In October 2023, Malaysia’s Communications Minister revealed a staggering 1,192% increase in data breach incidents compared to the previous year. Cases jumped from just 50 in 2022 to over 646 in 2023. The leaked data often included emails, passwords, customer records, and other sensitive business information – many of which ended up on the dark web.
This trend isn’t just a problem for large enterprises. Small and mid-sized Malaysian businesses are increasingly targeted due to their lower cybersecurity budgets and reliance on digital platforms for day-to-day operations. Unfortunately, many companies only discover they’ve been compromised long after the damage is done – when login credentials, financial details, or even confidential project files are already circulating in underground forums.
The dark web has become a thriving marketplace for stolen business data, and without visibility into this hidden corner of the internet, Malaysian businesses risk operating in the dark. That’s where dark web monitoring comes in.
What Is the Dark Web?
The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that isn’t indexed by standard search engines like Google or Bing. To access it, users typically need specialized software such as Tor (The Onion Router), which anonymizes their activity and hides their location.
While the dark web is sometimes used for legitimate purposes like whistleblower protection or anonymous journalism, it’s also well-known for its role in cybercrime. Forums, marketplaces, and encrypted communication channels allow threat actors to trade stolen credentials, hacked databases, ransomware tools, and even access to corporate networks.
For businesses, this means that a single compromised login can be quietly sold to the highest bidder – giving cybercriminals a foot in the door without the company ever knowing.
How Does Business Data End Up on the Dark Web?
Business data typically appears on the dark web as a result of one or more cybersecurity breakdowns. Here are the most common ways it happens:
- Phishing Attacks: Employees receive a convincing-looking email and unknowingly provide login details to fake websites. These credentials are then harvested and sold online.
- Ransomware and Malware: In many ransomware attacks, cybercriminals don’t just encrypt your data—they also steal it before locking you out. This “double extortion” tactic allows them to sell the data if you refuse to pay.
- Third-party Breaches: Sometimes, it’s not your business that gets hacked—but a vendor, contractor, or supplier you work with. Attackers can pivot through the supply chain to gain access to sensitive internal documents.
- Credential Reuse: Many people use the same passwords across multiple accounts. If a personal or unrelated account is breached, hackers can use the same login details to access your business systems.
- Misconfigured Systems: Cloud storage left open to the internet or unpatched software vulnerabilities can become easy entry points for attackers looking to exfiltrate data.
Let’s say a retail company in Malaysia uses an outsourced HR platform that suffers a breach. The employee records, including NRIC numbers, salary slips, and login credentials, can end up dumped on the dark web. Even if the company wasn’t directly attacked, they’re still at risk.
What Kind of Business Information Is at Risk?
The types of data exposed on the dark web often go far beyond just email passwords. Once attackers gain a foothold, they target any business information that can be sold, reused, or exploited further.
Every business function holds data that can be valuable on the dark web. Here’s a breakdown of the most commonly targeted information and what it could mean for your company:
| Type of Data | What It Includes | Why It’s Valuable to Attackers |
|---|---|---|
| Login Credentials | Email/password combos, admin accounts, cloud access, VPN, etc. | Enables unauthorized access to internal systems or reselling access to others. |
| Financial Information | Bank account numbers, payroll files, e-wallet access, credit card data | Used for fraud, theft, or money laundering activities. |
| Customer Databases | Names, contact info, purchase history, loyalty points | Valuable for identity theft, scams, or competitor targeting. |
| Employee Records | IC/passport copies, salary slips, personal contact details, tax files | Can be used in social engineering or insider threats. |
| Confidential Documents | Business plans, pricing strategy, contracts, legal files, product roadmaps | Leaked IP can damage reputation or give competitors an edge. |
| IT System Keys & Tokens | API keys, source code repositories, license files, device credentials | Allows attackers to exploit internal software or automate future intrusions. |
| Supplier/Vendor Data | Access to third-party portals, contracts, shared file links | Attackers can use it to infiltrate connected businesses or launch phishing attacks. |
No matter the industry, protecting sensitive data isn’t just about keeping it inside your walls. It’s about knowing if and when it leaks – and taking action before someone else does. This leads us to our next section…
Investing in Dark Web Monitoring Tools
Knowing that your business data could be exposed is one thing. Detecting that exposure before it leads to financial or reputational damage? That’s where dark web monitoring tools come in.
Dark web monitoring is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s becoming a core layer of modern cybersecurity. These tools continuously scan hidden forums, marketplaces, paste sites, and breached data dumps to check whether your business assets (like domains, emails, passwords, or IP addresses) have been leaked or traded.
But not all tools are created equal. The best platforms don’t just alert you to a problem—they help you understand what’s at stake and how to respond. At Callnet, we work with several top-tier cybersecurity vendors that offer intelligent, enterprise-ready dark web monitoring as part of a broader threat detection strategy.
Here’s a closer look at the solutions we can bring to the table:
WithSecure™ Elements Exposure Management (XM)
WithSecure™ Elements XM offers a proactive, continuous view of your external attack surface. Instead of waiting for alerts, businesses get real-time visibility into how exposed they are.
- Automatically discovers exposed assets across domains, IPs, cloud services, and SaaS tools.
- Prioritizes threats using an “Exposure Score” so you can fix the riskiest gaps first.
- Seamlessly integrates with security teams for streamlined remediation.
Use Case: A retail group with multiple outlets across Malaysia uses WithSecure XM to discover unused subdomains that were being indexed by hackers and flagged on dark web trackers – before they became a real exploit.
Sangfor Threat Intelligence
Sangfor’s Threat Intelligence platform gathers insights from over 20,000 global network nodes, security research teams, and dark web sources to provide real-time, actionable alerts.
- Monitors dark web activity around malicious domains, phishing kits, ransomware groups, and leaked company credentials.
- Helps correlate external threats with internal network activity for faster incident response.
- Supports integration into SIEM platforms for ongoing threat correlation.
Use Case: A logistics company in Selangor discovered Sangfor alerts pointing to stolen employee VPN credentials listed on a Russian-speaking dark web forum—allowing IT to revoke access immediately.
Security Scorecard: Attack Surface Intelligence
Security Scorecard’s platform delivers unmatched visibility into your digital footprint—across your business and your third-party vendors.
- Maps your entire attack surface and monitors for data breaches and leaked credentials tied to your domain.
- Scores and ranks risks across assets, helping security teams prioritize response.
- Adds vendor and partner exposure monitoring.
Use Case: A finance tech firm used Security Scorecard to flag leaked credentials from a payment gateway partner, allowing them to enforce security reviews before any damage occurred.
What to Look for in a Monitoring Tool?
One leaked credential can open the door to an entire network breach. Our role is to help businesses detect it early – before it gets exploited.
Alan Leong
CallNet technical director
When evaluating dark web monitoring platforms, here are the must-have features for Malaysian businesses:
- Continuous and real-time scanning (not just periodic checks)
- Alerting and notification system with actionable context
- Integration with your existing security infrastructure (e.g. SIEM, firewalls)
- Monitoring of both direct company assets and third-party/vendor exposure
- Support from a local partner (like Callnet) who understands your compliance and response needs
Implementing Comprehensive Cybersecurity Measures
Dark web monitoring is a powerful detection tool – but on its own, it’s not enough. To truly safeguard your business from cyber threats, it must be integrated into a broader, layered security strategy. Here are four essential measures every business should adopt alongside dark web monitoring:
1. Strengthen Credential Policies Use strong, unique passwords across all systems, enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA), and implement regular credential updates. Credential hygiene remains one of the most effective ways to block unauthorized access.
2. Train Employees to Recognize Threats Phishing, social engineering, and weak password habits often open the door for attackers. Ongoing cybersecurity awareness training equips employees to spot red flags before mistakes happen.
3. Audit Your Network Regularly Routine vulnerability assessments help identify weaknesses before attackers do. This should include both internal systems and third-party connections.
4. Prepare for Incidents Before They Happen Have a breach response plan in place. If dark web monitoring flags a leak, your team should know exactly what steps to take – whether it’s resetting credentials, informing stakeholders, or tightening firewall rules.
Like we always stress in our guide – Cybersecurity isn’t a one-time investment. It’s an ongoing effort, and businesses that treat it that way are far more resilient when the unexpected hits.
Why Partner with Callnet Solutions?
Callnet Solutions brings local expertise and global-grade tools to Malaysian businesses seeking better cybersecurity protection. We work with trusted vendors like WithSecure, Sangfor, and Security Scorecard – integrating their technologies into security strategies tailored for your risk profile and industry.
Our team doesn’t just set up the tools. We guide you through implementation, interpretation of alerts, and your next steps – backed by years of experience with clients across hospitality, finance, retail, logistics, and more.
If you’re looking for visibility, control, and support – you’ll get all three with us.
Conclusion: Proactive Measures for a Secure Future
In today’s threat landscape, visibility into the dark web is no longer optional. With leaked data increasingly showing up in underground forums before companies even realize they’ve been breached, dark web monitoring provides the early warnings businesses need to act fast.
Combined with solid cybersecurity practices, it gives you the power to stay ahead of attackers – rather than reacting after the damage is done.
If you’re unsure whether your company credentials or customer data have already been exposed, it’s time to find out.
