Cerberus: Dark web investigation

There are many ways data ends up on the dark web, often involving illicit activities, including:

1. Data breaches: Cybercriminals exploit security vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to databases and steal sensitive information about organizations, people, and suppliers. 
2. Initial access brokers/hacking services: Some individuals or groups offer hacking services on the dark web, where they may infiltrate systems and steal data for a fee. This data is then made available on dark web marketplaces.
3. Insider threats: Employees with access to sensitive information may intentionally or unintentionally leak data to the dark web. This could be for financial gain, revenge, or other motives.
4. Malware and ransomware attacks: Malicious software, including ransomware, can infect systems, encrypt data, and demand payment for its release. In some cases, even if the ransom is paid, attackers may still sell the data on the dark web.
5. Phishing and fraud: Scammers engage in various online frauds, to obtain valuable information. The data acquired through these schemes may find its way to the dark web for further exploitation.

We gather our data from different sources on the clear, deep, and dark web, including underground forums, marketplaces, and encrypted chats using a combination of automated technology and manual techniques in accordance with US, UK, and European law. As soon as Searchlight Cyber detects exposed credentials – like customer or staff usernames and emails – we’ll automatically cross-reference these details against more than 475 billion recaptured data points.

Commonly found data on the dark web includes compromised usernames, crypto wallets, IP addresses, passwords, email addresses, cookies, financial, medical, and personal information that could be used in a social engineering or phishing attack. Searchlight Cyber gives security teams easy access to billions of recaptured data points from marketplaces, forums, and leak sites across the deep and dark web.

Our dark web investigation platform, Cerberus, is designed to reduce the time it takes for cybercrime investigators, threat intelligence analysts, and law enforcement officers to investigate and manage cases using dark web data. There are no technical skills or dark web knowledge needed to use our tools to securely access the dark web, query data on dark web groups and threat actors, manage investigation cases, or collaborate across departments on the platform to deconflict targets.

Investigating criminals on the dark web poses challenges due to the anonymity and encryption tools in use. Searchlight Cyber’s dark web investigation and monitoring platforms, make it possible for investigators to identify and build cases on criminal dark web activities, safe in the knowledge that their identity is protected and malware can’t jump to their organization’s live network. Our dark web investigation platform has been used in some of the biggest cases involving dark web activity and has had a proven impact in bringing perpetrators to justice.