Top 15 Dark Web and Threat Monitoring Tools for Brand Protection

If your brand has a strong online presence, protecting it from online threats is an enormously integral task. The bad news is that the Internet and the Dark Web are replete with illicit activities and dangers for any organization. That said, understanding and monitoring this concealed face of the Internet is critically paramount to shielding your reputation and assets.

To handle this challenge, external threat monitoring tools are available with their diverse features. They can constantly scan the Dark Web, underground forums, and social media platforms to discover threats/risks.

In our guide today, we aim to talk about the top 15 Dark Web and threat monitoring tools. These tools are engineered to reinforce your brand’s defense capabilities and deliver actionable intelligence to handle your threats with high accuracy.

What is the Dark Web?

The Dark Web—also known as the foggy underworld of the Internet—is a hidden network of websites that aren’t indexed by regular search engines such as Google and Bing. You need special software, configurations, or authorization to access the Dark Web, which makes it rather inaccessible for the average user.

Within the darkened boundaries of the Dark Web, anonymity is critical. It’s enabled by encryption tools and advanced browsers like Tor. The Dark Web is like a platform where countless unlawful activities are possible, including

• The sale of stolen data
• Illegal drugs
• Counterfeit goods
• Various forms of cybercrime

It’s somewhat analogous to a digital marketplace where anonymity is of the utmost importance. Transactions in this marketplace are finalized by means of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to evade traditional financial oversight.

What’s more, the Dark Web gives birth to secret forums and marketplaces where threat actors, cybercriminals, and hackers gather to swap tools, techniques, and compromised data. It’s a utopia for hackers as they can present their services, including DDoS attacks, breaching corporate networks, and many more.

Being capable of comprehending the Dark Web is a critical step to protecting your brand because it’s where the majority of stolen intellectual property, revealed credentials, and phony goods are exchanged. That said, monitoring this hidden world allows you to constantly detect threats, handle risks, and defend your reputation and assets.

What is External Threat Monitoring?

External threat monitoring is a technique to shield a brand’s digital presence and reputation through constantly monitoring external sources such as the Dark Web, underground forums, social media platforms, and hacker communities. It’s different from the internal security measures that concentrate on empowering network defenses.

External threat monitoring vigilantly watches out for potential threats that are initiated from outside the organization. It employs special tools and technologies to dig through the Internet for any mentions, discussions, or activities related to the brand, its products, or its executives.

These tools take advantage of state-of-the-art algorithms and machine learning to scan a huge amount of data. This enables them to detect signs of compromise, potential data breaches, or brand impersonation attempts before they even occur.

External threat monitoring functions analogous to an early warning system as it allows brands to catch sight of appearing threats before they exacerbate. For instance, it can alarm organizations for the existence of leaked credentials, disallowed access to proprietary information, or even discussions among threat actors who tend to plan cyber-attacks.

Brands can employ this strategy to anticipate cybercriminals’ attacks and thwart likely risks to their reputation, customer trust, and bottom line. Plus, external threat monitoring can deliver priceless intelligence that can inform security strategies and help organizations adapt to arising cyber threats before they even show up.

Top 15 Dark Web and Threat Monitoring Tools

Now that you’re familiar with all the basics of the Dark Web and external threat monitoring, it’s time to learn about which platforms are known as the best threat external monitoring tools on the market.

1. Rapid7 Threat Command

Rapid7 Threat Command is a wonderful tool for external threat monitoring as it delivers mighty protection for your organization. The tool comes with a collection of surveillance capabilities such as clear, deep, and Dark Web monitoring to help you see potential threats vividly.

Contextualized alerts and rapid response mechanisms of Threat Command empower you to handle all risks in a flash and prevent any damaging impact on your brand. It merges with diverse technologies to expedite response times and let you convert intelligence into action with no sweat.

What’s more, the tool’s modern investigation features streamline workflows to help your security team manage alerts precisely. You’ll enjoy quick onboarding, personalized dashboards, constant access to expert analysts, and many other features so you can handle threats immediately.

2. Experian

Experian is equipped with thorough identity protection, easy accessibility, and powerful features. It features monthly privacy scans to remove your personal information from people finder sites, not to mention its identity theft monitoring and Dark Web surveillance.

The tool presents powerful fraud resolution services and has invested up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. Its CreditLock feature lets you lock and unlock your credit file in a breeze and prevent unauthorized access. Experian also offers other notable features such as:

• 360-Degree Monitoring and Alerts
• Three-Bureau Credit Monitoring
• SSN Monitoring
• Change of Address Alerts
• Financial Account Activity Alerts

In addition to these features, Experian delivers notifications for changes in court records, sex offender alerts, and alerts for attempts to apply for loans in your name. It also enables you to take control of your identity protection with its user-friendly interface and real-time alerts.

3. Mandiant

Mandiant is an extensive digital threat monitoring tool that helps you see through the open, deep, and Dark Web to predict/detect threats. It comes with state-of-the-art threat intelligence to scan underground marketplaces, paste sites, social media, and more before it reveals approaching attacks and unspecified data leaks.

The tool’s machine-learning technology extracts actionable information to diminish false positives and wasted time. Its personalized monitoring lets you concentrate on certain concerns such as brand protection or VIP security. Also, its templated monitors simplify setup and lessen false alerts.

Besides, Mandiant’s Managed Digital Threat Monitoring option provides you with advanced triage and analysis to predict cyber threats. It’s blended with the tool’s digital risk protection solution to help you detect risky attack vectors and also empowers you to thoroughly shield your digital assets and brand reputation.

4. Recorded Future

Recorded Future proposes an AI-based Intelligence Cloud that helps brands detect and handle threats immediately. It addresses the cybersecurity talent gap by automating the collection of huge volumes of data and analysis in real-time.

The tool’s extensive intelligence handles the risks of the Dark Web, open web, and customer telemetry. Its Intelligence Graph sums and analyzes threat data from adversaries, infrastructure, and targeted organizations in real-time.

Recorded Future supports over 100 integrations and APIs to allow security teams to merge intelligence with their tools. Its Collective Insights employs global threat data to sweeten response capacities. Plus, its visualizations and playbooks deliver worthwhile senses for defense strategies.

5. CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike is a complete tool for cyber threat intelligence and defense. It empowers brands to shield themselves against breaches. The tool comes with harmonious intelligence and a hunting team to disrupt adversaries and reinforce security defenses, which leads to the enhancement of the risk posture by up to 80%.

High-tech threat intelligence and flourished AI enable CrowdStrike’s Falcon Adversary OverWatch to deliver 24/7 threat hunting. It stops the majority of modern attacks in real-time. Falcon’s modules enable access to modern intelligence and deliver extensive profiles of adversaries to expedite the response to incidents.

What’s more, CrowdStrike monitors the Dark Web and criminal forums to notice and block threats, thereby reinforcing the defenses across the whole security stack. Businesses can use the tool to elevate their security with detailed intelligence reports and pre-built hunting and detection libraries.

6. Flashpoint Ignite

Flashpoint Ignite is a decisive platform for cyber threat intelligence and risk mitigation. It delivers intelligence reports immediately as it scans landscapes such as:

• Deep and Dark Web
• OSINT/Surface Web
• Vulnerabilities
• Breach Sata
• Geospatial Intelligence

Ignite binds multiple teams and streamlines workflows to remedy risks more instantaneously. It addresses diverse threats strongly thanks to its distinctive intelligence modules such as:

• Cyber Threat Intelligence
• Physical Security Intelligence
• Vulnerability Management (VulnDB)
• National Security Intelligence

The platform enables organizations to anticipate potential targeted threats like cybercrime and emerging malware. It also helps users make thoughtful decisions more snappily with real-time access to open-source information, and handle vulnerabilities with the utmost precision.

7. Keeper BreachWatch

Keeper BreachWatch is an indispensable tool for businesses to monitor the Dark Web and make sure they’re secure against cyber threats. It steadily scans employees’ Keeper Vaults to find compromised passwords on the Dark Web and alert them instantaneously.

The platform benefits from a zero-knowledge security architecture to mightily shield your stored information. It supplies business-level risk assessments and merges them with the Advanced Reporting and Alerts system to notify you of high-risk passwords.

BreachWatch identifies breaches fast and fortifies your organization’s cybersecurity posture to guard your business and employees from bad actors on the Dark Web. It also offers limitless scans on infinite employee devices to help you learn about the vulnerabilities of your employees’ credentials.

8. ReliaQuest GreyMatter

ReliaQuest GreyMatter presents Digital Risk Protection (DRP) based on your specific risk profile to constantly monitor open, deep, and Dark Web sources and notice threats. It comes with a broad collection of data sources—including code repositories and social media—to offer actionable suggestions for your organization’s risk profile.

The platform uses an alert workflow to present 360-degree visibility to detect, investigate, and respond to threats in a flash. Its DRP system offers comprehensive threat intelligence reports and can flawlessly harmonize with Security Operations workflows.

GreyMatter presents strong threat intelligence and brand protection powers to eliminate the need for manual configuration and raw data review. It indeed is an extensive tool that can manage digital risks and sweeten your brand’s security status.

9. ZeroFox

ZeroFox‘s powerful monitoring tool enables deep visibility into Dark Web communications as it alerts businesses to leakage of data and attack planning. It immediately warns you of information leakage and sends invaluable alerts to help you shield your clients, employees, and brands.

The tool employs distinctive strategies—including scraping and AI analysis—to collect intelligence from deep and Dark Web sources such as Tor and Paste Sites. Its set of extensive alerts includes detailed information about compromised data and clandestine communication threads.

ZeroFox also furnishes recommendations with alerts, thereby enabling organizations to take instantaneous action with a simple click. It presents 24/7 monitoring and proficient recommendations to let you remain vigilant before any potential cyber threat/risk.

10. Fortra’s PhishLabs

Fortra’s PhishLabs presents a collection of threat intelligence and vital threat mitigation within its digital channels. Its Digital Risk Protection (DRP) shields your critical assets from myriad online threats like brand abuse, account takeover, social media scams, and data leakage.

The platform can comprehensively analyze a broad amount of data from surface web, deep web, and Dark Web sources. Its cutting-edge automated analysis system diminishes noise to identify threats accurately. The rapid and complete takedown capabilities of PhishLabs enable it to protect brands, customers, and employees in a flash.

PhishLabs’s Centers of Excellence can sweeten the process of threat detection and mitigation. The tool specializes in brand protection, account takeover prevention, social media monitoring, threat intelligence, and data leak protection.

11. Brandefence

Brandefense comes with comprehensive protection against digital risks as it scans the deep, surface, and Dark Web to reveal unidentified events/risks. It presents AI-backed technology to present actionable intelligence immediately and enrich your brand security.

Notable features of the platform include:

• 360-Degree Visibility
• AI-Driven Detection
• Threat Hunting
• False Positive Elimination
• Advanced API Integration

Brandefense’s cyber threat intelligence teams help you cost-effectively monitor your integral domains and brands. Its automation simplifies processes to deliver thorough approaches to handling cybersecurity needs.

The platform concentrates deeply on brand protection, exposure management, cyber threat intelligence, and supply chain security to sweeten the security of organizations and minimize likely disruptions in the supply chain.

12. SpyCloud

SpyCloud presents a Cybercrime Analytics Platform that delivers identity-based approaches to shielding digital identities, preventing planned attacks, and accelerating investigations. It protects businesses and consumers from risks and delivers options for investigations and data partnerships.

The tool comes with dynamic insights on compromised credentials, malware-infected devices, and exposed applications to help security teams thwart ransomware, account takeover (ATO), and other targeted attacks.

SpyCloud’s most worthwhile capabilities are its action-driven analytics, deeper access to darknet data, and enterprise extensibility. These features enable steady automation and mighty coverage against cyber threats.

13. SOCRadar

SOCRadar offers Brand Protection Services that reinforce security teams to defend the brand against discrediting, legal issues, and intellectual property theft. It closely monitors the surface and Dark Web, IRC channels, social media, and more to present actionable intelligence. This enables it to reveal the majority of arising threats and vulnerabilities.

The tool can shield your brand against phishing scams, compromised credentials, typo-squatting domains, and credential stuffing. It can also catch data leaks, credit card fraud, and rogue mobile apps.

What’s more, SOCRadar is equipped with automated monitoring and AI-supported intelligence to deter breaches, protect customer trust, and guarantee organizational security. It delivers extensive coverage to secure your business in the constantly progressing cyber realm.

14. Identity Force

Identity Force is armed with thorough identity monitoring and protection to deliver personalized action plans and safety scores as per your breach history. It can infinitely access TransUnion credit reports and monitor the Dark Web 24/7 to guarantee non-stop watchfulness against threats.

The tool’s state-of-the-art fraud monitoring warns you of suspicious credit report activities in real-time. Its other features such as change of address monitoring and court record monitoring can enrich your brand security.

Furthermore, Identity Force can scrutinize the Dark Web, sex offender registries, and social media to notice potential threats. It’s equipped with smart SSN tracking and can notify you of payday loans and child credit activity to deliver powerful protection for you and your family against identity theft and fraud.

15. Identity Guard

Identity Guard offers a complete collection of features to protect your identity, including Social Security Number monitoring, online black market monitoring, and ID verification alerts. Its Account Takeover Alerts and ID Theft Victim Assistance can powerfully defend your brand against identity theft.

For heightened security, Identity Guard presents features such as Lost Wallet Protection and $1 Million ID Theft Insurance. It also comes with ID Vault Password Protection and Address Change Monitoring for maximized privacy.

Some other considerable features of the platform are:

• Daily 3-Bureau Credit Monitoring
• Monthly 3-Bureau Credit Reports and Scores
• Public Record Monitoring
• PC Keyboard Encryption Software
• PC Antivirus Software

Final Words

You undoubtedly need powerful monitoring tools and effective measures to protect your brand against cyber threats. All the 15 Dark Web and threat monitoring tools we discussed today are armed with extensive features to shield your company’s digital assets and also reputation.

These tools strengthen businesses to stay cautious and always one step ahead of cybercriminals thanks to their identity monitoring, Dark Web surveillance, and countless other features. They all employ modern technology and actionable intelligence to help organizations mitigate their risks, thwart their data breaches, and defend their brands against growing threats.

About the Author

Robert Koch – experienced SaaS application designer and business optimization through automation consultant. An avid home brewer and cheesemaker in his spare time.