Stories related to the darknet have been hashed and rehashed an infinite amount of times. Criminals use these marketplaces to buy and sell items and information. But one thing very rarely mentioned is how the deep web affects industrial espionage. Norwegian trade secrets are a valuable commodity on the deep web these days, to great dismay of Norwegian companies.
Scouring The Deep Web For Norwegian Trade Secrets
Ludwig Sandell, Dignato AS general manager, expressed his concern over how the darknet is a place where sensitive industrial trade secrets can be exchanged without repercussions. To be more precise, he feels there are multiple local companies affected by espionage, which could significantly hurt their business if these details fall into the wrong hands.
It has to be said, given the increasing number of data breaches, finding trade secrets on the deep web is anything but a surprise. Valuable information is often handled by third party service providers, who may not take security as seriously as they should. Moreover, the lawlessness of deep web marketplaces is only attributing to the problems.
For example, industrial trade secrets of a Norwegian wind power project run by Statoil are up for grabs on the darknet as we speak. The data itself was found on a memory stick – which was either lost or stolen – and includes vital measurement information. For the company itself, having that information leak to the public could spell the end of their business rather quickly.
Although the concept of industrial espionage is anything but new, it has become far easier to obtain company information. Hackers and online criminals can use this attack vector as yet another way to cause harm to enterprises all over the world. Adding fuel to the fire is how company employees are usually to blame for leaking this data, as they are either careless or corrupt.
But the enterprises are partially to blame for these problems as well. Since less than 10% of all cyber security incidents are reported to the police in Norway, a lot of information is freely circulating on the darknet these days. Albeit trade secrets may not be the go-to product for criminals on the darknet, it can turn into a lucrative business rather quickly.
Norway is not a country where dark web busts often make headline news. Although arrests are conducted now and then, very few people are aware of what takes place behind the scenes at law enforcement agencies. But now that people are publicly voicing concern over leaked trade secrets, it is not unlikely to think local agencies will step up their efforts to crack down on darknet activity.
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