Dark Net Sounds Mysterious; Let’s See What’s Really Available for Sale

As mysterious as the Dark Net seems to be, the reality is that it’s much like any other online resource but often filled with sales of illegal products. We took a deep dive into the Dark Net to show people what really happens in the cyber underworld and why companies that build security products always advise you to keep a close eye on your personal information.

The best way to strip this mysterious aura off of the Dark Net is to expose it to the light. If we actually know what’s happening, it’s not really scary or mysterious. It’s also helpful to learn more about this part of the internet because it raises awareness amongst people who only hear vague rumors about the risk of their personal info ending up in unsavory places deep in the bowels of the online world.

Defining the Dark Web or Dark Net

A common mistake is to confuse Deep Web with Dark Net. When we talk about the Deep Web, we refer to websites that are not indexed by search networks and usually need credentials. In fact, the Deep Web makes up most of the Internet. As users, we interact with just the fraction that happens to be open.

The Dark Net, on the other hand, is harder to reach. For the most part, it can only be accessed via the Onion routing protocol, usually with the Tor Browser. Even so, many of the websites we offer as examples are only available with invitations from existing members.

If you can think about it, it’s there

Not everything on the Dark Net is illegal, but it’s also a place where you can find all sorts of illicit products and services, with the Silk Road being one of the more prominent examples. We looked closer at what type of personal information is available for purchase.

There’s the obvious stuff, like working credit cards from all over the world, but their sale is broken in different categories, like banks, available funds and countries. For example, a credit card from American Express with a $60,000 balance can be sold for around $600, but a few even cheaper versions will go as low as $75.

Cypto is also present, with accounts from well-known services such as crypto.com up for sale. Also, credentials for social media accounts and other types of data breaches are also available for purchase.

You can even buy physical IDs and passports from various countries, some even with biometric features. Finally, compromised accounts for streaming services are everywhere, from pretty much all major companies.

Since these marketplaces are full of criminals trying to sell stolen information and other digital and physical products, they’re also rife with fraud. The chances of getting ripped off in one of these transactions are very high, but that’s hardly a surprise when dealing with criminals.

You can check out our full Dark Net report for more information on what kind of products end up in that part of the Internet.

Bitdefender - How Much Is Your Digital Life Worth on the Dark Net? - Report