LastPass has announced an addition to its password manager’s security dashboard, that the company says will take an even more proactive role in protecting your data online.
Now featuring dark web monitoring, the security dashboard will actively scan the corners of the internet for instances of the user’s details being compromised, and alert them instantly if information is breached.
The company also shared information about the price your data can fetch on the dark web.
LastPass Security Dashboard’s Dark Web Monitoring
According to the latest research by Lastpass itself, 40% of people don’t know what the dark web is. The dark web is essentially an area of the internet that is only accessible using specialist software. It doesn’t appear on search engine results, and is unregulated, making it an ideal place to trade and share valuable stolen data.
With its dark web monitoring, LastPass will check usernames and email addresses against databases of breached credentials, and alert the user if their information is found.
This alert comes in the form of an email, as well as a message within LastPass itself, and lets the user know exactly what details have been exposed, and for which sites, prompting the user to change them immediately, thereby minimizing any danger.
It’s extremely important to be informed of ways to protect your identity if your login, financial or personal information is compromised. Adding dark web monitoring and alerting into our Security Dashboard was a no brainer for us – Dan DeMichele, Vice President of Product Management
Dark web monitoring is available now for all pay-tier subscribers – that’s the LastPass Premium, Families and Business packages.
The Real Price of Stolen Data
The LastPass global survey demonstrated that while respondents were unsure of what the dark web is, they were also unaware of just how valuable their data is to it, and how likely it is to be compromised.
According to LastPass, over 9.7 billion data records have been breached since 2013, and 86% of those surveyed stated that they had no way of knowing if their personal data was available on the dark web.
The company put a price on the sort of data that is stolen, and how much it can go for on the dark web:
- Credit card and social security numbers go for between $1 – $110
- Medical records are worth up to $1,000
- Passports are highly sort after, commanding up to $2,000
While these statistics are alarming, it’s possible to minimize the risks of your data being sold by using a password manager, especially one like LastPass that offers monitoring and real time alerts.
To benefit from dark web monitoring and ensure you know exactly where your data is, and that it remains safe, try Lastpass Premium today. It’s free for 30 days.
