Dark Web Exposes Computer Server Data Transfer to Hackers

Cyber criminals now have access to the most-secured data files used to facilitate confidential communication between organisations’ servers and clients’ computers on the Dark Web, say researchers.

According to the team from Georgia State University and the University of Surrey, a thriving marketplace for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates exists on a hidden part of the Internet.

SSL and TLS are security technology (https protocol) that protects the transfer of data and information between computers and servers.

Networked machines use keys and SSL/TLS certificates to identify and authenticate themselves when connecting to each other, much like humans employ user names and passwords to go online.

According to the researchers, when these certificates are sold on the darknet, they are packaged with a wide range of crimeware that delivers machine identities to cybercriminals who use them to spoof websites, eavesdrop on encrypted traffic, perform attacks and steal sensitive data, among other activities.