Dark Web Monitoring: Protect What Matters Beyond the Surface

Imagine waking up to a nightmare where your bank account has been drained, your email address has been hacked, and your personal information exposed.

This is the reality for millions whose data ends up on the dark web. In 2023, over 32 billion personal assets were reportedly stolen, highlighting the urgent need for dark web monitoring.

This is where PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring feature comes in. It continuously scans the dark web for your compromised Personally Identifiable Information (PII), empowering you with timely alerts and actionable insights. 

This guide discusses how Dark Web Monitoring helps you stay a step ahead of cybercriminals and ensure your personal data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

What is PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring?

At PureVPN, we understand the stress and fear that comes with knowing your personal information could be compromised on the dark web. That’s why we’ve launched Dark Web Monitoring. 

We focus on your 5 most critical personal identifiers balancing comprehensive coverage with ease of use, delivering clear, actionable insights without unnecessary complexity. 

How Does Dark Web Monitoring Work?

PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring feature continuously monitors the hidden layers of the internet dark web to detect breaches involving your most critical identifiers and their associated data. From email addresses to Social Security Numbers, it ensures you’re alerted timely before your data is misused by scammers and hackers.

Here’s how it helps:

• Continuous Monitoring: Around-the-clock scanning for potential data exposure.
• Timely Alerts: Timely notifications when your identifiers and their associated data appear in a breach.
• Actionable Insights: Tailored recommendations to help you minimize risks and secure your personal assets from getting exploited by scammers.

Dark Web Exposure Scan

With Dark Web Monitoring, you can finally secure yourself beyond the surface and take control of your digital safety. Moreover, PureVPN now offers a Dark Web Exposure Scan for everyone – including non-users – through the dedicated feature page. Simply enter your email address and wait for the results. If your email appears in a breach, you can take immediate action to prevent potential data exploitation.

However, dark web marketplaces don’t just trade email addresses—they traffic in a wide range of personally identifiable information. To monitor your most critical identifiers and stay ahead of cyber threats, PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring provides the protection you need.

What Assets Are Monitored?

Our service goes beyond the basics to offer comprehensive monitoring of your most critical identifiers:

• Email Address: Protect the gateway to your online accounts from phishing and takeovers.
• Phone Number: Stay safe from SIM-swapping and unauthorized password resets.
• Credit Card Number: Avoid financial loss from fraudulent transactions.
• Passport Number: Prevent identity theft and fraudulent travel.
• Social Security/National Identification Number: Safeguard your identity against unauthorized loans or accounts.

Standard and Plus Plan users can only monitor their email address via the Dark Web Monitoring feature. To add more monitoring assets, view breach details, and receive actionable insights, an upgrade to the Max Plan is required. Max Plan users, on the other hand, can monitor the most crucial identifiers, view breach details if their identifiers or any associated data appears in a breach, and take proactive steps to prevent potential data exploitation.

Steps to Enable Dark Web Monitoring

Activating Dark Web Monitoring is simple and essential for staying ahead of potential cyber threats. 

Here’s how you can get started:

1. Update Your PureVPN App

First, make sure your PureVPN app is updated to the latest version. This ensures you have access to all the new features, including Dark Web Monitoring. If this feature isn’t visible on your device yet, no need to worry. Simply, visit the Members Area, where it’s live and easily accessible.

2. Access Dark Web Monitoring

Open the PureVPN app and navigate to the Dark Web Monitoring option from the menu.

Alternatively, access it directly from the dashboard on the main screen.

3. Add Assets to Monitor

Click on “Add Assets to Monitor” to begin. Add your preferred assets, including your email address, phone number, credit card number, SSN/NIN number, and passport number.

Note: By default, the email address you used when purchasing the plan will already be added. If you want to update it, keep in mind that you can only edit it once. Before proceeding, make sure to agree to the Terms and Conditions. 

4. Verify Your Identity

Enter the confirmation code sent to your registered email address to verify your identity.

5. Dark Web Scan and Breach Notifications

Once verified, the feature will scan dark web marketplaces for your critical identifiers. A pop-up will display the number of breaches detected. You can choose to view details or close the notification.

6. View Breach Details

On the Breach Summary page, users can view:

• Breach Source: Identify where your data was compromised. Clicking on the Breach Source will reveal all compromised information associated with your identifiers, which could include your full name, physical address, IP address, and more.
• Severity and Status: Highlights the risk and status level.
• Recommendations: Receive actionable tips to secure your accounts before cybercriminals exploit them.

7. Mark Breaches as Resolved

After viewing the breach details and taking the recommended steps, you can mark the breach as resolved.

Note: Marking a breach as resolved doesn’t mean the breach itself has been fixed. It simply indicates that you’ve reviewed the details and acted accordingly.

By following these steps, you’ll stay one step ahead of cyber threats and ensure your personal information is monitored and protected from the dark web’s hidden dangers.

Note: To ensure users’ digital identifiers remain secure, they are encrypted before being transmitted to PureVPN’s servers, where the data is stored using SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm).

The Dark Web: A Hidden Threat You Can’t Ignore

The dark web is a shadowy corner of the internet that most of us don’t fully understand. In fact, around 8% of the US population hasn’t even heard of it, and many who have are still fuzzy on what it actually is. Unlike the everyday internet we use, the dark web is hidden from regular search engines and requires special tools, like the Tor browser, to even access it.

This secrecy has turned it into a bustling marketplace for stolen data and data breaches. Cybercriminals buy and sell everything from personal information and financial credentials –  well, just about anything they can get their hands on. 

And the scale of the problem – it’s staggering:

Recently, 1 billion passwords belonging to cybersecurity vendors were stolen by malware and sold for just $10 each on the dark web. Shockingly, nearly 74% of users have the habit of reusing their passwords that have already been compromised.

Did you know that even credit card details are sold at shockingly low prices? According to Privacy Affairs Dark Web Price Index 2023, cybercriminals could buy information for a credit card with a $5,000 balance for just $110.

Your personal information – including email addresses, Social Security Numbers, credit card details, and more – is at constant risk. These aren’t just numbers; they’re an urgent wake-up call. The dark web isn’t just a distant threat, it’s a present danger to your digital security.

Don’t wait to become a statistic.

How Dark Web Data Breaches Impact You

Data stolen from the dark web can wreak havoc on your life in ways you might not expect:

• Financial Fraud: Cybercriminals can drain your bank accounts, make unauthorized purchases, or open fraudulent credit lines in your name.
• Identity Theft: Leaked personal details can lead to complete identity impersonation, with recovery being both expensive and complex.
• Privacy Violations: Exposed sensitive information can result in phishing attacks, workplace vulnerabilities, or even blackmail.

Every click, every shared credential, and every unprotected asset is an opportunity for exploitation.

Stay Ahead with PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring

Cyberthreats evolve daily,  and every second counts when it comes to protecting your digital identity. PureVPN’s Dark Web Monitoring empowers you to take control, stay informed, and act swiftly to prevent your data from being exploited. 

Shield yourself beyond the surface – because, in today’s world, security isn’t optional, it’s essential.