dark Web is a term used to describe a set of websites that are encrypted with hidden IP addresses. As a result, users who access these sites can browse them anonymously.
Traditional search engines such as Google or Firefox cannot access hidden addresses, so special search engines are needed to access the Dark Web. The most common of these is the TOR (The Onion Router) browser.
The features of the Dark Web have made it the perfect space for criminals to freely perform operations ranging from the sale of stolen card numbers to human trafficking.
In the past, official intelligence agencies have managed to infiltrate and close some of these markets. However, in their attempt to protect their agreements and keep their conversations secret, cybercriminals are once again evading the authorities through this Invisible Net.
What these criminals do is move the details of their activities into protected application chats and encrypted platforms such as Telegram.
What are the consequences for businesses?
As we have already said, on the Dark Web, illegal transactions of all kinds take place. In this space, cybercriminals have the opportunity to sell and buy valuable information that they can then use to attack companies.
As part of his research, Dr. McGuire and his team accessed the Dark Web to pose as customers in search of tools or resources that would allow them to launch cyber attacks on large companies. The responses of the hackers selling these “products” allowed them to collect the following data:
- Remote logins to the company’s systems cost between $2 and $30.
- Phishing kits cost $40.
- A targeted attack on an individual costs $2,000.
- A targeted attack on a company costs approximately $4,500.
- Likewise, espionage and insider trading cost between $1,000 and $15,000.
All these “services” and accesses are offered to the highest bidder, regardless of their identity or intentions. This being the case we can deduce then that if anyone wants to initiate an attack on a particular company, all they have to do is access the Dark Web and pay for the attack or for the information needed to carry it out.
Are companies fully exposed?
Although the popularization of the use of the Invisible Net is alarming, the truth is that in most cases the attack vectors of companies are developed from within. This means that with the right tools and strategies the possibility of suffering some unauthorized intrusion decreases exponentially.
So try to have the right software solutions and create awareness plans that prevent the human potential of the organization from becoming the weak link of security.
If you want the best tools and first class advice, contact us. At GB Advisors we offer you the best software solutions to help you keep your systems protected.
