Dark web monitoring: catch leaked data before criminals use it

Most personal data ends up on the dark web through company data breaches, phishing scams, malware, or an account with reused credentials being hacked. Once hackers have it, they often package and sell it in bulk on dark web marketplaces or forums.

Dark web monitoring can’t catch everything. It can’t prevent a breach from happening or stop someone from misusing your data — it can only alert you once your information appears, so you can act quickly before it’s used to drain an account or impersonate you online.

You likely won’t stumble across it yourself, and you don’t need to. Most people never browse the dark web directly, and doing so isn’t necessary or advisable. The safest way to check is to use a data leak monitoring tool or run a quick scan with Surfshark’s free Data Leak Checker, which tells you whether your email address shows up in a known breach.

Start with the accounts most at risk: change reused passwords immediately and turn on two-factor authentication where you can, or delete the account if it’s not needed anymore. Watch your bank and card statements for unfamiliar activity, and consider a credit freeze if your ID or financial details were exposed. Surfshark’s notifications include next steps tailored to what was found.

Yes, it’s worth it. If you’ve ever reused a password or shopped online with a company that later got breached, your information is probably already exposed somewhere. Monitoring won’t stop a breach from happening, but it gives you an early warning — often the difference between changing a password and disputing fraudulent charges for weeks.