Tag: hackers

Users are getting advertisements based on their phone conversations

Today we are living in an era in which there is constant surveillance on us through various sources. Among these, there are satellites and various other electronic equipment that we use daily. Some of those apps collect our data in the background.

The Internet has oven us many things but along with that, there are also some scary consequences. Among those consequences, there is also a breach of our privacy. Especially, smart devices are the main culprits that help in such breaches of trust. We are using them daily. We are also giving consent to various apps to access our microphones as well as our contact list as a whole. This data is then sold to advertising companies, who then show advertisements relevant to us on our devices.

These findings have been proved recently by some recent research. During the research, the users were asked whether they see advertisements based on their conversations or not. In return, several users admitted to getting ads based on their conversations, during phone calls. Several users even admitted to getting emails with the relevant products of their choice. On the other hand, some users did not see any such advertisements. Then some users had no opinion on such matters and some did get such ads some and some very times.

https://unsplash.com/photos/XIVDN9cxOVc

The above problem now needs some strict rules or regulations. This can only happen when the government will pass the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019. Once this will gets passed then people will have control over their privacy. The bill will also ensure that the apps need to specify the data which they are accessing. There also needs to be some clarification about the collection of data and their transactions with third parties.

These changes will make sure that the companies whose apps we are using are alert to the way our data is being used by them. They will also need to be careful with the way they handle our data. Then our data will get some protection om the wrong hands. These changes will also bring about some much-needed changes in the data field. The companies will focus more on the protection of the privacy of data. The data will also need some serious protection from outer elements. It is because various attacks are happening nowadays which are affecting various big organizations. In recent times, AIIMS servers were also hacked and there is a demand for 200 crore rupees in cryptocurrencies from hackers to give back control of servers to the major medical organization.

The recent attacks on the data of such major organizations are also asking for some data-related laws in the country. The changes will pave way for the implementation of some better rules for future generations so that their privacy remains in their own hands. These data-related issues will also safeguard the future of the country. Nowadays, data is the real gold. Data now paves the way for development shortly as technology is getting more dependent on the data being collected from users like us.

What is Dark Web? An Overview

The dark web is a section of the internet that requires special software to access and can be difficult to navigate once you do. Multiple layers of encryption allow people to browse and post information on the dark web with near anonymity, making it a go-to platform for buying and selling illicit goods and services.

What Are the Three Levels of the Internet?

Learning about the three levels of the internet might help you better understand what the dark web is.

Surface Web

The surface web, often known as the clear web, is the part of the internet that anyone can access using a web browser and a search engine. Search engines “crawl” the internet looking for new websites and pages to index. When you search for a website or term, the search engine returns results from its index that it believes are the most relevant to your search. The surface web includes news and informational websites (such as this blog), e-commerce sites, video-hosting platforms, and many other sorts of websites. While you may spend a lot of time on the surface web, it only accounts for roughly 4% of all internet traffic.

Deep Web

The majority of the internet is made up of the deep web, often known as the invisible or hidden web. These pages aren’t found in search engine results, but you probably visit them on a daily basis. The Deep Web includes:

Pages that need to be logged in to: The surface web includes home pages for social media sites, streaming services, email, and banking. You do, however, enter the deep web after you log in to your account.

Unindexed content: A website, page, or piece of content may be excluded from the list that search engines crawl, and hence will not appear in the search results. If you know the URL or are linked to it from another page, you can still visit non-indexed pages.

Secure Storage: Photo, video, research papers, medical information, and other data that is stored online but only accessible with the correct credentials make up a large part of the deep web.

Intranets: Businesses, schools, and governments can have their own private networks that are created specifically for their needs but are also connected to the internet. Employees could use this intranet to communicate, save files, and access informational pages about corporate policies.

For how we utilize the internet, the distinction between the surface and deep web is critical. After all, you don’t want your bank statements to show up in a Google search. However, because the deep web is still connected to the internet, a hacker may compromise a company’s security mechanisms and gain access to your personal data through a data breach.

Dark Web

The dark web is a subset of the deep web that requires special tools, software, or authorization to access. Search engines, like the deep web, do not index data on the dark web. The black web, like the rest of the internet, does not refer to a specific site or page. Instead, it’s a darknet, a form of network. A darknet could be created by setting up a secret and secure network with a group of people.

What Is the Dark Web and How Does It Work?

When most people talk about the dark web, they’re referring to the Tor network, which is one of the largest and most well-known darknets.

Tor, which stands for “The Onion Router,” bounces data through a series of encrypted layers (like an onion) to provide greater anonymity to users. On the Tor network, there are onion sites and services, and page addresses end in. onion.

Download and instal the free Tor browser to gain access to the dark web. (You may use it to search the surface and deep webs as well.) It’s totally legal, and the Tor Project, which created the browser, receives a lot of funding from the US government.

However, having a browser is only the first step. The dark web, unlike the surface online, lacks good search engines. You might have to look up the address of an onion site on your own, and the names aren’t easy to remember. The onion address for the CIA, for example, is ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxyjstad.onion, while for the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica, it’s propub3r6espa33w.onion.

These are two examples of legal businesses with dark web presences. The dark web, on the other hand, is primarily recognized for the unlawful activities that occurs there.

Why Are Criminals So Attracted to the Dark Web?

The Tor network helps you disguise your identity and allows you to construct and host onion services anonymously. As a result, criminals frequently buy and sell illicit goods and services on the dark web. Limited-time specials, user reviews, and adverts for organic items can all be found on darknet marketplaces, which are surprisingly similar to sites found on the surface web. Criminals, on the other hand, use these marketplaces to sell illegal goods and services such as drugs, firearms, and hacking software. On the dark web, many identity thieves and hacker groups make money by selling the information they stole. Depending on what’s being sold, the value of the information can vary dramatically. Full profiles, also known as fullz, might include a name, Social Security number, date of birth, and account numbers, and can cost anything from $8 to $30 per profile.

Medical records in their whole are extremely desirable to identity thieves, and can fetch up to $1,000. Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are the preferred payment method because they allow buyers and sellers to remain anonymous.