IT Security: Deep Web Challenges, Solutions, and Future Trends Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of IT security challenges associated with the deep web. It begins with an introduction to the deep web, differentiating it from the surface web and highlighting its significance. The report delves into the security challenges posed by the deep web, in...Read More

IT SECURITY

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Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................2
Background...........................................................................................................................................2
Security challenges posed by Deep web............................................................................................3
Potential solutions.................................................................................................................................4
Future trends..........................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................7

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INTRODUCTION
In the modern day, internet has expanded its reach into the lives of the people. But the web
that is accessed by anyone is only a very small part of the internet and it is known as surface
web. The major part is covered by deep web, hidden web or invisible web content of which is
not indexed by standard web search engines (Li, Dong, Lyons, Meng & Srivastava, 2012).
The content of this web is hidden behind HTTP forms and involves many common uses like
online banking, web mail and services that users must pay for and the thing that is protected
by a paywall. For example video on demand, some online newspaper and magazines and
many more are the part of deep web. According to estimation, the size of the deep web is 500
times greater than surface web as well as 90% of the overall internet. Due to increasing
activities of hackers, this deep web is under many security threats and hence it is utilised for
making an attacks. This report revolves around the security challenges posed around the deep
web as well as the potential solutions available in this case. It also gives the future trends
related with the deep web.
Background
Research suggests that it is literally impossible to find the number of pages that are active on
the deep web at once. This is the web that acts as a playground for law enforcement officers,
hackers and other mischievous elements on internet. New technologies like anonymization
browser software and encryption have empowered other users to see deep if they are
interested (Balakrishnan & Kambhampati, 2011). The contents of deep web are under the
surface but are still accessible to appropriate software. Most common example of it is online
banking.
Many hackers have become active stealing the data that is present on the surface web and it is
done with the use of deep web. This has become easier with the use of tools like Tor. It is
basically a service developed by United States Naval Research Laboratory (Tripwire, 2017).
It is basically a web browser like Google but just to access the contents that is running on the
dark web. The activities that are challenging the cyber security has increased because the
numbers of users who want to surpass the local restriction have increased in order to have
access of the movies or some other thing that is not available in the local area. This is
generally used by the hacker for making fake passport, taking access of any system and many
more things.

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The hacker with the use of deep web can grab details of the individuals and can use it for
blackmailing internet users (Bradbury, 2014). For example the hacking incident of Ashley
Madison was significant in which huge amount of data of the accounts including their
personal information was stolen. With the increasing connectivity of the business houses and
its associated stakeholders with the internet, there is always a chance that deep web will play
a greater part in the lives of the people.
Security challenges posed by Deep web
Due to very lesser amount of knowledge regarding the deep web to most of the people, it has
become a place through which attacks are getting possible. This is a bigger threat for the
financial institutions like banking and insurance or other places where transaction are taking
place through the use of deep web (Weimann, 2016). Excessive use of Deep webs has posed
threats to the internet governance.
Its impact is becoming more difficult as most of the threats are unseen. The firewalls that are
used for the surface web cannot protect from the attacks that are made through dark web.
Some of the most common type of cyber-security threats are:
 Ransomware: It is seen that people usually hacks the sites of the business and
demands for the ransomware for relieving it. Some of the most common form of
attacks are seen on the sites where the hacker takes control of the system and demand
some kind of ransome for relieving it. Deep web facilitates it because there is less
control available on the internet world present there. Deep web is highly used for the
purpose of ransomeware kind of attack (Weimann, 2016). It is to be understood that
since most of the part of the internet is deep web hence the chances of getting hacked
through this medium has also increased.
 Privacy: Due to excessive use of deep web, most of the time it is seen that privacy of
the people using internet are at stake. This is due to the fact that people usually do not
know about the deep web and hence they use it for their own benefit (Lacey &
Salmon, 2015). It can also be understood through the example of online banking
where the transfer is done on the deep web. Here people share their private
information and in case of phishing people usually loses lot of their crucial data.
 Security: Deep web is affecting the security of the data that are stored at the back end
of the company. This may contain some of the most crucial data. Getting access to
any such data may result in huge loses. This can be understood by the fact that deep

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web is a huge world and it is not under the control of common users hence there are
many weaknesses present in it. These weaknesses are utilised by the hackers for
making attacks on the assets present with the users (Maddox, Barratt, Allen & Lenton,
2016).
 Expanding internet: One of the biggest security challenges is the fact that the internet
is expanding at very fast speed (Ahmed, 2017). Almost all the organisations,
businesses, people are getting most of their things done with the use of internet. Such
an expanding network always enhances the problems due to deep web. With the
emergence and expansion of concepts like IOT, the danger that is posed by the deep
web is also increasing (Chen, 2011). This can be understood by the fact that since
more number of nodes gets attached to the deep web hence the chances of getting
attacked also increased. This is a serious problem for the internet world which is not
enough prepared for any such attacks.
 Challenges for new users of dark web: Many a time it is seen that new users of deep
web are getting affected by the contents that is present on the deep web. This is due to
the fact that experienced hackers in this part of the internet are searching for the new
people and attacks on their systems. This is due to the fact that they have less
knowledge about the way to use deep web. It must use a secure alias while registering
a service on the underground networks (Greenberg, 2014). It means creating an
entirely new and random names which isn’t connected with real identities, emails or
names.
 Illicit contents: These deep webs are generally used by the people who have wrong
intensions. This can be understood by the fact that most of the drug dealers, porn
makers utilises it to spread it over the internet (Harrison, Roberts & Hernandez‐
Castro, 2016).
Potential solutions
With increasing attacks through the use of internet, it has become essential for the internet
operators to find potential solution to these challenges. There are many solutions for
safeguarding against the threats that is posed by the hackers and other mischievous element
present on the internet. It depends on the requirement or need of the firms to ensure high
quality security to their systems. Some of the common potential solutions are as follows:

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 Alias names: In order to maintain privacy at the deep web, the people who are new to
this internet has to make sure that they do not reveal their identity (Dilipraj, 2014).
This can be done by the use of entirely new names or say the alias names which is not
connected with real names, real identities or email accounts. This is due to the reason
that when anybody uses real names on the deep web, it becomes easier for the hackers
to track them down.
 Carefully weighing the option: While making any payments through these deep webs,
the users must carefully weigh the options of taking use of payment cards for doing
transactions (Marin, Diab & Shakarian, 2016). Taking use of the Bitcoins is one of the
best ways to make payments. No private data must be shared on any of these sites
which actually checking the authentication present at these places.
 Check before downloading: It is most common and best way of protecting system
from any kind of attack. Before making a download always check the content before
downloading. It is always recommended not to download binary files from the
sources that look to be untrusted. It is because they may have some new strains of
malware (Upadhyaya & Jain, 2016). In the past there were many examples where
infected malwares have destroyed so many computers.
 Have knowledge: Before taking the use of deep web it is always recommended to
have knowledge about the way it works. Only Experienced computer users must
browse the dark web so that they may not face any challenges. People that are using
the deep web must be aware of the dangers like viruses that are using Javascript as
extension which is lurking in the web.
 Safe browsers: People generally take use of the Tor browser for accessing to the
content on the deep web (Shakarian, Gunn & Shakarian, 2016). The Tor browser itself
is not entirely secure and over the years there are many loop holes and vulnerabilities
that have been found on Tor Browser. This has increased the security threats of both
users of Tor and its nodes. This is due to the fact that Tor does not give absolute
security or anonymity to the users and they must not rely heavily on the Tor browsers
for safeguarding them. A better encrypted browser must be used for accessing the
content so that there anonymity does not get revealed.
 Policy making: The internet administrators must make policies regarding the use of
deep web. It must be considered that it is not entirely impossible to police the dark
web. Making policies and implementing it can be possible (Kasperkey, 2018).

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Future trends
There is a continuous increase in the number of devices that are connected to the internet.
This also increases the number of nodes that are connected with dark web (Paganini, 2012).
This has empowered the hackers to access more number of devices connected to internet. It is
expected that there will be more number of users that will be associated with the deep web.
This increases the need of having higher security for the contents that are present on the deep
web as well as the new protections are required for the common people (Business reporters,
2015).
It will become safer and secure in future as it is likely for technological developments
associated with the dark web to improve the stealthiness of darknet (Chertoff & Simon,
2015). The extreme libertarians are trying to identify the new methods to become more
anonymous as well as avoid detection by law enforcement institutions. Along with this the
use of bitcoins or blockchain technologies will be supported. The deep web will be used for
implementing full blown market places without failing at even a single point. It will be a
guarantee to trusted and safe transactions. The e-commerce market will be strengthened
because the high level of anonymity which will be able to guarantee reputation and trust
among buyers and sellers without the interventions of external authorities (Bonderud, 2015).
Apart from this it is also estimated that people would also use such a large part of internet for
expanding their illegal businesses. With the increase in the number of nodes that will be
connected to the IOT infrastructure, there is always a chance that more potential attacks will
be done on the internet mediums. There is a chance of having greater security challenge faced
by the firms that are connected with internet.
CONCLUSION
From the above based report it can be concluded that deep is the larger part of the web around
500 times bigger than that of surface web. With such a large number of devices connected on
the deep web, the security challenges are also increasing. With the increasing hackers
activities on deep web, large numbers of organisations or people are at the potential risk to
get hacked. Some of the most common type of cyber-security challenges posed by deep web
on internet is ransomware, privacy threats, security issues, data leaks, managing increasing
infrastructure, new consumers. There is a need to apply some of the potential solution to the
problem like use of encrypted data, taking use of alias names, checking before downloading
as well as checking authentication before downloading anything. Apart from this using safe

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browsers or policy making can be a reliable option. The future of the deep web is strong and
large number of devices is expected to get connected with deep web.
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