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How to use dark web monitoring: a talk with Mary D’Angelo

Today is just like any other day at the office. You are going through emails and laying out plans for your company’s upcoming big project when suddenly, your screen freezes. None of the troubleshooting steps work. Quickly, your IT team becomes anxious; the company’s network has stopped working. The reason is a security breach tied to stolen credentials from RIPE, an organization that assigns IP addresses across numerous countries.

This situation is similar to what Orange Spain experienced, suffering an outage due to a hacker who improperly accessed their RIPE account. Researchers at Resecurity have noticed a troubling trend: the dark web now houses millions of stolen network operator credentials, which cybercriminals are poised to misuse.

The dark web serves as a hidden space where these stolen credentials remain unseen. It is also where attackers coordinate their plans and recruit accomplices for future breaches. 

For businesses, keeping an eye on the dark web is vital. It helps uncover new threats and trends as they arise. 

Equally important are cybersecurity practices. They shield businesses from an increasing array of cyber threats. 

By combining dark web monitoring with solid cybersecurity, businesses can establish a protective strategy to remain secure.

That’s why we talked with Mary D’Angelo, a leading Cyber Threat Intelligence and Dark Web Advisor. We discussed how the dark web works and explored why businesses might need dark web monitoring.

The interview’s highlights

  • The deep web makes up 80% of the internet, while the dark web and clear web each make up 10%.

  • The US Navy originally created the Tor network for good reasons, but now less than 1% is for whistleblowers and journalists.

  • Dark web monitoring lets businesses see planned attacks, indicating the immediate need for protection.

  • Ransomware groups are growing, and threat actors are switching to platforms like Telegram.

  • Companies should combine dark web monitoring and cybersecurity practices for early threat detection.

Key insight #1: the clear web makes up only 10% of the internet

NordLayer: To start, what is the dark web?

Mary D’Angelo: When I discuss the dark web, I refer broadly to its distinction from the deep web and the clear web. The dark web is a segment of the internet accessible only through specialized software, typically Tor, which I’ll mostly reference. It’s because Tor is the most commonly used. The deep web and clear web are other internet segments. The clear web includes anything findable via Google and other search engines. The deep web, while still accessible through search engines, comprises sites that are very hard to enter. Statistics indicate that the deep web constitutes 80% of the internet, with the dark web and the clear web each accounting for only 10%.

Dark web takes up to 10% of the internet

NordLayer: The dark web ensures anonymity and is technically limitless. How does the Onion Router contribute to this anonymity?

Mary D’Angelo: The Onion Router, a type of software made to connect to the dark web, encrypts messages in multiple layers, similar to an onion. These messages, when sent, pass through various relays or nodes, mixing up communications. Upon receiving a message, each relay cannot trace its origin, making it extremely difficult to track the messages and users’ activities.

Key insight #2: the original purpose of the dark web, initiated by the U.S. Navy, now makes up just 1% of its current content

NordLayer: Could you explain the legal and illegal aspects of the dark web?

Mary D’Angelo: It’s a common misconception that the dark web is entirely illegal. Initially, the Tor network was developed by the US Navy research team to enable secure communications. 

The primary purpose of the dark web was to assist journalists and whistleblowers in remaining anonymous and using encrypted messaging on a privatized platform. Over time, it has evolved to host a significant amount of illegal activity. 

It’s estimated that 40% of the dark web is comprised of child sexual exploitation material, with less than 1% now dedicated to whistleblower and journalism activities. The majority involves illegal marketplaces, threat actor forums, ransomware groups, and similar entities.

NordLayer: But the dark web also has positive uses for privacy and free speech. Can you discuss them?

Mary D’Angelo: The dark web is valuable for media organizations and individuals in censored countries, providing a secure communication channel. Organizations like ProPublica use the dark web for secure communications, offering a platform for whistleblowers and those reporting from repressive regimes.

NordLayer: Considering its origins, does the dark web offer more security than platforms like Amazon?

Mary D’Angelo: The comparison depends on what you mean by security. The dark web provides anonymity, encrypted messaging, and privacy, even for websites. Users on the dark web enjoy encrypted and anonymized communication unseen by others. Conversely, Amazon tracks all user information, making the dark web, in some respects, more secure. However, this anonymity also contributes to the prevalence of illegal activities.

NordLayer: Is regulation of the dark web a significant challenge?

Mary D’Angelo: Yes, law enforcement faces considerable difficulties in tracking down illegal activities due to the dark web’s structure. Although recent efforts have improved, the process is complex and time-consuming.

NordLayer: Can dark web marketplaces be shut down successfully?

Mary D’Angelo: Marketplaces like Silk Road and Alpha Bay have been taken down by law enforcement, involving extensive international investigations. Often, the downfall of these sites is due to the carelessness of threat actors. However, new marketplaces frequently emerge, creating a continuous cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and dark web users.

NordLayer: How does law enforcement investigate the dark web?

Mary D’Angelo: Investigations involve collaboration with various agencies and platforms like ours that can index and search the dark web efficiently. Law enforcement builds cases on threat actors, tracking their movements and communications, often capitalizing on their mistakes to dismantle operations.

Key insight #3: dark web monitoring helps to detect the threat on its planning stage

NordLayer: How did your interest in the dark web begin?

Mary D’Angelo: My journey into the dark web began with my background in cybersecurity and network detection. Joining Searchlight Cyber, I deepened my understanding of threat intelligence and the significance of dark web monitoring to identify potential security threats to organizations.

Dark web is a hub for threat actors to plan attacks

NordLayer: Why is it important for businesses to monitor the dark web?

Mary D’Angelo: The dark web is a hub for threat actors to plan attacks. Dark web monitoring allows businesses to detect potential threats early in the planning stage, giving them more time to prevent attacks.

“You can also try NordLayer’s ThreatBlock to prevent threats. It automatically blocks access to harmful websites, making it easier to avoid entering a malicious site. You won’t see harmful ads and pop-ups, and you will be prevented from accessing websites linked to illegal activities or those marked as unsafe in trusted databases. This tool makes life easier.”

Martyna Gaidelė, Product Marketing Manager at NordLayer

Click to tweet

NordLayer: So how can organizations monitor the dark web effectively?

Mary D’Angelo: Companies like Searchlight Cyber provide services to monitor the dark web safely and efficiently, helping businesses to protect themselves without risking exposure to malicious content.

7 stages of cyber-attacks

NordLayer: Can you share a success story related to dark web monitoring?

Mary D’Angelo: Our human intelligence team does a lot of the undercover work. Accessing some dark web sites is tough; it requires specific permissions. Our team managed to enter these sites and found someone selling domain access control credentials for a large US airline. They didn’t name the airline to avoid detection but shared details like the revenue size, location, and access type. High pricing often indicates legitimacy. Upon discovering this, I contacted the airline’s security team to alert them, despite them not being our client. We then discussed the intelligence, which was new to them, and together, we devised a plan to enhance their security.

NordLayer: That’s impressive. What security measures do you generally recommend to introduce? 

Mary D’Angelo: We generally suggest enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all platforms. The approach depends on the attack type, but ensuring MFA is in place is crucial so that only authorized individuals have access.

“Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an essential part of NordLayer. However, we advocate for a broader range of multi-layered authentication solutions and encourage our customers to implement more comprehensive Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) strategies.

Multi-layered network access control minimizes the risks of data breaches and aids in achieving compliance certificates, contributing to business credibility as well.

My favorite NordLayer features for network access control are the Cloud Firewall and Device Posture Security. They are easy to use and powerful solutions, ensuring advanced network access control.”

Martyna Gaidelė, Product Marketing Manager

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Key insight #4: Ransomware groups are hiring, which means even more attacks in 2024

NordLayer: Have you observed any trends in the dark web, such as an increase in ransomware groups?

Mary D’Angelo: Last year, we saw ransomware groups increase their recruitment. This means that they only plan to increase their attacks. They now have larger budgets because they were so successful last year in terms of the ransom payments. And so now they have more purchasing power, they can buy better exploits and better credentials. Bad actors also have their AI tool, called fraud GPT, which can just more easily and quickly make very sophisticated attacks.

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NordLayer: How can businesses and law enforcement adapt to the evolving threat landscape on the dark web?

Mary D’Angelo: Understanding the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of threat actors allows organizations to build more effective defenses. Monitoring threat actor movements helps in developing predictive security measures.

NordLayer: There is also a kind of “Robin Hood” mentality among some ransomware groups. Can you elaborate on this?

Mary D’Angelo: Interestingly, some ransomware groups adhere to a moral code, avoiding attacks on hospitals and focusing on other targets. This nuanced behavior among threat actors highlights the complex ethical landscape of the dark web.

Ransomware groups have been increasing their recruitment and budgets

NordLayer: Despite some groups avoiding healthcare targets, the sector remains highly vulnerable. Why is that?

Mary D’Angelo: The healthcare sector often faces the highest ransom demands, with many hospitals lacking the security infrastructure to defend against sophisticated attacks. The sale of access credentials to healthcare institutions is alarmingly common.

NordLayer: There’s also a trend where threat actors are shifting from dark web forums to encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram. Why do you think threat actors are choosing these platforms?

Mary D’Angelo: The shift to encrypted platforms like Telegram reflects threat actors’ increasing paranoia and desire to evade detection. As law enforcement and security firms improve their monitoring capabilities, actors seek new ways to communicate securely.

Healthcare sector and ransomware

NordLayer: How do you conduct research on the deep web and platforms like Telegram?

Mary D’Angelo: Our team utilizes a combination of human intelligence and proprietary automated technologies to gather intelligence from various platforms. This allows us to monitor threat actor activities across the deep web and dark web comprehensively.

NordLayer: What future research directions do you see for dark web intelligence?

Mary D’Angelo: Collaborating with security practitioners and academic researchers can lead to innovative strategies for mitigating risks and combating cyber threats. Future research will likely focus on predictive analysis and the development of more sophisticated defense mechanisms.

Encrypted platforms need increase

Key insight #5: for businesses to stay safe, they need all employees to be aware of possible attacks

NordLayer: What general advice would you give businesses to enhance their security?

Mary D’Angelo: Businesses should prioritize early detection of threats by monitoring for reconnaissance activities. Leveraging threat intelligence to understand the landscape and adopting a proactive security posture can significantly reduce the risk of attacks.

NordLayer: How important is cybersecurity awareness?

Mary D’Angelo: Cultivating a culture of security throughout an organization is crucial. Integrating cyber threat intelligence across all levels can inform strategic decisions and prioritize security measures, ultimately making it more difficult for threat actors to succeed.

Proactive security costs less

NordLayer: In conclusion, investing in cybersecurity is more cost-effective than facing the consequences of a ransomware attack.

Mary D’Angelo: Absolutely. The cost of proactive security measures is significantly lower than the potential losses from a successful cyber attack.

How NordLayer can help

NordLayer offers a comprehensive security approach, protecting your team with Threat Prevention from harmful sites, securing online activities with VPN, and ensuring appropriate access with Cloud Firewall. Beyond these tools, we advocate for adopting Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Security Service Edge (SSE), and other cybersecurity frameworks to strengthen your defense. Our sales team is always here if you need any help along the way. 

Beyond NordLayer’s offerings, it’s essential to create a culture of cybersecurity, maintain up-to-date software, and use secure communication tools. Additionally, assessing your vendors through a Third-Party Risk Management Plan and restricting their access can significantly mitigate risks.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

How to reset or change a Spotify password

The music doesn’t have to stop just because you’ve forgotten your Spotify password. This streaming service offers everything from personalized playlists to pop culture podcasts. For many of us, it’s the first stop to hear the latest music from our favorite artists. Knowing how to perform a Spotify password reset is a must, just as remembering to change your Spotify password regularly to keep your account well-protected.

How to reset your Spotify password

If you’ve forgotten your Spotify password, resetting it is the quickest option to regain access to your account. To do so, you’ll need to use your browser because it won’t work on desktop or mobile apps. Head to the Password Reset page on your browser and follow these simple steps.

  1. Type your Spotify username or email address into the text box and click “Send.”

  2. Open a new tab, navigate to your inbox, and look for an email with the subject “Reset your password.” Check your spam folder if you don’t see it within a few minutes. For Gmail users, look in the “Social and Promotion” sections.

  3. In the email, click “Reset password.”

  4. You’ll be redirected to the “Reset” page. Enter and confirm your new password.

  5. Click “Send.”

  6. You can now return to the browser or the app and log in with your new password.

It’s imperative to keep passwords secure across all your devices and profiles, but too many people still use the same login details for multiple accounts.

That can be convenient and make credentials easy to remember, but it also increases the threat posed by cybercriminals and hackers. You could be in trouble if someone broke into one of your accounts and that password was reused across many different profiles.

For this reason, you must change your password regularly and differentiate it from others.

One of the easiest and quickest ways to equip all your favorite online accounts with strong and unique passwords is by using a password generator. The NordPass Password Generator can create custom, virtually uncrackable passwords instantly.

How to change a Spotify password

Still, remember your Spotify password but want to change it today? Here’s how:

  1. Open Spotify on your browser (again, this won’t work on desktop or phone apps).

  2. Log into your account.

  3. Click on the profile icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.

  4. Click “Account.”

  5. Click “Change password.”

  6. Input your current password and your new password.

  7. Click “Set new password.”

Now you can open your app and input your new password if you’ve been automatically logged out.

Frequently asked questions

 

Does Spotify send emails to reset passwords?

 

 

 

How often should I change my Spotify password?

 

 

 

May I use special characters in my password?

 

 

 

What if I can no longer access the email linked to my Spotify account?

 

 

 

Is there a limit to the number of password reset attempts?

 

 

Keep your passwords safe with NordPass

Changing your password with ease is always helpful, and it’s an integral part of best practices in digital security.

To avoid this problem of having to change or reset your passwords, you can and should use a password manager.

NordPass is a secure and intuitive password manager built to make your life easier. With NordPass, you can securely store your login details for your favorite online accounts, credit card details, personal information, and secure notes.

One of the best things about NordPass is the Autofill enhanced by machine learning, which automatically fills out online forms, credit cards, and passwords for you.

Additionally, NordPass comes equipped with advanced security features. One of those goes by the name of Password Health and helps you detect weak, old, or reused passwords. Another one, known as a Data Breach Scanner, allows you to find out if any of your personal information has been compromised in a data breach.

These days, with cybercrime on the rise, having a password manager should be a no-brainer.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

The role of machine learning in cybersecurity

Humans simply can no longer tackle the exponential growth of sophisticated online security threats in a timely and effective manner. Hence, automating cybersecurity processes with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) powered systems becomes vital. 

So, does that mean IT teams will become redundant soon, as AI-based security tools can do it all? Simply put, no. But for a more in-depth answer, we’ll need to first understand what machine learning in cybersecurity is and what this technology holds for businesses in the future.

What is machine learning?

Machine learning refers to the ability of algorithms to learn patterns from existing data and use this knowledge to predict outcomes on new, previously unknown data without explicitly being programmed. The more information you feed to the machine learning engine, the more data it can analyze and, consequently, become more accurate.

But what does it mean to say that a machine is learning from the existing data? While traditional programming performs simple and predictable tasks by strictly following detailed instructions, machine learning allows the computer to teach itself through experience. In other words, it mimics human behavior in how to solve problems.

However, the fact that machine learning can improve itself isn’t the only reason why it’s so easy to find its models in the online wilderness. The sheer amount of information that businesses in different industries currently have to manage has become too vast for humans to tackle alone. As a result, companies rely on machine learning to process that data and quickly generate actionable insights.

For instance, an ML technique called a decision tree solves classification dilemmas and uses certain conditions or rules in the decision-making process. This particular technique is widely used in fintech (for loan approval and credit scoring) and marketing.

Machine learning solutions are also helpful for businesses in harvesting, organizing, and analyzing large volumes of customer data. This can include purchasing history or individual customer’s typical behavior, such as online browsing habits. With such analyzed data, companies can then recommend relevant products tailored to their customers’ preferences. Think Netflix: With an ML-driven model, it examines its users’ histories on the platform to compile appropriate content recommendations for them to choose from. This increases the time users spend watching Netflix content and their overall satisfaction. Similarly, ML models pick up information relevant to the unique user on the Facebook feed and even moderate content on Instagram.

In addition, in most customer support self-service tools, users usually interact with a machine rather than a fellow human being. Such chatbots can answer basic questions and guide a person to relevant content on the website.

Lastly, even in the medical field, machine learning plays a huge role. These models can be trained to examine medical images or other information and then search for illness characteristics.

Four types of machine learning

Machine learning traditionally has four broad subcategories that are defined by how the machine learns:

  • Supervised machine learning models rely heavily on “teachers”, meaning models that are trained with labeled data sets, which allow them to learn and become more accurate over time. For instance, if you want to teach the algorithm to identify cats, you’ll have to feed it with pictures of cats and other things, all labeled by humans.

  • Unsupervised machine learning looks for patterns and common elements in data. In turn, such machine learning can find similarities and trends that humans aren’t explicitly looking for.

  • Semi-supervised machine learning falls somewhere between supervised and unsupervised learning. In this case, the model is trained on a small amount of labeled data and lots of unlabeled data. Such a way of learning is beneficial when there’s a lot of unlabeled data, and it’s too difficult (or expensive) to label it all.

  • Reinforcement machine learning is where an algorithm learns new tasks by interacting with a dynamic environment. Here, it is rewarded for correct actions, which it strives to maximize, and punished for incorrect ones. Such machine learning is widely used in cybersecurity, as it enables a broader range of cyber attack detection.

Machine learning use cases in cybersecurity

As cybersecurity is a truly fast-paced environment where threats, technologies, and regulations constantly evolve, it’s the agility of machine learning that comes in handy.

ML-powered models can process massive amounts of data and, therefore, rapidly detect critical incidents. This means that machine learning enables organizations to detect various types of threats like malware, policy violations, or insider threats by constantly monitoring the network for anomalies. It is so because ML-driven algorithms learn to identify, for instance, new malicious files or activity based on the attributes and behaviors of previously detected malware.

In addition, using machine learning proves to be a good method for filtering your company’s inbox from unsolicited, unwanted, and virus-infected spam emails, which may contain pernicious attachments such as malware or ransomware. For instance, the machine learning model used by Gmail not only sifts through spam but also generates new rules based on what it has learned in the past. ML methods, coupled with natural language processing techniques, can also detect phishing domains by picking on phishing domain characteristics and features that distinguish legitimate domains.

Last but not least, machine learning can significantly support online fraud detection and prevention. By using ML algorithms, companies can identify suspicious activities in transactional data. These algorithms are trained to recognize normal payment processes and flag suspicious ones. Also, ML-driven engines can be trained to spot when cybercriminals change their tactics as they automatically will retrain themselves to recognize a new fraud pattern.

These examples illustrate just a few use cases of machine learning in cybersecurity. But there are many others, such as vulnerability management, that can greatly impact business cybersecurity.

So, is it AI, machine learning, or deep learning?

Oftentimes, these terms – artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning (DP) – are used interchangeably. We already defined machine learning, so now, let’s see how it relates to artificial intelligence and deep learning.

Artificial intelligence, in the broadest sense, is a set of technologies that enable computers to perform various advanced tasks in a way similar to how humans solve problems. This makes machine learning a subfield of artificial intelligence.

In turn, deep learning is a subset of machine learning. It mimics the structure and functions of the human brain. Such systems use artificial neural networks that function like neurons in the brain. These neurons, also referred to as nodes, are used in chatbots or autonomous vehicles.

Difference between machine learning, artificial intelligence, deep learning, and cybersecurity

Even though machine learning brings some challenges when applied to cybersecurity (for instance, the difficulty in collecting large amounts of certain malware samples for the ML machine to learn from), it remains the most common approach and term used to describe AI applications in this industry.

In cases where shallow (or traditional machine learning) falls short, deep learning should be used. For example, when dealing with highly complex data such as images and unstructured text or when temporal dependencies have to be taken into account.

inner asset machine learning

 

The future of machine learning in cybersecurity

In the current AI tool-filled climate, it’s easy to see how this technology can become better at specific tasks than we humans are. Luckily (or not), machine learning is not a panacea to all things cybersecurity. However, it provides and will continue to provide a great deal of support to cybersecurity or IT teams by reducing the load off of their shoulders.

Since many devices (like phones and laptops) connect to the company’s networks daily, it is almost impossible for IT teams to monitor every single gadget. With AI-powered device profiling, you can improve the fingerprinting of endpoint devices and better understand the type and quantity of endpoints connecting to your network. This will help you create effective segmentation rules and stop unwanted devices (potentially including bad actors) from connecting.

Also, employing machine learning can improve your cybersecurity game by helping your IT team develop policy recommendations for security devices such as firewalls. In this case, machine learning learns what devices are connected to the network and what constitutes normal device behavior. In turn, ML-powered systems can make specific suggestions automatically — instead of your team manually navigating different conflicting access control lists for each device and network segment.

So, embracing more ML-driven cybersecurity practices into your daily company’s processes seems vital if you want to improve your cybersecurity in the future. With more devices and threats coming online daily, the human resources available to tackle them are becoming scarce. In such an environment, machine learning can step in by helping sort out various complicated cybersecurity situations and scenarios at scale while maintaining constant surveillance 24/7.

How does NordPass use machine learning?

Machine learning offers a wide range of applications for businesses, from applying it to cybersecurity to simply enhancing customer satisfaction. With artificial intelligence still making headlines, we’ll likely see even more use cases in the future that will benefit the company’s cybersecurity as well.

NordPass is one of the companies that use machine learning. We do so to offer more accuracy and convenience for our customers. Our autofill engine relies heavily on machine learning to accurately categorize the field that it needs to fill in on a website or app – no matter if it is a sign-up, credit card, or personal information form. Remember those artificial neural networks? It has been trained using exactly those!

If you’re interested in improving your employees’ online experience and enhancing overall company security, explore what enterprise password management can offer for your company.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

How to view, change, or delete saved passwords on Firefox

Firefox is one of the most popular desktop browsers in the world. Praised for its privacy-focused features, it’s the main alternative to Chromium-based browsers such as Google Chrome or Edge. The security assurance from the Firefox team allures many to the convenience of storing their login credentials using the browser’s built-in function.

In this article, you’ll learn how to view, change, delete, import, and export saved passwords in Firefox. We’ll also briefly discuss whether saving passwords in a browser is a secure option compared to password managers.

How to view saved passwords on Firefox

Firefox offers two paths to find where your passwords are stored. The first is straightforward:

  1. Open Firefox and click the hamburger menu at the top right corner.

  2. Select “Passwords.”

  3. You’ll see the list of your saved credentials.

You can also find your passwords in the Firefox settings:

  1. Click the hamburger menu at the top right corner.

  2. Select “Settings” and click on “Privacy & security.”

  3. Find the “Logins and passwords” section and click “Saved logins.”

  4. You will see the list of your saved credentials.

How to change saved passwords on Firefox

  1. In the “Passwords” section, select one of your saved items.

  2. Click the “Edit” button.

  3. Enter your new username and/or password.

  4. Click “Save changes.”

How to delete saved passwords on Firefox

  1. In the “Passwords” section, select one of your saved items.

  2. Click the “Remove” button.

  3. You will see a prompt screen. Select “Remove” to proceed with the deletion. Keep in mind that once a password is deleted, it cannot be restored.

How to import passwords to Firefox

  1. Go to the “Passwords” section as explained above.

  2. Click the three dots at the top right corner next to your email address.

  3. Select one of the options: “Import from another browser” or “Import from a file.”

If you choose to import from another browser:

  1. Select the available browser from the list and choose which data you want to import or select all.

  2. Click “Import” and wait for the process to finish. Once the data import is complete, click “Done.”

If you choose to import from a file:

  1. Select a CSV file with the passwords you want to import.

  2. Once the import is complete, click “Done.” You can also view a detailed import summary.

Note that importing from a file may be unsuccessful if the items stored in your CSV document do not have corresponding URLs. Firefox also won’t import duplicate files if it recognizes the same login credentials are already stored in the browser.

How to export Firefox passwords

Exporting is available on the same page as the import options:

  1. Select “Export logins.”

  2. A pop-up screen will inform you that your credentials will be saved as readable text. Click “Export.”

  3. Based on your device, you may have to complete verification, such as entering your password or PIN code.

  4. Select a secure location to store your passwords and click “Save.”

  5. A CSV file will be created.

CSV is the default format most password managers use for import and export. If you want to switch from the Firefox built-in feature to a password manager, look up our guide on importing passwords to NordPass.

How to disable the Firefox password manager

Let’s say you’ve switched to a password manager, but Firefox keeps prompting you to save your login credentials each time you log in to a new account. Luckily, turning off autosave prompts on Firefox is easy:

  1. In “Settings,” find “Privacy & security.”

  2. Under “Logins and passwords,” tick off the “Ask to save logins and passwords for websites” box.

If you disable the Firefox password manager but still have some passwords saved, you can select to continue receiving alerts about passwords for breached websites in your browser. If you want to disable the manager and erase all your saved items on Firefox, here’s what you can do:

  1. Go to the “Passwords” section as explained above.

  2. Click the three dots at the top right corner next to your email address and select “Remove all logins.”

  3. Tick on the “Yes, remove these logins” box and click “Remove all.” Note that this action cannot be undone.

Some tips to keep your online accounts secure

People often opt for browser-based password storage for convenience, but is that really the best option for the security of your sensitive data? While we’ll see how Firefox’s password storage compares to password managers shortly, here are some strategies you can use to reinforce your password security and protect your information online:

  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) when possible. This extra layer of protection makes it more difficult for unwanted parties to gain access to your passwords or bank details. 2FA uses one-time passwords, biometrics, and other secure measures to ensure only you can log in to your accounts.

  • Use strong and unique passwords for all your accounts. Reusing the same password is as convenient to many as relying on a browser to store login details, but it’s not a secure route. Create long passwords that use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters to make each password stronger. You can find some inspiration for your own unique passwords here. If you need a helping hand, check out our random password generator.

  • Use a password manager. Let’s be realistic – you’ve got more accounts than you can keep track of. It’s difficult to recall each unique password for each account, especially if you only access some of them once in a blue moon. To save you the headache of resetting passwords, try a password manager like NordPass.

What’s better: NordPass or a built-in browser password saver?

Let’s tackle the most intriguing question of the hour: should you keep storing your passwords in Firefox or switch to a password manager?

Although Firefox focuses heavily on security features and offers encryption for its users, it’s still susceptible to internal and external threats like many other browsers. For example, if you were to leave your computer unattended, anyone could open the “Passwords” section of your account and easily read your credentials. Additionally, as stated in Firefox’s directions, exported passwords are saved as readable text, meaning the encryption no longer applies.

On the other hand, the NordPass password manager is ready to handle such threats. You can set up Autolock in your app to ensure that no one can get into your account without your Master Password or your multi-factor authentication device. NordPass also supports passkeys, which you can use to unlock the app. If you’re using passkeys for your other accounts, you can easily store and manage them with NordPass – that’s a functionality that Firefox doesn’t support at the time of writing.

One point of contention can be the convenience of access. After all, Firefox lets you find your passwords inside the browser as you work. Well, we’ve got good news for you here. You can launch NordPass directly from your web browser – Firefox included.

Piqued your interest? Learn more about everything that NordPass has to offer for your security and convenience – or try it for yourself.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

What Is Data Security?

Data security refers to the process of securing digital information from unauthorized access, corruption, or all-out theft through its lifecycle.

When we discuss data security, we mainly talk about security practices within an organizational setting. The concept covers every aspect of information security, such as hardware, software, access controls, and organizational security policies. A sound and thoughtful data security strategy can make a difference in a business environment because it helps organizations protect one of their most valuable assets — data — against cyberattacks. 

Why is enterprise data security important?

In the digital age, data reigns supreme. These days, all businesses deal with data in one way or another. Whether it’s a financial institution handling sensitive customer data or an individual operation collecting the contact information of its clientele, data is a significant part of all enterprises, regardless of their size or industry. Data informs decision-making, improves efficiency, enables better customer service, and plays a major role in marketing.

With growing public awareness about the importance of data security and more data-related laws and regulations coming into play, companies face challenges in creating secure infrastructures and processes to handle enormous amounts of data.

Data security management strategies are simple to establish – for instance, employee digital safety training or centralized password policies. Setting up an enterprise password manager can be a massive upgrade to an organization’s security practices. Although high-end software can greatly improve an organization’s security strategy, employee awareness is often what makes or breaks its effectiveness.

Failure to establish a secure perimeter frequently results in a data breach, leading to substantial regulatory fines and reputational damage. According to IBM’s Cost of Data Breach Report 2023, the global average data breach cost is estimated at $4.45 million. It’s not hard to imagine that a data breach could spell the end of a company.

As data breaches and cybercrime continue to rise and become more sophisticated, companies of all sizes and industries look for ways to ensure the security of their data. And the first step in doing so is understanding the threats you’re facing.

What threats to data security do companies face?

Cyber threats related to data security come in various shapes. Here are some of the most common data security risks that every organization has to deal with.

  • Phishing attacks

Phishing attacks are designed to acquire sensitive information from unsuspecting users. Hackers achieve their goal by crafting email messages that appear to be from a reputable source. In those messages, you are usually urged to download a malicious attachment or click on a dodgy link. If you follow through, the attackers can access your device and get their hands on your sensitive data.

  • Accidental data exposure

Not all data breaches are caused by cyberattacks. Sometimes, they’re byproducts of human error or lack of awareness. In day-to-day office life, employees will inevitably share data and exchange access credentials. Unfortunately, security might not be at the top of their priority list, and accidents can happen: data can end up on an unsecured server, and passwords can be stored in a publicly accessible sheet. That’s why cybersecurity training sessions are critical. Once employees grasp what’s at stake and what to pay attention to, the risk of accidental data exposure can be drastically minimized.

  • Malware

Malware is usually spread via email. In most instances, hackers will launch a phishing campaign to trick users into downloading and installing a piece of malicious software. Once malware is on a corporate network, hackers can do pretty much anything, from tracking network activity to downloading enormous amounts of data without authorization.

  • Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that is designed to encrypt data on the affected machine. If a ransomware attack is successful, bad actors will demand a ransom in return for decryption services.

  • Insider threats

Insider threats might be the hardest to anticipate. As you can guess, insider threats are employees who intentionally harm an organization’s security perimeter. They might share sensitive data such as passwords with dubious third parties or steal business data and sell it on the black market.

What types of data security are we talking about here?

As already discussed, data security protection strategies comprise many different tools and practices. Typically, the most effective way to ensure data security is to use a combination of security practices to limit the potential surface area of an attack.

Data encryption

Data encryption is one of the easiest ways to ensure the security of sensitive information. Fancy terminology aside, data encryption converts readable data into an unreadable encoded format. Think of it this way: even if a hacker were to get their hands on the encrypted data in your servers, they couldn’t do anything unless they managed to decrypt it. Fortunately, contemporary encryption is unbelievably hard to crack without a decryption key.

Data erasure

Data, as with anything in life, can become irrelevant. Data can clog your servers like clutter in your attic. Security-wise, irrelevant data is rarely considered a priority – and sometimes, it’s best just to get rid of it for good. Data erasure is an effective data management and security method because it shrinks the potential attack surface and liability in case of a data breach.

Data masking

Data masking is a data security technique during which a data set is duplicated, but its sensitive data is obfuscated. The benign copy is usually used for testing and training for cybersecurity purposes. Masked data is useless for a hacker because it is essentially incoherent unless the hacker knows how that data has been obfuscated.

Data resiliency

Data backups are among the easiest steps an organization can take to mitigate the potential dangers of data loss in a cyber event. Backups ensure that even if data is compromised or stolen, it can be recovered to its previous state rather than entirely disappear.

Data security vs. data privacy: What’s the difference?

Today, the terms “data security” and “data privacy” are used a lot. At times, they might seem interchangeable. While in a sense that can be true, the two terms are technically distinct concepts.

Data security is a broad term that encompasses data privacy. However, when we talk about data security, we mainly refer to cybersecurity practices that are aimed at protecting data from unauthorized access or corruption.

Data privacy, on the other hand, is a concept that aims to ensure that the way businesses collect, store, and use data is compliant with legal regulations.

How about data security vs. cybersecurity?

Similarly, you might have some questions about the difference between the terms “data security” and “cybersecurity.” The difference here is the scope of what each security type covers.

Broadly speaking, cybersecurity concerns things on the macro – protecting servers and networks from cyber attacks as the first line of defense. Data security, on the other hand, protects the micro – the actual data stored within the networks. If cybersecurity measures fail, data security aims to keep valuable information unaffected by means of encryption and other measures we’ve discussed.

How does data security compliance work?

Today, most countries have laws and regulations that govern the way organizations should collect, store, and use data. Regulatory compliance can be a challenge for companies of all sizes and industries. Still, they’re vital in ensuring that your data will not be abused and remain secure at all times. Here are some of the most important regulations that relate to data security.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The GDPR is the European Union’s primary data protection and privacy legislation. Passed in 2016 and implemented in 2018, the GDPR ensures that organizations handle consumer data responsibly and securely. The GDPR was one of the first legislative efforts requiring companies to ask for user consent to collect their data.

The GDPR is an expanded legislation that can impose penalties going up to €20 million or 4% of a company’s annual global turnover. Thus, choosing reliable tools that help work toward compliance with GDPR, such as NordPass, to manage and secure customer data is crucial for ensuring overall enterprise security.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

The CCPA went into effect on January 1, 2020. It provides consumers in California with additional rights and protections regarding how businesses use their personal information. The CCPA is very similar to the GDPR and imposes many of the same obligations on businesses that the GDPR does, except for the implementation of robust security measures to protect customers’ personal information from unauthorized access, destruction, modification, or disclosure.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

HIPAA is the United States data protection and security legislation that regulates electronically protected health information (ePHI). It is aimed mainly at healthcare providers and partnering institutions that deal with such data. HIPAA lays out requirements for the security of ePHI, which involves specific physical, technological, and administrative safeguards. To stay compliant with HIPAA regulations, medical companies should implement some security measures: safe traffic encryption with a VPN, secure messaging apps, encrypted email services, and reliable business password management.

Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act

The SOX Act was passed in 2002 to protect shareholders and the general public from fraudulent corporate practices and improve corporate disclosures’ accuracy. Even though the act does not specify how an organization should store records, it does define which documents should be stored and for how long. The SOX Act primarily applies to public corporations.

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

The PCI DSS is a set of regulations geared toward organizations that process, store, and transmit credit card data. It lays out requirements to ensure that all credit card-related data is handled securely.

International Standards Organization (ISO) 27001

ISO/IEC 27001 is an Information security management standard that outlines how business entities should manage risk related to cybersecurity threats. Defined within the ISO 27001 standard are data security guidelines and requirements intended to protect an organization’s data assets from unauthorized access or loss. The ISO/IEC 27001 is not a piece of legislation in the sense that the GDPR is. It is rather a standard that helps businesses comply with regulations such as the GDPR cost-effectively.

Data security best practices

Data security is a complex concept that includes a variety of practices and processes working together like a well-oiled machine. The data security strategy within the organization depends on its size, IT infrastructure, resources, and several other variables. However, a few data security solutions can be applied in any organization.

Access management and controls

Access management and controls help organizations set rules for who has access to networks, systems, files, and various accounts within the digital ecosystem. Proper access management and control integration can significantly shrink the potential attack surface area.

Employee education

One of the leading causes of data breaches is human error. The obvious counter is education. For an organization that wishes to be successful security-wise, a team that is aware of the risks that might be faced and how they would be handled is crucial.

Password management

Weak, reused, or old passwords also play a significant role in data breaches. It’s understandable because today, an average person needs about 100 passwords – leading to reliance on the same easy-to-remember passwords for multiple accounts. Ensuring that each one is unique and complex is impossible without help from technology. Password managers are tools designed to help individuals and organizations create strong passwords, securely store them, and access them whenever there’s a need. Today’s business password managers improve organizational security as a whole and spur productivity with handy features such as autofill and autosave.

Cloud data security

Many organizations rely on cloud technologies to carry out daily operations. While cloud technology offers significant benefits, it simultaneously opens up additional security risks. Misconfigured cloud technology services can lead to data leaks and breaches. Therefore, you must take action to ensure that any cloud apps you use are properly configured to limit potential risks and prepare a robust cloud security strategy for your company.

Data encryption

As discussed earlier, data encryption is a way to secure information within databases and servers by making it unreadable without the decryption key. Encryption is essential to overall data security and should always be employed.

Data loss prevention and backups

These days, most business-related information is stored in databases. The data they contain may be customer records, credit card details, or internal company documents. Backing up data protects the organization from accidental data loss or corruption. Regularly scheduled backups can also help in the case of a ransomware attack because the backups could be used to restore the affected data.

Incident response and disaster recovery plans

An incident response plan is an organization’s systemic approach to managing a security-related event. Usually, such plans are purpose-built to address malware attacks, data breaches, unauthorized network intrusions, and other cybersecurity-related events. With a comprehensive incident response plan, the organization has a clear pathway to mitigating a cyber attack in a swift and coordinated manner.

A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is focused on broader business continuity and recovery efforts in the face of major disasters: natural catastrophes, power outages, or system failures. DRP encompasses a more extensive range of scenarios than IRP, often including data backup and redundancy, a proactive cybersecurity approach, alternate work locations, and comprehensive recovery procedures.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication is a method that requires two or more authentication factors such as additional passwords, PINs, passphrases, tokens, geographical locations, or biometric data. In the business world, multi-factor authentication provides the highest level of security required by GDPR or HIPAA regulations. MFA works like a safety net and can save an organization a lot of trouble and money if login credentials to corporate accounts are breached. In most cases, cyber crooks are not able to obtain extra authentication factors.

It seems only reasonable to ask for extra proof of identity online. However, many individuals and companies rely solely on one layer of security. The reason may be a common misconception that MFA is difficult to adopt, especially in a corporate environment where it has to be incorporated into existing IT infrastructure. In reality, advanced password management tools like NordPass can smooth the whole process and make the adoption of multi-layered security easy like a piece of cake.

Email security

For many, emails are their main work tool. No wonder so many corporate secrets get into the wrong hands through carefully crafted phishing emails. Cybercrooks bend over backward to make their fraudulent attempts look legit. Luckily, some measures enhance company email security.

First of all, well-trained employees who are aware of various types of cybercrime are less likely to risk the company’s safety by clicking random links or acting in haste. Second, corporate-wide solutions like multi-factor authentication, encrypted VPN, or email masking create further layers of security, contributing to the overall safety of an organization. Finally, the random and complex passwords stored in an encrypted vault are the solid foundation of email security and should never be underestimated.

How NordPass Business can help

As mentioned, weak, old, or reused passwords are often the cause of a data breach. Password fatigue is a major factor that leads people to use weak and easy-to-remember passwords across multiple accounts. However, password fatigue can be mitigated with the help of a corporate password manager.

NordPass Business is purpose-built to improve organizational security and take a load off employees when creating and remembering passwords. Keep all your business passwords, credit cards, and other sensitive information in a single encrypted vault and securely access it whenever you need. Thanks to company-wide settings present in NordPass Business, you can set password policies across your organization. And with the help of the Admin Panel, access management is easier than ever.

NordPass Business is ISO/IEC 27001:2017 certified and has received the SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, making it a critical security tool for companies striving to meet GDPR and HIPAA compliance standards.

Try NordPass Business with the 14-day free trial and enjoy improved productivity and security within your organization.

 

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.