How cybercriminals effectively manipulate their victims, leaving them no choice.
The dark net, also called "Dark Web" (darkweb) or "DarkNet" (darknet) is an area of the Internet that is not indexed surface by search engines such as Google, Yandex, Bing and others. Unlike the" Deep Web", which is simply not indexed by search engines, dark websites are deliberately hidden.
Access to the dark web is usually carried out through the anonymous encrypted Tor network (aka "Onion Routing"), which virtually eliminates the possibility of tracking, which causes an unhealthy criminal interest in it. Most often, the dark web is used for illegal transactions involving the purchase and sale of all kinds of goods or services that cannot be obtained via the regular Internet.
Dark Web leak sites are websites used by ransomware groups, hackers, and other malicious actors to advertise data theft, publish it, and negotiate a cash ransom with victims.
How do data leakage sites work in the Dark Web?
Dark web leak sites are used by hackers to perform encrypted business operations, monetize ransomware, and other types of cyber attacks. Leak sites serve as a platform for downloading and sharing confidential and personal information that attackers stole from victim organizations.
Some cybercriminals also use their leak sites to publish evidence of compromise, which is often a sample of data stolen during an attack. The attackers threaten to use the leak site to post the full set of compromised information and share it with the media if the organization does not pay a ransom.
Regarding the media, it is worth mentioning one more point. As a rule, if a particular company has been hacked and promised to leak its data, the media is often almost the first to find out about it, and therefore quickly make the fact of hacking and blackmail public.
As a result, leak sites provide ransomware gangs with additional leverage over their victims. By naming organizations that have been affected and spreading public threats, hackers increase the pressure and increase the likelihood of getting money quickly.
Even if a conditional organization has backed up its data and is able to recover from an attack, the threat of disclosing confidential information can lead to the victim still paying ransomware.
Ransomware gangs that often use leak sites to pressure their victims include, for example, LockBit 2.0, Pysa, Avaddon, Hive, Black Matter, and Grief. We often write about many of them in our news. However, the main trend seen with dark web leak sites is the ebb and flow of extortionate gangs. The activity of a particular group of hackers is usually unpredictable, and rampant activity is often followed by a lull. There may be various explanations for this, including pressure from law enforcement agencies, problems in work, intense competition, or rebranding.
How do companies usually find out that their confidential information has been leaked or is about to be leaked to a data leak site? And what should I do in this case?
When attackers steal data, the first thing they do is contact the representatives of the hacked organization, first creating a separate page on their leak site, where the evidence of compromise is located. This page can be accessed both by the victim personally and by all users of the dark web. It all depends on the approach of ransomware to doing business.
If the fact of hacking was recorded, but hackers for some reason did not contact the target organization in a timely manner, you can use special software tools to scan the dark web for potentially stolen information. And if the target organization does not have the necessary specialists or software, the best solution is to contact companies that specialize in cybersecurity issues. They will be able to track the leak much faster and help buy valuable time to think about further actions.
If information about the victim organization is still found on the leak site, it can lead to legal and financial consequences, as well as damage to the company's reputation and related business losses. That is why it is important to act quickly and take concrete steps to mitigate the damage.
Step 1. Confirm the leak
The first step is to gather as much information as possible about the leak, including the source of the hack and the type of information that may have been disclosed. This information needs to be thoroughly rechecked to confirm whether hackers are bluffing. There are also several online tools and services that specialize in darknet monitoring. So, if you immediately check everything carefully, you can save the company from a lot of unnecessary actions, and senior employees from unnecessary worries.
Step 2. Inform the necessary departments of the company and external instances
If the leak is real, the next step is to notify the organization's IT security team and legal department. While the security team works to investigate the breach and strengthen the protection of internal systems to prevent further data disclosure, the legal department will assess the impact of the breach and take appropriate legal action if necessary.
Law enforcement agencies also need to be notified in a timely manner in order to promptly initiate an external investigation in order to identify the perpetrators. In addition, the organization's legal team may need to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and therefore cooperation with law enforcement and other agencies should simplify the work.
Step 3: Strengthen protocols and security systems
As the IT team begins to understand the nature of data breaches, it is critical to review and strengthen the organization's protocols and security systems to prevent similar incidents in the future. IT team members should carefully review existing security measures and identify areas that need improvement or modification.
The introduction of additional security measures, including multi-factor authentication, restriction of remote access protocols, and forced encryption of data and traffic, will greatly complicate third-party access to internal systems, which can already be considered a small victory. It is also important to clearly communicate the security policy to all employees, providing them with valuable tips and recommendations to increase vigilance and prevent potential violations. Working with people plays the most important role, because no security system will provide adequate protection if the employee himself, even if unknowingly, opens all the doors for hackers to break in effectively.
Step 4. Monitoring the Dark Web
As soon as the internal consequences of the cyber threat are resolved and all the organization's systems are back in working order, darkweb should continue to be monitored for leaks. In this process, again, you can involve a third-party company specializing in cybersecurity.
An organization's ability to respond quickly and effectively to news about leaks found on the darknet can mitigate the impact of these leaks on the organization, protecting its reputation and sensitive data.
What can be done to prevent a ransomware intrusion and mitigate the consequences if it does occur?
Some of the most common threats that can lead to data leaks include social engineering attacks, poor password hygiene, and software vulnerabilities.
The consequences of a ransomware attack can be mitigated by the availability of an effective data backup / recovery system, as well as regular software up-to-date checks. However, it is even better if no attack is allowed in principle.
To do this, organizations need to proactively implement the best available cybersecurity practices. These include hiring a competent CISO, applying highly effective antivirus and EDR solutions, using the zero-trust concept, and ensuring that all company personnel are properly trained.
The dark net, also called "Dark Web" (darkweb) or "DarkNet" (darknet) is an area of the Internet that is not indexed surface by search engines such as Google, Yandex, Bing and others. Unlike the" Deep Web", which is simply not indexed by search engines, dark websites are deliberately hidden.
Access to the dark web is usually carried out through the anonymous encrypted Tor network (aka "Onion Routing"), which virtually eliminates the possibility of tracking, which causes an unhealthy criminal interest in it. Most often, the dark web is used for illegal transactions involving the purchase and sale of all kinds of goods or services that cannot be obtained via the regular Internet.
Dark Web leak sites are websites used by ransomware groups, hackers, and other malicious actors to advertise data theft, publish it, and negotiate a cash ransom with victims.
How do data leakage sites work in the Dark Web?
Dark web leak sites are used by hackers to perform encrypted business operations, monetize ransomware, and other types of cyber attacks. Leak sites serve as a platform for downloading and sharing confidential and personal information that attackers stole from victim organizations.
Some cybercriminals also use their leak sites to publish evidence of compromise, which is often a sample of data stolen during an attack. The attackers threaten to use the leak site to post the full set of compromised information and share it with the media if the organization does not pay a ransom.
Regarding the media, it is worth mentioning one more point. As a rule, if a particular company has been hacked and promised to leak its data, the media is often almost the first to find out about it, and therefore quickly make the fact of hacking and blackmail public.
As a result, leak sites provide ransomware gangs with additional leverage over their victims. By naming organizations that have been affected and spreading public threats, hackers increase the pressure and increase the likelihood of getting money quickly.
Even if a conditional organization has backed up its data and is able to recover from an attack, the threat of disclosing confidential information can lead to the victim still paying ransomware.
Ransomware gangs that often use leak sites to pressure their victims include, for example, LockBit 2.0, Pysa, Avaddon, Hive, Black Matter, and Grief. We often write about many of them in our news. However, the main trend seen with dark web leak sites is the ebb and flow of extortionate gangs. The activity of a particular group of hackers is usually unpredictable, and rampant activity is often followed by a lull. There may be various explanations for this, including pressure from law enforcement agencies, problems in work, intense competition, or rebranding.
How do companies usually find out that their confidential information has been leaked or is about to be leaked to a data leak site? And what should I do in this case?
When attackers steal data, the first thing they do is contact the representatives of the hacked organization, first creating a separate page on their leak site, where the evidence of compromise is located. This page can be accessed both by the victim personally and by all users of the dark web. It all depends on the approach of ransomware to doing business.
If the fact of hacking was recorded, but hackers for some reason did not contact the target organization in a timely manner, you can use special software tools to scan the dark web for potentially stolen information. And if the target organization does not have the necessary specialists or software, the best solution is to contact companies that specialize in cybersecurity issues. They will be able to track the leak much faster and help buy valuable time to think about further actions.
If information about the victim organization is still found on the leak site, it can lead to legal and financial consequences, as well as damage to the company's reputation and related business losses. That is why it is important to act quickly and take concrete steps to mitigate the damage.
Step 1. Confirm the leak
The first step is to gather as much information as possible about the leak, including the source of the hack and the type of information that may have been disclosed. This information needs to be thoroughly rechecked to confirm whether hackers are bluffing. There are also several online tools and services that specialize in darknet monitoring. So, if you immediately check everything carefully, you can save the company from a lot of unnecessary actions, and senior employees from unnecessary worries.
Step 2. Inform the necessary departments of the company and external instances
If the leak is real, the next step is to notify the organization's IT security team and legal department. While the security team works to investigate the breach and strengthen the protection of internal systems to prevent further data disclosure, the legal department will assess the impact of the breach and take appropriate legal action if necessary.
Law enforcement agencies also need to be notified in a timely manner in order to promptly initiate an external investigation in order to identify the perpetrators. In addition, the organization's legal team may need to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and therefore cooperation with law enforcement and other agencies should simplify the work.
Step 3: Strengthen protocols and security systems
As the IT team begins to understand the nature of data breaches, it is critical to review and strengthen the organization's protocols and security systems to prevent similar incidents in the future. IT team members should carefully review existing security measures and identify areas that need improvement or modification.
The introduction of additional security measures, including multi-factor authentication, restriction of remote access protocols, and forced encryption of data and traffic, will greatly complicate third-party access to internal systems, which can already be considered a small victory. It is also important to clearly communicate the security policy to all employees, providing them with valuable tips and recommendations to increase vigilance and prevent potential violations. Working with people plays the most important role, because no security system will provide adequate protection if the employee himself, even if unknowingly, opens all the doors for hackers to break in effectively.
Step 4. Monitoring the Dark Web
As soon as the internal consequences of the cyber threat are resolved and all the organization's systems are back in working order, darkweb should continue to be monitored for leaks. In this process, again, you can involve a third-party company specializing in cybersecurity.
An organization's ability to respond quickly and effectively to news about leaks found on the darknet can mitigate the impact of these leaks on the organization, protecting its reputation and sensitive data.
What can be done to prevent a ransomware intrusion and mitigate the consequences if it does occur?
Some of the most common threats that can lead to data leaks include social engineering attacks, poor password hygiene, and software vulnerabilities.
The consequences of a ransomware attack can be mitigated by the availability of an effective data backup / recovery system, as well as regular software up-to-date checks. However, it is even better if no attack is allowed in principle.
To do this, organizations need to proactively implement the best available cybersecurity practices. These include hiring a competent CISO, applying highly effective antivirus and EDR solutions, using the zero-trust concept, and ensuring that all company personnel are properly trained.
