The federal government has provided cybersecurity advice to provincial and ministry administrations to stop data leaks via the dark web, according to information that surfaced on Friday.
The dark web, or darknet, is a part of the internet that lies beyond the reach of search engines. Users are largely anonymous and untraceable and mainly pay with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.
The warning, headed “Leakage of Sensitive Data on Dark Web (Advisory No 53),” stated that the dark web, which accounts for 96% of all data available on the internet and offers anonymity, serves as a “portal to the world of crime.”
The advisory, titled ’Leakage of Sensitive Data on Dark Web (Advisory No 53), noted that the anonymity offered by the dark web makes it a “gateway to the world of crime” and constitutes 96 per cent of total data available on the internet.
“Dark/deep web is being used by nefarious mindsets, including criminals, terrorists, Hostile Intelligence Agencies (HIAs) and non-state actors,” it stated.
The advisory lists some of the crimes carried out on the dark web, including: Hacking, blackmailing, website defamation, data dumps, accessing personal information of citizens and key appointments via leaked databases, financial scams via leaked banking details, honey pots to trap civilians and government officials, terror financing and money laundering, disseminating propaganda, recruiting terrorists, cross-border collaboration and terrorist support, drug, human and weapons trafficking, and bounty hunting and ransom attacks.
“Users are advised to put in efforts to protect personal and official data from being exposed to cybercriminals and further leakage on hacking forums/dark web,” the advisory stated.
