Financial crimes that take place over the Internet are often hidden within the deep recesses of the dark web. Here’s what you need to know about the dark web and how to protect your financial institution against fraud by monitoring the dark web for key information.
What Is the Deep & Dark Web?
First, it’s important to understand the different layers of the Internet.
Surface Web
First, there’s the surface web, which is the Internet that most everyone uses every day. Social media, retail, financial, and nearly every other website you can imagine is on the surface web. It’s the part of the web that is indexed and catalogued by search engines.
Deep Web
The deep web is a part of the Internet that, while not completely hidden, cannot be indexed by search engines like Google. These parts of the web are hidden behind firewalls, paywalls, and other types of web security.
Dark Web
The dark web is a portion of the deep web that is deliberately concealed. It can only be accessed through a special web browser and allows information to be shared nationally and internationally without being tracked through typical means. To do this, the special browser, known as Tor, encrypts not only the location of the user but also the information they send out and receive.
Using the Dark Web for Financial Fraud
Because of its ability to keep users and the information they send and receive anonymous, criminals often use the dark web for fraudulent purposes, such as financial fraud and identity theft. According to the Telegraph, a study completed by King’s College London reports that 57% of websites designed for the Tor browser are meant to facilitate crimes.
For banks and financial institutions to be on the forefront of security for their facilities, it’s important that they not only understand the threat that the dark web poses, but also take action to monitor it and intercept threats before they become problematic.
Q6 Cyber: A Leader in Global Cyber Security
SQN has partnered with Q6 Cyber, a leader in global cyber security on the forefront of cyber threat intelligence. Q6 Cyber uses state-of-the-art technology and experts in the field of cyber threat intelligence to monitor places like the deep web and the dark web (also known as the Digital Underground) for potential risks to your institution. Q6 Cyber provides actionable information to help keep your institution and your customers safer.
Contact SQN Banking Systems Today
With technology advancing exponentially, it’s crucial for you to be proactive about cyber security. Contact SQN today for more information about security options that will best fit your needs by visiting our online form.