Cybersecurity jobs are getting more challenging by the day as hackers continue to find illicit ways to access our most sensitive data. The dark web has become synonymous with a variety of illegal activities ranging from drug dealing to hacking. But most recently it’s being associated with another alarming trend – a place where billions of stolen passwords and usernames are being sold. As passwords circulate on dark web, cybersecurity is more important than ever.

What’s Out There?
Billions of stolen passwords and usernames are up for sale on the dark web. Average prices range from $15.43 for login credentials related to non-financial services, up to $70.91 for those that are related to banking accounts. Here is a list of common account passwords that can be found for sale on the dark web:  

• Antivirus
• Cable
• Social media
• VPN
• Streaming
• Adult
• Music
• Education
• File sharing
• Video games

Cybercriminals are Ever Present
Cybercriminals continue to find ways to overcome even the most innovative security obstacles including fingerprint data by utilizing info-stealing malware. In some cases, it costs cybercriminals less than $10 to rent the fingerprint data of consumers and gain access to their accounts. Then, there are also a number of tools and services being offered on the dark for cracking passwords. Credential stuffing is a popular hacking method that uses millions of combinations of passwords and usernames in an effort to discover valid logins for certain websites. Phishing attacks continue to evolve too. Now, hackers are hiding malicious links in .ics calendar invitations and notifications. Here are some tips to avoid these cyber-attacks. https://blog.iinfosec.com/network-security-news/2020-07-06

Mitigate Your Risk

Consumers can mitigate the risk of cybercrime by ensuring that it costs hackers more than it is worth to access their accounts. Creating strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication is typically the first line of defense. But, since most people can have over 70 passwords, the biggest challenge often becomes remembering them all. Cybersecurity experts continue encouraging consumers to use password managers because it not only helps by  protecting them, it also helps identify those that are weak and overused. Here are some of the most reputable password management providers on the market:

• 1Password
• Bitwarden
• Dashlane

Since many password managers generate random passwords, it decreases the likelihood of accounts being breached. Instead of basing passwords on personal information, which many people do, experts recommend using a series of words containing both lowercase and capital letters, numbers and special characters to add more layers of obscurity. Some cybersecurity careers are expected to grow by 32% over the next several years as the industry looks for new ways to protect consumers and organizations from hackers lurking on the dark web. If you don’t have one already and are worried about protecting your accounts, then a password manager can be a good investment. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/over-15-billion-credentials-in-circulation-on-hacker-forums/

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