Dark Web Monitoring: How to Use the Free Version on Google

Highlights:

• This feature is available to everyone with a consumer Google account.
• There are limitations to what is offered in the free version. Suppose you want constant dark web monitoring for your info, get results for information other than your email address, and receive notifications for new results. In that case, you need a paid Google One membership.

What is the Dark Web?

The dark web is a subset of the internet that requires special software, setups, or authorization to access. It operates on overlay networks, different from the publicly accessible surface web. Unlike the surface web, which is indexed by search engines, the dark web is intended to provide anonymity and privacy.

While the dark web allows for legal and illegal operations, it is best known for its link with illicit marketplaces. These platforms enable the purchase and sale of unlawful products and services, such as stolen data, drugs, and firearms.

However, it is vital to emphasize that the dark web also contains lawful content, such as whistleblowing portals and communication tools for activists and journalists.

How to Use Dark Web Monitoring on Google

Because of the rise in data breaches by hackers, users need to protect their personal information from being used for malicious purposes. With the dark web monitoring tool, you can safeguard your sensitive information. Here is how to use the tool.

1. Navigate to the Google Results about your page.
2. Next, click on the Get started button.
   
3. On the next menu, click Next.
   
4. Read the next instructions and click on Next.
   
5. Next, input your Full Name and enter at least one contact method. You can enter a home address, a phone number, or an email address (I used an email address for this example).
6. Now click on the confirmation box, then select Continue.
   
7. Next, select how you want to be notified if your information is found on the dark web, then click on Save.
   
8. Finally, click on the I’m done button.
   
9. Once you do this, Google will search for results that match your name and contact information. If a result is found, you will be notified via the option you chose earlier.

How Dark Web Reports Work

Dark web monitoring is a proactive cybersecurity strategy that scans the internet’s secret corners for exposed personal information. This process typically develops in a few stages:

• Data Collection: The service gathers your personal information, including your name, email address, Social Security number, credit card number, and other sensitive information.
• Dark Web Scanning: Using specialized tools and methodologies, the service crawls the wide length of the dark web, indexing and analyzing thousands of websites, forums, and markets. This method seeks to identify any instances in which your given information is shared, sold, or otherwise exposed.
• Data Matching: The collected data is rigorously matched to information from the dark web. Advanced algorithms and matching procedures detect potential data breaches and compromised accounts.
• Alert Generation: The dark web monitoring service sends an alert when a match is discovered, suggesting that your personal information has been compromised. This notification usually contains information about the data exposure, possible risks, and suggestions for removing the threat.
• Continuous Monitoring: Effective dark web monitoring is a constant effort. The service regularly analyzes the dark web for new or growing dangers and keeps you updated.