Dark Web: Meaning and Definition

The dark web is the portion of the internet that is intentionally hidden and accessible only through specialized software such as Tor. It hosts both legitimate privacy-preserving services and illegal marketplaces where stolen credentials, customer PII, leaked corporate documents, and malware are bought and sold. Dark-web monitoring continuously scans these sources, paste sites, and breach indexes for data tied to your domains, employees, and customers — surfacing leaks early so credentials can be rotated and customers notified before attackers can fully monetize the breach.