Dark web monitoring software: top tools and how they work

Dark web monitoring software scans the dark web for any records matching an individual’s personal information. These tools are extremely useful for uncovering whether your personal details such as your phone number, address, credit card data or Social Security number have been exposed in a data breach and are now available to anyone ready to buy it. Once in the wrong hands, this data can be exploited.

Even though the dark web occupies just 4-6% of the entire internet, the harm it can do is far-reaching. Most internet users will never come across a dark web site in their lives, yet that doesn’t mean their personal data can’t appear there. Luckily, many dark web monitoring tools are low-priced or even free, equipping you well to fight against your personal data misuse.

What is dark web monitoring software?

Dark web monitoring software is an automated tool or service that scans dark web forums, data dumps, marketplaces, and leak sites for traces of stolen personal data. These solutions are programmed to match the user’s personal details against millions of stolen or compromised data records traded daily on the dark web’s many cybercriminal outposts. Many services are consumer-grade and require no technical expertise. 

How dark web monitoring software works

The dark web is not indexed by regular search engines like Google or Yahoo, so you can’t just ‘google’ yourself there. It’s also not feasible to sift through all the content on the dark web manually. This is where automation comes in. 

In response to the rising tide of data breaches and identity theft cases, digital security providers have come up with a range of tools for dark web monitoring. They help regular internet users detect any instances of their personal data surfacing on the dark web by triggering dark web alerts and recommending remediation actions to take.

What dark web monitoring can and cannot detect

It’s easy to think that dark web monitoring tools can prevent your data from appearing on the dark web, but in fact, they can’t. What this software does is notify you of your data already posted on the dark web as a result of some data breach. While this means you can only react to it in the aftermath, it’s still helpful to take action so that your data can’t be further exploited.

Dark web monitoring services can detect: 

• Compromised credentials, such as stolen login/password combinations
• Leaked personal information such as phone numbers and addresses, Social Security numbers, emails, driver’s licenses and credit card data
• Sale of your identity details in packages known as “fullz”   

Dark web monitoring software can’t detect: 

• Data not yet leaked or on sale, even if your credentials or other details have already been compromised
• Data posted on private dark web spaces—because of technical limitations, some of them can’t be accessed by monitoring tools
• Compromised data records found on the broader deep web or surface web, unless there are extended integrations
• Data posted on unmapped dark web sites
• Data that’s been deliberately obscured by using slang or codewords

Use cases for individuals vs. businesses

While dark web monitoring solutions for individuals and businesses can overlap, they still have distinct use cases. 

Regular internet users benefit from dark web monitoring to protect themselves from:

• Identity theft
• Credential exposure and account takeovers
• Credit card fraud
• Phishing and scams

Dark web monitoring for business is useful for: 

• Monitoring employee credentials to prevent unauthorized access to corporate data
• Protecting the brand and executives from targeted scams or impersonation attempts
• Detecting data breaches where the company’s proprietary data, source code or confidential information might have been exposed
• Gathering intelligence on planned ransomware attacks 
• Monitoring supply chain risks associated with the company’s vendors

Top 10 dark web monitoring tools

Online users today have a choice in how they want to monitor their security. There are, of course, simple dark web scanners offering basic checks in a few clicks. But you’ll also see that the best dark web monitoring tools include comprehensive identity protection and credit monitoring features. 

Here’s a summary of how the best dark web monitoring solutions compare:

Norton 360 with LifeLock

Norton 360 with LifeLock is a family of tools offering all-in-one cybersecurity protection. It also acts as insurance against identity theft with coverage of up to $3 million per adult, including reimbursement for stolen funds, personal expenses and legal help. Every subscription plan includes dark web monitoring, in addition to identity and Social Security number alerts and credit monitoring. 

The product’s strengths include comprehensive services, insurance coverage, U.S.-based restoration help, 24/7 live support, and up to 10 devices included in each plan. Among the weaknesses are pricey higher tiers and the U.S.-centricity of the services.

Aura

Aura is another all-in-one security protection suite for individuals and families. It offers identity, fraud, and child protection for as low as $10–$32 per month (billed annually). For adult-oriented plans, the product features identity theft insurance of $1 million per adult, fraud remediation assistance, account breach monitoring, home and auto title monitoring, financial fraud protection and a host of other essential services. 

Identity Guard

One more affordable all-in-one security product for individuals and families, Identity Guard is an Aura-owned ID theft and dark web monitoring service powered by AI. It offers both basic and premium identity and credit protection. All plans include  $1 million in identity theft insurance, dark web monitoring, safe browsing, and a password manager. It also provides credit, social media and home title monitoring on higher tiers. 

Experian

Experian is a global data broker and consumer credit reporting company that also offers products for credit monitoring and identity protection. They provide personal data protection, real-time alerts about suspicious activities, and identity theft insurance of up to $1 million, in addition to daily scanning of 600,000 dark web pages to detect if a user’s data has been stolen.

McAfee Identity Monitoring

McAfee Identity Monitoring is one of the many features included in McAfee+ plans. The product offers 24/7 dark web monitoring for signs of personal data surfacing in data breaches, in addition to antivirus, VPN, password manager and more. The range of monitored data is perhaps one of the broadest among similar tools. Once data is detected, the service sends real-time alerts and offers guidance on the actions to take. Higher tiers include identity theft insurance coverage and restoration support. 

NordVPN

NordVPN offers the Dark Web Monitor feature included in its VPN subscription plans. With a one-click activation, this dark web monitoring software starts scanning 24/7, sending alerts once any traces of your personal information are found on the dark web. However, it only scans for your email address and associated credentials and passwords. To monitor more personal details, users should subscribe to the highest-tier Prime plan for $7.39/month to scan the dark web for SSN, phone number and email address.

Have I Been Pwned

Have I Been Pwned is a free service created by renowned security expert Troy Hunt in 2013. The service offers simple and quick checks to determine whether emails and passwords have been exposed in known data breaches. You can also subscribe to get alerts in case your email or password surfaces in a future breach. As one of the richest repositories of data breaches, it’s also used by other products via API.

Mozilla Monitor

Mozilla Monitor is a free data breach scanning service powered by Have I Been Pwned data. It only scans for email address exposure in known data breaches and doesn’t scan the dark web beyond published breach lists. You can use it as a standalone dark web monitoring tool or as a feature integrated into the Mozilla Firefox browser. You can also sign up for future email exposure alerts for free.

Avast BreachGuard

Avast BreachGuard is a data leak monitoring service by Avast that also helps you remove your personal information from data brokers. The dark web monitoring part of the tool identifies whether your personal data has been leaked in any data breach and provides security guidance. The service also provides support with identity theft issue resolution from the company’s Identity Assist team.

Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert is a personal data leak alert service included in Surfshark One plans for all-in-one security protection. The Alert feature helps you keep track of your personal information and get instantly notified if it’s exposed in a data leak or could be compromised in a malware attack on your device. In addition, you get a VPN, alternative ID, antivirus and more advanced digital security features.

How to choose the right dark web monitoring solution

Not all dark web monitoring services are equally fit for purpose. As there are literally dozens of them available, pay attention to the following essential criteria to make the choice easier.

Types of data you want to monitor

First, check for the data the dark web monitoring solutions support. Some of them are pretty basic, with only emails and passwords included in scans. The more data types are monitored, the more comprehensive the solution, with many offering VPN, antivirus, credit monitoring and other options on top.

Ease of setup and quality of alerts

Some dark web monitoring services are as simple as entering your email address in a box. Others require account setup and subscribing to yearly plans that include other features you might not need. Consider these factors in addition to the usability of the product, quality of alerts and availability of any remediation or restoration support in case your data does get exposed.

Integration with other security tools

If you’re looking for more than basic data leak checks, it helps to choose an all-in-one solution that also integrates with a VPN, password manager and antivirus to start with. This will help you keep your personal data and online security under control without juggling multiple tools and subscriptions.

Limitations of dark web monitoring software

It’s important to understand that dark web monitoring software, no matter how good and thorough, can’t protect you from a data breach. It can only inform you in the aftermath of your personal data exposure on the dark web. 

Some tools can only scan a limited range of dark web sources, leaving data posted in private spaces and encrypted messengers undetected. They don’t send alerts related to stolen data that hasn’t yet been published on the dark web either. 

For these reasons, relying on dark web scanners alone is not enough. You should embrace security-first browsing and personal data protection best practices, such as avoiding oversharing online or removing your personal data from the internet altogether.

Beyond the dark web: how Onerep can help protect your data everywhere

Onerep complements identity protection and dark web monitoring services as an essential step in reducing your digital footprint. 

Dark web scanners alert you to your data exposure after it happens. Onerep proactively removes your personal information from people-search sites and data brokers, so that it can no longer be exploited. It means that, once removed, your personal details can’t be used maliciously or for financial gain. This protects you from identity theft and helps you take control of your privacy.

Try out Onerep today.

FAQ

Do I need dark web monitoring software for personal use?

Using dark web monitoring software is a simple and effective practice to stay in the know about your personal data security. Any internet user’s data can be exposed in a breach and then put up for sale on the dark web, so it’s advised to use a data leak scanner or a similar solution to take timely action. 

Can these tools actually prevent identity theft?

No, dark web monitoring tools can’t prevent identity theft on their own, but they are still helpful. Once you know about your data breach, you can address compromised data to avoid identity fraud.

What is the best free dark web monitoring tool?

Have I Been Pwned is perhaps one of the best-known free tools, but other top players such as Norton 360 and Experian offer free trials.

How is dark web monitoring different from antivirus software?

Dark web monitoring solutions only scan the dark web for traces of personal data records. Antivirus software can detect and protect against malware, monitor your device’s security status and remove cyber threats, but it doesn’t scan the dark web unless the service provider includes this feature.