Search engines such as Intelligence X specialise in enabling researchers and defenders to look up crucial bits of information, such as a cryptocurrency wallet address, IPs, domains, or email addresses, found in public data leaks and the darknet.
In a consumer context, dark web monitoring has recently gained prominence in the form of fraud and identity theft monitoring plans offered by leading credit reporting bureaus like TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
Users initially create a profile with a credit bureau after verifying their identity by answering questions online, solutions to which are already known to the bureau, given the historical lending data they hold about consumers. After successful enrolment in a paid subscription, users can opt to record their sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, driving license information, passport and travel document data, and taxpayer identification numbers like National Insurance Number (NINo), Social Security Number (SSN), and Social Insurance Number (SINs) on the bureau’s website. This information, stored securely, is periodically checked against leaked data emerging on the dark web, such as breached company databases surfacing in the wild.
