While privacy is priceless for most individuals, it sells for pretty cheap on the dark web. According to Whizcase, years of curating your social media page for your close network can be up for sale for as cheap as $14 for your Facebook login. And that’s just the beginning as every access point from Reddit to LinkedIn can be purchased for a price, $6 and $45 respectively.
How does your info end up on the dark web?
Creating unique and complex passwords for all your online accounts is not just a kitschy tactic to get you to spring for a password manager. Passwords that are simple can be cracked or guessed by diligent hackers, and if you repeat that password across multiple accounts, then all those accounts are also in jeopardy.
Infuriatingly enough, you can make the concerted effort to create a complex and unique password for all your accounts and even use a password manager, but you will still have your information leaked if the company you are logging onto gets infiltrated. Unfortunately, being notified of having your information compromised in a data breach is more common than not.
In addition to having your information unwittingly floating around the dark web to the highest bidder, if your device gets hacked and malware or viruses are installed on it, then your logins and passwords can be stolen and sold, too.
WAS YOUR PRIVATE DATA BEING SOLD ON THIS DARK WEB MARKETPLACE?
What should I do if my information ends up on the dark web?
When you get the inevitable notification or letter stating that your information has been compromised, there are action steps you can take to minimize damage and maximize prevention of future problems.
1) Log out of all devices
Instagram is an example of a social media account that lets you see where and what devices your account is currently open on. They also provide you the option of logging out of all devices so your account is not accessible by third parties or on devices that aren’t yours. This is especially helpful if your account is open on a device that might be yours but might also have malware or a virus.
How to view your account’s recent login activity on Instagram
You can view a list of devices that have recently logged into your Instagram account at any time. If you don’t recognize a recent login, you can log out of that location or device and let us know that the login wasn’t you. Here’s how to do it.
- Click the profile icon on the bottom right of the screen
- Then, click the three horizontal lines in the upper right
- Tap Accounts Center
- Scroll down and tap Password and security
- Tap Where you’re logged in to view your recent login activity for accounts in this Accounts Center
- To log out of devices you’re currently logged into, tap on one of your accounts, then scroll down and tap Select devices to log out
- Select the devices you’d like to log out, then tap Log out
2) Change your password
If you manage your passwords or have them saved to auto-fill on browsers like Safari and Chrome, you will get updated if your password has been compromised, weak or reused. Because having complex, unique passwords for each online account is critical to keeping your information online safe, password managers can help with generating those as well as managing them for you.
One of the best password managers out there is 1Password. With no known security breaches or vulnerabilities, 1Password is a solid option as a paid password manager. It utilizes a well-designed interface, which features core components that are expected from premium, paid password managers. At the time of publishing, it starts at $2.99 a month, billed annually, for a total of $35.88/year, and you can save more with a family option which includes 5 family members for $60/year.
Get more details about my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2024 here.
3) Turn on two-factor authentication
This step can be annoying when you just want to quickly check an update or post a quick video, but it can be your saving grace when someone has figured out your login and is trying to guess your password. If your two-factor authentication is on, you have the opportunity to get alerted of any logins or password reset requests. It gives you the opportunity to secure your account.
4. Install strong antivirus software
While you can’t control what companies do with your information, you can control what information gets out from your personal devices by installing good antivirus software. It can ‘catch’ malware or virus before it gets unleashed on your device and siphon your password and other private information.
My top pick is TotalAV, and you can get a limited-time deal for CyberGuy readers: $19 your first year (80% off) for the TotalAV Antivirus Pro package.
5. Remove yourself from the internet
While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.
A service like Incogni can help you remove all this personal information from the internet. It has a very clean interface and will scan 195 websites for your information and remove it and keep it removed.
Special for CyberGuy Readers (60% off): Incogni offers A 30-day money-back guarantee and then charges a special CyberGuy discount only through the links in this article of $6.49/month for one person (billed annually) or $13.19/month for your family (up to 4 people) on their annual plan and get a fully automated data removal service, including recurring removal from 175+ data brokers. I recommend the family plan because it works out to only $4.12 per person per month for year-round coverage. It’s an excellent service, and I highly recommend at least trying it out to see what it’s all about.
6. Get identity theft protection
Many identity theft protection services provide dark web monitoring services. They continually monitor the dark web to see if any crucial pieces of personal information like your email addresses or social security number end up compromised or up for sale on the dark web. Getting those alerts immediately gives you the opportunity to act faster and take the other steps listed above. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.
My top recommendation is Identity Guard. One of the best parts of using Identity Guard is that they might include identity theft insurance of up to 1 million dollars to cover losses and legal fees and a white glove fraud resolution team where a US-based case manager helps you recover any losses.
CyberGuy’s Exclusive Offer: Get the Identity Guard Ultra protection to protect your identity and credit through tax season and beyond for as little as $9.99/mo (lowest offered anywhere) for the first year.
See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
Kurt’s key takeaways
In the digital age, where our personal data can be as fleeting as a password, it’s a stark reminder that what we hold dear isn’t always locked down tight. It’s unsettling to think that years of personal posts and connections could be reduced to a mere transaction on the dark web. But knowledge is power, and being informed is the first step in strengthening our digital defenses. So, let’s keep those passwords complex, our logins secure, and our vigilance high.
What role do you think tech companies should play in protecting your data, and how does this shape your expectations of online services? Let us know in the comments below.
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