If you own a physical business space, chances are that you offer private Wi-Fi and secure LTE connections for all your employees. However, since the 2020 lockdown, more employees are working remotely than ever, meaning they may be using unsecured public Wi-Fi that can leave your company data on the dark web. The dark web can now be tracked for free, thanks to Google.
How Does Your Business Information End Up on the Dark Web?
While public Internet connectivity can be the root cause of data leaks, it’s far from the only culprit. Visiting unsecured websites when researching or checking on competitors also risks information. Unfortunately, hackers can still find you even if you or your workers don’t visit shady websites. They do this by creating fake content for you to click on or breaching website pages with weak security measures.
How Google Plans To Remedy Data on the Dark Web
Once a data breach occurs, it can be hard to tell until damage is done. For instance, you may note unusual activity on your accounts, unauthorized downloads that contain malware, or massively modified files that bear little resemblance to the originals. Previously, only Google One subscribers had access to the tools needed to catch such data breaches before they did serious damage.
These premium users had to pay a monthly $20 fee to pinpoint any private data accessible where it shouldn’t be. However, as of July 2024, this is no longer the case since new Google updates mean the dark web can be tracked for free. The Dark Web Report feature, originally only for Google One users, is now available to users throughout 46 countries in the Results About You section of the Google app.
The Process of This New Online Security Measure
For better data protection, Google claims that free monitoring is a game-changing security measure against cyber criminals. After successfully integrating this tool into your Google account, log in and input any information that you feel is sensitive and can easily be stolen.
From there, the monitoring tool scans sites on the dark web and forums where attackers trade or obtain personal information. If any of your data matches that from these searches, the tool sends a detailed alert about when and where the information was found.
Not only can the dark web be tracked for free with this tool, but business owners like you can also receive suggestions about how to remedy the situation. For instance, the tool may tell you to change hacked passwords, implement multi-factor authentication, or freeze your credit card. You can also click a button to have Google remove the data from the dark web. Take advantage of optimal protection without added fees and excessive installations today!
