What many don't realize is that their personal data is highly valuable  There is no end to what someone can do with your personal data. They can make purchases with your money-with your payment details, use your streeming account for entertainment with your email address or even receive free medical care using your social securlitly number. This is why the personal data market exists on the Dark Web. If a cybercriminal manages to access enough data, they can make thousands, even millions, by selling it on the Dark Web. There are thousands of individuals who use it for their own benefit, and this market is only getting bigger over time. You might wonder how these criminal dark web sellers get their hands on personal data. This is often done via 'data breaches of large organizations. After a cybercriminal infiltrlates a data base and steals large amounts of data, they often head to the dark web to sell off individual bits or large chunks of the harbored data to users on the dark web. For example; a criminal could hack a shopping website to access email addresses or a health insurance company to find social security numbers. Whatever way these hacks are carried out, they can be a potential goldmine for sellers and buyers alike. Once an individual's date is put up for sale on the dark web, it is increadibly difficult to get it removed. Most people have no idea that their data is being sold in this way until it's too late. This is why data breaches can be so dangerous. Cloned credit and debit cards are also up for grabs on the dark web. These are illegal copies of legitimate cards that can be used to make purchases with someone else's money  These are especially valuable if a PIN is also provided. Email addresses are also a hot commodity on the dark web, as the payoff can be huge if the hacked account is storing a lot of crypto. Because of this , crypto exchange accounts are among the most expensive kind of data available for purchase on the dark web. Another pricier product on the dark web market is Malware. Malware is a kind of software used by cybercriminals to hack devices and gain access to hoards of sensitive information which can then be exploited. Of course you can't buy malware at your local tech store. You need to head to more illicit sources to do this, and the dark web is a top candidate, offering things like malware-as-a-service. There are a range of other kinds of data available on the dark web, including driving licenses, social media logins, and even home addresses. Dark web users know how that using any kind of traditional payment method can immediately identify them and potentially get them in legal trouble. So they turn to crypto. Cryptocurrency is a common payment method on the dark web because it provides buyers with anonymity. This illicit use of cryptocurrency contributes to the popular misconception that it's used mostly for illegal activity. It is becoming easier for cybercriminals to access personal data in a number of ways. And as we continue to entrust our sensitive information to more sites and companies, we increase the risk of our data being stolen through large-scale breaches. There's really no knowing just how big the personal data market will get on the dark web. All we can do is stay vigilant and try to keep our data as safe as possible.    - KATE REES - Staff Writer at MUO -