We often use various apps for different purposes, such as online shopping, food delivery, and grocery delivery. These apps require personal information like name, address, phone number, and date of birth supposedly for better service delivery. Companies usually store their customers' personal data on their servers.
Cybercriminals constantly attempt to steal data from these servers as it holds value on the dark web. Other companies may also exploit this data to target their products and services to these individuals.
Currently, in India, there is no law to protect personal data or hold these companies accountable. This means that there is a high chance that your personal data might be available on the dark web. If you're receiving a lot of spam calls and wondering where these callers got your personal information, you can use Google's Dark Web Report to check if your data is available on the dark web.
Google’s Dark Web Report scans the dark web to find your personal information and shows you potential sources from where your data could have leaked. Here’s how you can check your personal information on the dark web.
How to scan the dark web for your email address, personal information
It is worth noting that you must be signed in to your Google Account to use this feature.
- 1. Sign in to your Google One app or search Google One dark web report on Google Search
- 2. Go to one.google.com.
Dark web scan
- 3. Click "Try now" under "Dark web report".
- 4. Click "Run scan".
Dark web scan
- 5. If Google finds your information on the dark web, click ‘view all results’ to view potential sources of data breach.
Dark web scan
Meanwhile, Android allows for the side loading of apps and also permits the installation of third-party marketplace apps on the system. Unfortunately, users are sometimes tricked into installing malicious apps. Google, the operating system's parent company, is aware of this issue and has developed a way to assist users in scanning for malicious apps on their smartphones. We have a guide on how to scan for malicious apps on an Android smartphone.
ALSO READ: How to delete your WhatsApp account? A step-by-step guide
