The recent AT&T data breach, exposing the personal information of millions of current and former customers, highlights the increasing risk of online data leaks. While AT&T publicly acknowledged the breach in mid-March, some individuals, like a relative of mine, received an earlier warning thanks to Google One’s dark web monitoring feature.
This individual received a Gmail notification on March 22nd with the subject line “You have new dark web results.” The linked Google One page detailed the specific information found on the dark web, matching data from the AT&T breach. This advanced warning allowed them to take proactive steps like freezing their credit reports, updating passwords, and changing passcodes before the official announcement.
This experience underscores the value of dark web monitoring services. While Google One requires a paid subscription (starting at $20 per year), it can be shared with up to five users, each with their individual monitoring profile. The subscription also includes increased cloud storage.
Affordable Antivirus Suites with Dark Web Monitoring: Norton 360 Deluxe
Norton 360 DeluxeRead our review
Price When Reviewed: $49.99 for the first year
Best Prices Today: $19.99 at PCWorld Software Store | $49.99 at Norton
Many antivirus software suites also offer dark web monitoring. Reputable options, like our top pick Norton 360 Deluxe, track similar data to Google One. However, in my experience, Google One’s alerts have been faster.
Proactive Security Measures Beyond Dark Web Monitoring
Even without a paid monitoring service, proactive security measures are crucial. These include:
-
Strong, Unique Passwords: Mitigate credential stuffing attacks by using different passwords for each account.
-
Two-Factor Authentication: Add an extra layer of security, preventing unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.
-
Secure Security Questions: Treat security questions like secondary passwords, avoiding easily guessable answers.
Password managers can simplify these security practices. In today’s digital landscape, with data breaches becoming increasingly common, proactive security measures and tools like dark web monitoring are essential for safeguarding personal information.
