The Beacon search engine a dark web specific browser

by

You can also be interested in these:

While the internet is a powerful tool for good, in the wrong hands it can also bring ruin to lives, and even large corporations. There are many layers to the traditional internet system, not unlike the zones of our planet’s oceans. Most activity commonly takes place near the surface, these would be your sites like YouTube, Google, and Facebook. These sites generally have strict rules about content and do their best to try and prevent major data leakages, though they are not always successful. On the opposite side, there is a more obscure realm of the internet that many don’t know it exists, called the dark web, for which there are even dedicated browsers to navigate, like the case of the Beacon search engine.



Traveling a little deeper can take you to sites like 4-Chan, a place with less rules about what content gets posted, though the amount of truly illegal activity on 4-Chan is admittedly quite low as well. Once you reach the depths of the internet though, that is where you begin to encounter illegal dealings in both material goods, as well as stolen data. This data can be bought and sold for a variety of nefarious purposes, such as identity theft, misinformation campaigns, and even attempts at social engineering.

Traversing the deep web

The way to access the deep web, and subsequently the dark web is somewhat complicated, though there are various ways to access these shady depths. The most common way to access these deeper reaches of the internet is with a special browser, known as The Onion Router, or TOR system for short. TOR is an open-source application that allows for users to browse the web in total anonymity. This anonymity allows for expanded access to the dark web without having your confidential information, such as your location, taken by malicious parties that stalk the deep reaches of the internet.

The Beacon Search Engine

The Beacon search engine, on the other hand, is not part of any TOR system. Rather it is a search tool that has been designed to allow individuals and corporations to search the dark web for potentially stolen data. The team behind the Beacon search engine, Echosec, trawled through the dark web and indexed the content they found. This allowed the team to create an intuitive query system that sorts through the otherwise unstructured data that makes up most of the dark web. Basically, the Beacon search engine simplifies the complicated layout of the dark web so that any lay person can navigate it without becoming overwhelmed or confused.

Using the Beacon search engine, companies can search for data of theirs that might have been stolen without their knowledge, and then take steps to mitigate the issue. This mitigation can include looking for network vulnerabilities, looking for potential leakers who are profiting from selling private info, as well as informing the people whose information has been stolen so they can change their passwords and safeguard their financial assets. Numerous search criteria can be selected within the Beacon search engine as well, such as credit card information, pin numbers, passwords, and other specific pieces of information that allows users to glean what exactly of theirs has been exposed.

A little light in the darkness

There are also sections of the dark web that do not exclusively deal in illegal data or illicit substances. Some news sites also operate within the bounds of the dark web, with one of the biggest names being the NYTimes. These news sites exist to avoid the censorship laws of more restrictive countries, as well as serving to protect the privacy of readers who want to gain this potentially censored information. While this is technically illegal in some countries, the news being disseminated by NYTimes is not the same as stealing someone’s credit card details or engaging in identity theft.

The Beacon Search Engine

Of course, the Beacon search engine is just a tool, and tools can often end up in the wrong hands to cause even more harm that would have otherwise occurred without them. Luckily, the team at Echosec thought about this possibility and planned. Every customer who wants to use the Beacon search engine needs to submit a use-case form, and this allows the Echosec team to screen those who would potentially use the platform to cause harm. Without approval, use of the Beacon search engine is not possible. The engine itself also has safeguards in place should a user try to deviate from their approved use-case. These safeguards mainly pertain to certain search terms not being allowed, and some of the information vendors that the Beacon search engine works with have their own protections as well.

The intended customer for the Beacon search engine is corporate interests, those looking to see if their network has been pilfered for important data so that they can act accordingly. With the safeguard imposed by the Echosec team, it is highly unlikely that any bad actors will be able to use the platform for their nefarious ends, though there is of course no 100% guarantee of this. The Beacon search engine also does not have any functionality related to removing or hiding information once it has already made its way onto the dark web and serves only as an early warning system for potential data breaches.

Pricing

Pricing for the Beacon search engine is on a case-by-case basis, so no standard price point exists for the platform. You will need to get in contact with Echosec or look at their FAQs page to set up usage for the platform. Training in the use of the Beacon search engine is also available, helpful for those who are not fully versed in the terminology and workings of the dark web.

Closing remarks about the Beacon search engine

Overall, the Beacon search engine is a powerful tool for navigating the unsightly depths of the internet’s darker corners, though it is only a mitigation tool to be used after the fact. It cannot prevent data breaches, nor can it stop any that are in progress. It serves simply as a useful tool for detecting when data has been stolen. In this way it is like an internet smoke detector, it alerts you to the fire, a data breach, but it does not stop the flames. That is the work of the theoretical firemen, your IT team. As always, exercise caution when scouring the dark web, even with tools like Beacon.

More stories like this