What to do if you find your information on the dark web

Contrary to popular belief, much of the dark web isn’t the den of digital iniquity that some commentators claim. In fact, there are plenty of legitimate sites and forums there offering privacy-enhanced content and services to help individuals avoid censorship and oppression. However, the truth is, it’s also a magnet for cybercriminals, who can visit its forums, marketplaces and other sites without fear of being tracked and unmasked.

Many of these exist to facilitate the trade in stolen personal and financial information. Often, personal data is bought and sold alongside other items like narcotics, hacking tools and exploits. So what should you do if you find out your data is up for sale on one of these sites?

How did my data get there?

There are various ways personally identifiable information (PII), credentials and financial data can end up in the hands of cybercriminals:

• Data breaches involve ...