How Cybercriminals Profit From Your Personal Information

Personal information has become more and more valuable in recent years. As most of your transactions and website sign-ups are done with the help of online data, it has become a valuable commodity. Cybercriminals know this and try to steal people’s data to make money. Multiple websites on the dark web are used for buying user information from these cyber criminals.

According to a recent study by ExpressVPN, personal information can be sold on the dark web at various prices depending on the type and the amount of data sold. For this reason, it is important for users to learn how to protect their personal information from malicious people who might use it for their own benefit. Here’s what you need to know about the dark web and ways to protect your data online.

What Is The Dark Web?

The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that is not accessible to normal Internet users. To access the dark web, users need to have specific software and configurations to access the websites available on the dark web. However, dark web websites are primarily illegal websites where illegal items are exchanged. This also includes the selling and buying of private user information that hackers steal.

If you don't know about the dark web price index and how to protect your data online, you must educate yourself. Here are some ways hackers steal information and how to avoid stealing your data.

How Cybercriminals Make Profit From User Information?

The dark web has certain price indexes that determine the value of certain user information based on the country they are from and what data is being sold. For example, individuals' credit card information is sold at the highest prices on the dark web. This not only includes credit card info but also includes online banking and crypto account information of users.

Even though credit card info is useful, users should also keep in mind that certain influencer accounts from various platforms or e-commerce accounts with saved payment information are also sold on the dark web. Cybercriminals can use this information for extortion, or they can use it to simply earn some money by selling it.

The most dangerous aspect of the information being sold on the dark web is the transaction of identification documents. Even though each piece of information is sold at different price points, it is quite easy for hackers to earn somewhere between 50-100 USD for the information of a single individual. Since creating fake documents is quite difficult, real identification documents from users are being sold that can later be used to create forged documents. This can also lead to identity theft in certain cases.

How To Protect Data From Being Stolen Online?

If you are worried about your data being stolen and being used for malicious activities, you should learn how to protect your data on the internet. Here are some tips that can help you protect your data. It is better to take these precautionary measures than to keep changing your information online to protect yourself.

  • Keep in mind not to reuse your passwords, and always enable two-factor authentication for your social media websites and online transactions.
  • Always make sure to check the permission of the app that you use. You can also check for compromised accounts with the help of Google.
  • Make sure to share limited information on the internet to protect your data better.

Conclusion

The dark web is scary, and normal internet users can not access it. These websites have different URLs, which are untraceable, and dangerous data and information is quite easily available on the dark web.

Since users' data is quite important, it is good to be aware of the repercussions of your data being stolen by cybercriminals. Users should also take some precautionary measures while browsing the Internet to protect their personal information easily.

Brought to you by ExpressVPN

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