Identity Theft Protection

What to do if my name is found on the dark web?

OmniWatch

Oct 16, 2023 • 8 min read

Reviewed by Mike Marcacci, Sr. VP of Engineering at OmniWatch

Suffering a breach can be an overwhelming feeling. We're here to help guide you through the potential risks, what steps you can take now, and how to help keep yourself safe in the future. It’s important to understand the dangers associated with having your name exposed on the dark web, as well as what you should do if it does happen.

What is the Dark Web?

The dark web is a part of the internet that can only be accessed using special internet browsers, such as The Onion Router (TOR). Sites accessible through these special browsers cannot be seen or accessed from normal internet browsers like Google® or Microsoft Edge®. It is an anonymous network where users can communicate and access websites without fear of being tracked or identified. Many people use the dark web to buy and sell illegal goods, as well as engage in other criminal activities.

However, it also has legitimate uses such as allowing whistleblowers to communicate securely with journalists, or activists to share information without fear of government surveillance. In addition, some individuals may use the dark web for more mundane tasks like browsing online forums or playing video games. Regardless of its purpose, it remains largely unregulated and often serves as a hub for illegal activities.

How did my Name end up on the Dark Web?

There are several ways your name can end up on the dark web. One way is through an online data breach. This is when hackers target websites to gain access to a company’s database and steal the personal information of users, customers, and employees. Another way for a name to be exposed is if someone with malicious intent deliberately posts it on the dark web.

What can People do with my Name?

The good and bad news is that your name is probably readily available in many places, not just on the dark web. Your security is unlikely to be impacted much by just your name being breached.
However, your full legal name can still be used by criminals for things like:

Identity Theft: With your name and some additional personal information, criminals can assume your identity to commit fraud. This could involve opening bank accounts, getting credit cards or loans, or making purchases in your name.
Phishing Attacks: If malicious actors have your name, they may send targeted phishing emails or messages (spear phishing) that appear to be from legitimate businesses or acquaintances. These emails typically contain links or attachments that, if clicked or downloaded, can result in malware being installed on your device or you inadvertently revealing sensitive personal information.
Social Engineering: With your name, a cybercriminal can attempt to manipulate you, your contacts, or customer service agents into providing more information about you, such as your address, phone number, or account details.
Personal Security: If a malicious actor knows your real name and other personal details, they may potentially use that information to harass or intimidate you, either online or offline.
Reputation Damage: Information obtained from the dark web could potentially be used to smear your reputation, either by spreading false information about you online or by impersonating you to damage your relationships.

Enter your email address and get results in seconds

Hackers and thieves don’t wait and neither should you! See if your passwords have been exposed in a data breach.

What Should You Do if Your Name is Leaked Online?

Because your name can be found in other ways besides a data leak it’s important to do the following things even if your name wasn’t leaked.

Strengthen Passwords

Multiple tools can help crack passwords, especially if they are short or use things like addresses, emails, or anything that may be associated with you. Ideally, you want to create a long password with numerous special characters that spell no particular word. Better yet, you can use a complicated and unique passphrase. Since these are hard to remember, using password managers like 1Password® can help you create secure and varied passwords or passphrases while still allowing you to log into accounts quickly and easily.

Strengthen Security Questions

When creating answers to security questions, you should never put real answers. This information can be discovered online. Hackers can easily figure out what elementary school you went to, the street you grew up on, and other readily available personal details if they search hard enough. Instead, create your answers the same way you would create long difficult passwords.

Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication, meaning that along with a username and password, you need another “factor” to unlock your account, will also help make your accounts more difficult to access.

Common examples are when you have to enter a code you receive on your email or phone. Another method is using an authentication app that provides a rotating code to enter to log in.

SMS two-factor authentication is the least secure because phone numbers are easier to hack. In 2022, hackers claimed they breached T-Mobile over 100 times, partly to gain access to phone numbers to break into 2FA-enabled accounts. You should make sure to use either email-based 2FA or an app like Google Authenticator.

How to do a Dark Web Search For Personal Information

The dark web is a seedy place and there are many opportunities to click on the wrong link and inadvertently expose your personal information. Malware, phishing, and other scams are a potential risk if you’re using the dark web for any purpose.

For these reasons, we do not recommend conducting a dark web search for personal information.

If you want to check if your information is exposed on the dark web, a better alternative to a manual search is to use an identity theft monitoring service like OmniWatch™.

Identity theft monitoring services can provide you with a more comprehensive search through specialized tools and bots that crawl the dark web looking for your information. These bots can scour the dark web quickly and safely so you don’t have to.

For more information on how OmniWatch can help you monitor your online identity data and alert you if it’s found on the dark web, click here.

What Cybersecurity Professionals are Saying

Chester Wisniewski

Principal Research Scientist at Sophos

“Looking forward into 2023 has me very concerned with what developments we see with the malicious use of machine learning technologies”

Matt Kapko

Cybersecurity Reporter

"Threat actors don’t just follow the news — they react to it and identify new ways to target potential victims during moments of heightened sensitivity."