Dark Web Guide

Dark Web notifications inform you that your information has been
exposed and available to cybercriminals. We monitor for use of your
personal information on these hard to find dark websites and forums
and notify you when we detect it.

Cybercriminals can use your information to hack into accounts and

commit fraudulent activities. Here we have included different steps
you can take to help protect your personal information, along with
additional information on what is the Dark Web.

What is the dark web and how does it differ What is a Dark Web Monitoring Notification?
from the deep and surface web?
Dark Web Monitoring, also known as cyber monitoring,
The surface web comprises of websites that are is a service that helps monitor for information on
indexed (or catalogued) by search engines. The dark the dark web and notifies you if we detect your
web is a hidden layer of the internet that is not information on the dark web. The notification that you
accessible or indexed by search engines and requires receive is called a Dark Web Monitoring Notification.
specific software for access. This area is popular with
criminals because they can remain anonymous and
How does one access the dark web?
untraceable as they communicate. The dark web is a
huge marketplace where hackers and thieves exchange The dark web is accessible only if you download a special
information, goods and services; information exposed open-source browser software . Such software typically
from data breaches, hacking incidents, or leaked uses encryption technology to help users maintain
information can be bought and sold on the dark web their anonymity online. It does this, in part, by routing
as “lists” by identity thieves. Information traded on the connections through servers around the world, making
dark web may be old or could even re-appear several them much harder to track.
months, or years following exposure of your personal
information. The dark web forms a small part of
the deep web.
Dark Web Guide

I have never been on the dark web. How did What role does Norton Dark Web Monitoring
my information get on the dark web? Powered by LifeLock play in helping to
protect my information?
You do not need to be on the dark web for your information to
end up there. Information stolen or exposed in data breaches As part of your service, we scan the surface, deep, and dark
or hacking incidents, or leaked information can be bought web for exposure of information. When you enroll, we run
and sold on the dark web as “lists” by identity thieves. This a one-time historical dark web scan looking back to 2008
information may be old or could even re-appear several to determine if the information you provided us has been
months, or years following exposure of the information. previously exposed. If we find exposed information, we
notify you. We run continuous scans and are on the lookout
for exposed information. If your information has been
Can you erase my information from exposed, you can be proactive and take several actions to
the dark web? help protect yourself. You can:

We do not erase information from the dark web because of Change the password associated with the affected website or
the highly anonymous nature of forums, communities, and any other site where you’ve used the same password. If you don’t
remember your password, perform a password reset on the site.
black markets in which criminals operate.
Review your credit reports, and watch for new credit inquiry alerts,
or suspicious activity, and consider freezing your credit file

What is a Baseline Notification? If you have signed up for Transaction Monitoring, review your
financial transactions regularly
When you enroll, we run a one-time historical dark web scan Complete your profile by visiting the dashboard so we can
looking back to 2008 to determine if the information you monitor more of your information
provided us has been previously exposed. If we find exposed Visit our Dark Web Monitoring Support Article for a full list of
information, we notify you. This is known as a Historical or other helpful tips and guidance.
Baseline Notification.
Dark Web Guide

Why am I getting notification from a breach Why can’t I respond to the Dark Web Monitoring
that happened several months ago? Notification to confirm my identity?

The dark web is where stolen information, such as bank For some alerts, we ask you for a confirmation of the activity
account numbers, and credit card numbers, are sold. The or transaction so we can determine if there might have been
information sold or traded can be in the form of “lists” the possibility of an identity theft incident.  
which can be old, and could even re-appear several For other notifications, such as Dark Web Monitoring, we
months, or years following an exposure of the information. are notifying you that information which may belong to
Every time the information reappears or resurfaces on the you has been detected. These notifications do not require
dark web, you are likely to be notified. confirmation from you because it is a result of a scan we
perform on your behalf, and not a result of your activity.
“Exposed” information does not necessarily mean that your
When you receive a Dark Web Monitoring Notification, follow
account(s) have been hacked. Given that these lists may be
the helpful tips and guidance in the Dark Web Monitoring
old, it is entirely possible that your login details associated
Support Article to help protect yourself.
with the website/service in question are no longer current.
You do not need to call us.
You may have already changed a password, deactivated
your account or unsubscribed from the website or service.
Sometimes breached sites deactivate exposed accounts, as
well, which may make it difficult to remember or identify an What actions can I take to help protect myself?
account as belonging to you.
You can be proactive and take several actions to help protect
yourself. Change your password for the site/service mentioned
in the notification. In addition, if you use the same password
What does it mean to have my information for numerous online accounts, make sure you change these
exposed on the dark web? Have my accounts passwords as well. Enable two-factor authentication whenever
been hacked? offered by a site. Monitor your credit report for any unfamiliar
“Exposed” information does not necessarily mean that your or suspicious activity. Visit our Dark Web Monitoring Support
account(s) have been hacked. You can be proactive and Article for a full list of helpful tips and guidance.
take several actions to help protect yourself. Change your
password for the site/service mentioned in the notification.
In addition, if you use the same password for numerous
online accounts, make sure you change these passwords as
well. Enable two-factor authentication whenever offered
by a site or service. Visit our Dark Web Monitoring Support
Article for a full list of helpful tips and guidance.
Dark Web Guide

I don’t recognize the website mentioned in my What is the difference between the Exposed
Dark Web Monitoring Notification. How do I Information and the Additional Exposed
know I have used this before?   Information sections within the Dark Web
Monitoring Notification?
There could be several reasons why you may not recognize the
website mentioned in a notification. For example, the account
Your Dark Web Monitoring Notification displays two types
may have been created via Facebook or Google log in. Some
of exposed information. When you enroll you provide us
accounts may be old and you may not remember having
information and we monitor it actively. If we detect this
used the website or service. In some instances, you may have
information on the Dark Web, it will be displayed in the
provided login details (username/password) for a one-time
Exposed Information section of the Dark Web Monitoring
use, after which you may have never went back to the website
Notification. If we detect other exposed information that may
or account again. Sometimes breached sites or services may
be related to you, we will notify you on this as well.
deactivate exposed accounts which can make it difficult to
remember or identify an account as belonging to you. Even if you did not provide the specific information to us, it
is possible to use the information you have provided to help
detect other information that may have been exposed; but
Can my personal information be exposed since we have not collected this information from you, we
if I have unsubscribed from a website or can only notify you that it has been exposed, and not provide
deactivated my account? any other details. For example, in the case of a healthcare
database breach, if you have provided your Insurance
Even though you may have unsubscribed from a website or
Account and Insurance Provider information for monitoring,
may have deactivated your account, your data may still be
we may also be able to notify you of additional data that
present in their data systems and could be exposed during a
may have been exposed, such as blood type, prescription
data breach, a hacking incident, or another type of data leak.
medications, diagnoses, and related details. This type of
information would be displayed in the Additional Exposed
Information section of the Dark Web Monitoring Notification.
Dark Web Guide

Next Steps
to take if you have been made aware of other information being breached

Username/Password Bank Account

Change your username if you have the option.
Monitor your account activity closely. Report any suspicious
Change your passwords linked to that username. activity, such as unfamiliar purchases, to your financial institution
immediately.
Set up 2-factor authentication whenever available for a website.
You can visit https://twofactorauth.org/ for more information. Contact your bank for a replacement account.

Change your online banking username if you have the option

Change your online banking password.
Set up 2-factor authentication if available.
You can visit https://twofactorauth.org/ for more information.

Email Address We recommend using LifeLock’s Transaction Monitoring feature,

available in the Member Portal with some LifeLock identity theft
Change your email account password. protection memberships.
Set up 2-factor authentication whenever available for a website.
You can visit https://twofactorauth.org/ for more information.

If you are using this email as a login/username for websites,

consider changing the username and passwords to those
websites for better protection.
Credit/Debit Card
Request a replacement card and new PIN.

Monitor your account activity closely. Report any suspicious activity

to your financial institution immediately.
Social Security Number
Change your online account username if you have the option.
Check your credit report regularly for unauthorized activity. Change your online account password.
Put a credit freeze on your credit file. Set up 2-factor authentication if available.
Put a security freeze on your consumer report with the National You can visit https://twofactorauth.org/ for more information.
Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange and ChexSystems. We recommend using LifeLock’s Transaction Monitoring feature,
available in the Member Portal with some LifeLock identity theft
Register for an online account with the Social Security Administration
protection memberships.
to securely access information from your Social Security record,
including earnings and benefits history.

More Helpful Tips

If you use the same Username and Passwords for multiple websites or apps, change them when there is a breach

Think before you download apps, click on links, or reply to emails that might be harmful or fraudulent.

Be suspicious of strangers who ask for personal information by email. If they claim to be from your financial
institution, the government or a company you do business with, contact the business directly.

Don’t use all or part of your Social Security number as a PIN (Personal Identification Number) for a
credit/debit card or an online account username or password.