What Is a Dark Web Scan? Your Complete Guide for 2025 by Christopher Owolabi
Christopher Owolabi
Updated on: May 6, 2025
Fact-checked by Sam Boyd
Dark web scans check dark web sites, forums, and breach databases for personal information. They can alert you if your credit card details, passwords, ID numbers, or other sensitive data are compromised. Left unaddressed, these leaks could be used to take out loans in your name, wipe out your bank accounts, or even steal your identity.
Free on-demand dark web scanners can successfully find leaked information, but they have limitations. They often only check email breaches and don’t have access to as much data as paid tools. Equally critical, they only look for your data when you run a scan. This means that unless you’re incredibly proactive, you might not learn about a leak involving your personal information until it’s too late. Premium dark web monitoring services provide broader and more continuous coverage. Some, like Norton, even have dedicated employees who scour the dark web looking for breached information.
I’ll discuss how dark web scans work, cover their benefits, limitations, and more. If you want to add dark web monitoring to your cybersecurity plan, Norton is a great option.
How Do Dark Web Scans Work?
Dark web scanners (sometimes called data breach scanners) cross-reference information you submit with databases compiling dark web leaks. The best free services (like Have I Been Pwned) use public breach data and posts in dark web communities. You provide the information you want to be checked (usually an email address), and the scan will return results showing if, when, and how it was leaked.
Why Do I Need Dark Web Scanning?
When a dark web scan alerts you to breaches involving your personal information, you’ll be more likely to respond to it. Without regular dark web scans, you won’t know if your data is being traded on shady platforms until a cybercriminal has used it against you. At this point, you may have lost money or had your identity stolen.
Even if you’ve never visited the dark web, I recommend running frequent scans or subscribing to a dark web monitoring service. Even if you use the internet irregularly and only visit the most trustworthy sites, your data may still be on the dark web.
For example, hackers breached Canva in May 2019 and stole over 130 million users’ private information. If you used Canva before that date, hackers likely leaked your personal information, too.
If you reuse a password associated with a breached account, a hacker could easily get into your other accounts, even if they weren’t directly breached. With that level of access, a cybercriminal can cause all kinds of damage, from compromising those accounts to stealing your entire identity.
Given the huge number of data breaches occurring yearly, most internet users have been affected by them. In the best case, your email or name may have leaked, and that’s it. In the worst case, you could lose access to several accounts through password leaks and have your identity stolen. You can minimize the damage and potentially avoid it altogether by setting up dark web monitoring or running regular scans.
Dark Web Scanning vs. Monitoring: What’s the Difference?
Dark web scanning is a one-time check for your data on the dark web. Dark web monitoring, on the other hand, runs continuously and alerts you if your info shows up later. It’s essentially automated, ongoing scanning.
You can set up dark web monitoring and forget about it, only to be notified if your information is found in a breach. The best monitoring services also look for more types of personal information (such as credit card numbers) and have access to broader databases.
Here’s a more general outlook on the differences between the two processes:
Overall, dark web scans are useful, but limited. They don’t catch everything, and usually only work if you run them yourself. Ongoing monitoring offers better protection (but isn’t free).
Luckily, many dark web monitoring services come bundled with top internet security suites.
When Should You Scan the Dark Web?
You should run periodic dark web scans. Ideally, you shouldn’t wait until you see signs of a data leak before scanning. Data is leaked and published on the dark web all the time, but it can take a while before hackers act on the information.
Here’s when you should scan the dark web for your personal information:
- At regular intervals. Doing dark web scans on a monthly or (even better) weekly basis gives you the peace of mind that your data is safe. From here, you can continue implementing efficient data security practices to stay safe.
- After a general leak. Run a scan if a service you’re using (or have used in the past) suffers a breach. If you hear about a major leak in the news, I recommend running a scan.
- After big life changes. Getting a new job or taking out a mortgage? A quick dark web scan checks that none of the private data you submitted ended up in the wrong place.
- Suspicious account activity. If you notice suspicious credit card activity or find account break-in attempts, scan the dark web. Of course, this could be due to other factors, such as poor password habits or leaked credentials. Even so, it doesn’t hurt to rule out a dark web leak (you can also adopt better password habits with a good password manager).
What Leaks Can Dark Web Scans Reveal?
Depending on the tool used, dark web scans can reveal leaks involving your financial information, insurance, passwords, home address, and other personal data. Generally, free tools like Have I Been Pwned only check for leaked emails and passwords, while the best dark web monitoring services can scan for full names, bank account numbers, social media usernames, ID numbers, social security numbers, and more. Here’s an overview of what a comprehensive scan might turn up:
- Financial information.
- Email address.
- Home address.
- Social security number.
- Phone numbers.
- Confidential health information.
- IDs.
- Passwords.
How to Run a Dark Web Scan
Though it doesn’t offer as much security or peace of mind as signing up for a monitoring service, running a dark web scan is something you can do right now. Whether you use Have I Been Pwned or another tool, using a dark web scanner is very simple.
Here’s how to run a scan with Norton’s free breach checker:
- Go to Norton’s website, then find and click on the Free Tools button at the bottom of the page (it’s under the About heading).
Note: The Free Tools section is only available in certain regions. If you don’t see a Free Tools section, you can use a VPN and connect to a country like the USA to have the button appear.
- On the page showing Norton’s free tools, scroll down and find the email breach scanner.
- Depending on which country you’re connecting from, you may be sent to Norton’s LifeLock website. Either way, you’ll find Norton’s free email scanner. Enter your email address, affirm that you’re not a robot, and click See my result.
- View the results and take the necessary actions to secure your privacy.
How to Set Up Dark Web Monitoring
If you opt for the extra security afforded by a dark web monitoring service, you will need to do a bit of setup, but it doesn’t take long. Again, I’ll use Norton as an example, but the process is similar to other services. Here’s a quick setup guide using my preferred tool:
- Sign up for a Norton plan that includes dark web monitoring.
- Download and install Norton on your device.
- Follow the new user tour and you’ll be directed to the web dashboard. Here, you’ll be prompted to set up dark web monitoring.
- Enter the information you want to monitor. Norton can constantly monitor your IDs, insurance information, credit card details, and more.
- If any breaches are detected, review them and take action.
- From now on, Norton will alert you to additional breaches via email, notifications in the app, and on the web dashboard.
Quick Summary of the Best Dark Web Monitors in 2025
Can You Do a Dark Web Scan for Free?
You can do a free dark web scan using tools like Have I Been Pwned. However, these searches aren’t as detailed as what you’ll get with a premium scanner — it may lead to a false sense of security.
Fortunately, you can get dark web monitoring without paying too much. Generally, it’s bundled with additional services like identity theft insurance, VPNs, antiviruses, and more.
Options like Norton 360 constantly scrape private and protected dark web pages for your sensitive information. You’ll even get coverage for your family members. Furthermore, Norton provides expert assistance in the event of ID theft and serious breaches. And unlike most options, Norton uses human agents as well as algorithms to scour the dark web.
Did Your Dark Web Scan Identify Leaks?
It’s not all bad news if a dark web scan shows compromised data. Just because something has leaked doesn’t necessarily mean cybercriminals have acted on it. That said, it’s best to assume the worst and act fast.
Here are some guidelines and steps you can take to reduce or mitigate the damage of dark web leaks:
Prioritize the Right Things
Every leak is important, but some leaks are more important than others. For instance, if your credit card information and gamer tag leak, secure your financial data before getting a new gamer tag. Comb through the dark web scan report and tackle the leaks in order of severity.
Change Your Passwords
You should change every password for any compromised account. It’s also a good idea to change passwords associated with email addresses involved in breaches.
If you reuse passwords, change the leaked password everywhere you’ve used it. I recommend a good password manager. Using one will make it easier to generate and deploy uncrackable passwords.
Some password managers even have built-in dark web monitoring that covers your passwords, email addresses, and more. For the best chance of managing a quick response to a leaked password, use 1Password or another password manager with dark web monitoring.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Setting up multi-factor or two-factor authentication (2FA) makes it impossible for hackers to access your accounts even if they have your password. They’ll also need a second factor, such as a code sent to your email, phone, or physical key.
Secure Your Finances
Locking your credit is crucial if certain sensitive data types appear in a dark web scan. For example, someone with your Social Security Number or a copy of your ID could cause serious financial harm. You don’t want someone taking out loans in your name, opening a fresh bank account, or maxing out a new credit card they applied for with your details.
Some dark web monitoring services, like Norton and McAfee, can initiate credit freezes for you. That makes it easier to lock down your accounts in a few clicks after they’ve informed you of a breach.
After freezing your credit, change all your online banking login details, then call your bank. You should also contact your credit card provider to learn what steps to take next.
Finally, cancel any cards that have had their numbers leaked. This should be possible via your online banking portal or over the phone.
Recover Your Identity
Recovering your identity is necessary in an extensive breach where the hacker has already taken over your accounts. This won’t always be the case, but it’s good to prepare yourself.
In addition to all the tips above, get an identity management and recovery service to speed things along. Norton’s top plans, for example, will help victims of identity theft recover. You can even get up to $3 million in compensation with the top LifeLock plan.
Signs of a Dark Web Leak
If you don’t have dark web monitoring set up, it might not be obvious that your data has leaked on the dark web. In other cases, you’ll get clear signs. Here are some signs to look out for:
- Your passwords don’t work. If you can’t get into one of your accounts, it’s possible your password leaked, and someone changed it.
- You receive emails about new device logins. This is a sign that someone has taken control of an account, possibly because of a dark web leak.
- You receive emails about passwords being reset. If someone has access to your email, they can use it to get passwords to your various accounts.
- Friends or contacts get scam messages from your accounts. Hackers often use breached accounts to spread phishing links.
- There are unauthorized charges on your credit or debit cards. Financial details may have been stolen and sold.
- You start getting targeted phishing emails or texts. These are often based on leaked personal data. For example, they might mention your address or the names of family members if those were leaked.
Protecting Yourself From Dark Web Leaks
Don’t wait until a dark web scan shows your information before moving against leaks. Follow the tips below to reduce your chances of becoming a victim in the first place:
- Adopt best password practices. Use randomized passwords and never reuse passwords across your accounts. This can be a challenge since remembering dozens of passwords that aren’t easily guessed is impossible for most people. Thankfully, you can generate, store, and auto-fill strong passwords across all devices with a password manager like 1Password.
- Activate MFA. Two-factor authentication is the simplest form of MFA you can activate. That alone gives you the added peace of mind that it takes more than your passwords to breach your accounts.
- Avoid public or free Wi-Fi. Not all free or public Wi-Fi networks are encrypted. Some are outright malicious, giving hackers a high level of access to your activity. If you access sensitive sites while on a malicious network, this can be a huge problem. If you must use public Wi-Fi, consider doing so with a VPN like ExpressVPN.
- Stay alert against phishing. Never click suspicious links, even if they appear to come from a trusted source. You should also never divulge information such as your one-time passwords (OTPs) or login information to anyone online. The best antiviruses come with excellent phishing protection.
- Keep your family informed. It’s possible that a serious leak could affect your entire family as well. Let them know if you suspect their information could have leaked. Some password managers (like NordPass) even let you monitor family members’ information.
- Set up monitoring. Hackers don’t always act on data leaks. If you’re informed as soon as a leak is noticed, you can secure your accounts before anyone acts on the leak.
Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean when you get a dark web alert?
A dark web alert could indicate that your credentials have been found in a data dump, a leaked database, or a dark web site or forum. In this case, it’s best to quickly secure compromised accounts and take appropriate measures to limit or eliminate your exposure.
How do I remove my data from the dark web?
You can’t. Many dark web sites won’t respond to requests to remove your data. Most are run by criminals, so even if you have the authorities on your side, the criminals won’t comply. However, you can report data leaks to the right authorities and secure compromised accounts to limit exposure.
Should I be worried if my information is on the dark web?
It’s understandable to be nervous, but rather than worry, secure compromised accounts and reclaim your identity. You may want to subscribe to a professional identity recovery service (like Norton LifeLock) if a large volume of your information leaks on the dark web.
Can you trust dark web scanners with your information?
You should only trust reputable dark web scanners with your information. Top companies offering dark web monitoring are safe, but there are phishing websites wanting to harvest your information and sell it to hackers. Some free scanners like Have I Been Pwned are trustworthy, but ensure you’re using the real version and not an imitator before inputting personal information.
How often should I run a dark web scan?
You should run a dark web scan as often as possible since hackers are continually trying to breach accounts. Alternatively, set up dark web monitoring to actively scan the dark web for potential leaks involving your data. Otherwise, you’d have to set a frequency for manual dark web scans and stick to it.
Are dark web scanning services worth the investment?
Dark web scanning services are worth the investment because they can save you from identity theft and financial ruin. Otherwise, hackers may use your leaked credentials on the dark web to commit sexual offenses, take out a massive loan, and leave you with debt, or do other nefarious things.
