I just got an alert from Capital One that my Social Security number is posted on the dark web — should I be worried? Yes, and here’s what to do

How worried should you be if your data is on the dark web?

Finding out that your information has been compromised doesn’t sit well. However, it's not necessarily a cause for panic as just about everyone who does business has had their details posted on the dark web.

In 2015, Jay Jacobs, an analyst working on data breach reporting for Verizon, estimated that as many as 60% to 80% of all Social Security numbers in the U.S. had been compromised. That was before massive breaches like the Equifax data leak in 2017, which resulted in 147 million people having their information stolen.

However, having your information on the dark web does not necessarily mean your identity will be stolen. It just means that you're at a greater risk of it happening, and you should follow the best practices to avoid identity theft.

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What should you do to avoid identity theft?

The good news is that there are many ways to ensure your data can't be misused, even if hackers can find it on the dark web.

You should always ensure that you:

Use secure passwords that are hard for people to guess Turn on two-factor authentication when possible so you can't sign into accounts without inputting your password and a code sent to your phone or email Check your credit regularly at AnnualCreditReport.com to watch for unfamiliar accounts or inquiries you don't recognize Or consider freezing your credit, which would mean no one can open an account in your name since your credit can't be checked until you unfreeze it

These steps can be a hassle, but much less a burden than dealing with identity theft. If you notice suspicious activity, you can report it to the credit reporting agencies and take swift action by locking down your accounts.

There are also services available that monitor your credit for you, but in most cases, paying for them is unnecessary as you can do the monitoring yourself.

While you should also be careful about which companies you give your personal details to, the reality is that it's often large, reputable businesses that are victimized by data breaches — and these are businesses that you can't avoid, like Equifax and National Public Data.

Your best bet is to implement the tips above and hope that criminals are so overwhelmed with all the Social Security numbers on the dark web that they never make yours their target.