Dark Web Monitor
Turn on Dark Web Monitor to enjoy 24/7 protection
Get instant alerts about leaked credentials
Protect your accounts before the criminals act
What is dark web monitoring?
Dark web monitoring is the practice of continuously scanning dark web sites (such as hacker forums or marketplaces) for signs of leaked credentials. Dark web monitoring plays an important role in cybersecurity, giving users advance notice of danger so that they can secure vulnerable accounts. NordVPN offers dark web monitoring functionality by way of its aptly-named Dark Web Monitor feature.
Dark Web Monitor features
NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor is designed to keep you safe without interfering with your digital life.
How does Dark Web Monitor work?
Dark Web Monitor frequently scans thousands of dark web pages that are known for trading in stolen credentials, looking for any signs of information associated with your NordVPN-registered email address. When Dark Web Monitor spies your information out in the wild, the NordVPN app will immediately notify you of the danger you’re in.
Dark Web Monitor alerts let you take early action to secure vulnerable accounts — or, if the information had already been sold, identify which accounts may have been infiltrated by unscrupulous hackers.
How to turn on Dark Web Monitor
Open the NordVPN app
Launch the NordVPN app on your device and log in with your credentials.
Click the bullseye
Click on the little bullseye icon on the left side of your screen.
Enable Dark Web Monitor
Click “Turn on” — that’s it!
You got a dark web alert — what next?
The steps you need to take are similar to what you need to do in case of identity theft. Start by changing the password of the affected account or turning on multi-factor authentication (MFA). You may also need to contact others about the situation — for example, you can ask your bank to block a compromised credit card before any purchases are made.
Keep in mind that once it is out there, getting your information off the dark web is almost impossible. The hacker underground submits to no jurisdiction and guards its anonymity, so they are unlikely to comply with your requests or legal threats. The best way to “remove” information from the dark web is to make it outdated (for example, changing the leaked account’s password).
What is the dark web?
The dark web is a secret, heavily encrypted part of the internet that attracts those who prize anonymity above all else, including criminals and hackers. Dark web pages are cut off from search engines like Google and Bing, meaning that most people aren’t even aware of their existence.
The surface web
The part of the internet that is open to everyone and indexed by search engines. Many people believe that the surface web is the internet, when in reality it barely covers 10% of all existing web content.
The deep web
Legitimate but walled-off parts of the internet that are not indexed by search engines, such as email accounts and online banking pages. The deep web is several hundred times the size of the surface web.
The dark web
Encrypted anonymous websites within the deep web that can only be accessed using special tools, such as Tor (The Onion Router). The dark web has marketplaces for drugs, illicit services, and personal information.
Why is dark web monitoring important?
Dark web monitoring is important because there’s a good chance that at least some of your personal details are already on hacker websites. As our dark web case study shows, underground marketplaces are full of listings with people’s private data. This includes information from social media, online banking, shopping sites, government institutions, healthcare clinics, and even internet forums.
Even snippets of sensitive data from large-scale breaches are valuable to criminals. Still, hackers often go a step further and compile all the personal information they can find into sets (known as “fullz”). These sets are especially dangerous since they may include names, addresses, bank accounts, phone numbers, social security numbers, and potentially even credit card numbers.
What are the risks of your information ending up on the dark web?
Identity theft — committing crimes under your name.
Phishing scams — using stolen information to gain your trust.
Account lock-out — hackers break in with your password and change it.
Credential stuffing — breaking into other accounts with the same password.
Regulatory fines — for inadequate data protection measures.
Lost brand reputation — data breaches bring unwelcome publicity.
Litigation — from customers and businesses for any breach damage.
Loss of business — due to downtime and post-breach auditing.
Enjoy all-round security in your everyday digital life
Dark web monitoring is just one aspect of everyday cybersecurity. Incorporate additional Nord Security apps into your digital life to work, browse, and play with confidence online.
Password manager
Keep your passwords in a secure vault. Available on all major platforms.
File encryption tool
Keep your data — your digital life — backed up, synced up, and protected.
Get Nord ProductsNordVPN — cybersecurity built for everyday
Powerful malware protection with NordVPN. More than just a VPN.
Frequently asked questions
How much does dark web monitoring cost?
How do you know if your information is on the dark web?
Is dark web monitoring worth it?
With NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor, you will be notified about stolen credentials as soon as they appear on the black market. Just enable it in the NordVPN app and let it quietly protect you while you work, browse, or play online.