Social media is a double-edged sword. Thus, it is crucial to have cybersecurity in social media. But how would you do that?
Social media has become a huge part of people’s lives. It has clearly redefined how we obtain information and interact with others. Moreover, the isolation brought by the pandemic has pushed people to use social media platforms more often. However, hackers have seen this as an opportunity to compromise more data.
Practicing cybersecurity in social media is important, especially in the times we’re living in. Here are some practices you can follow to secure your social media accounts.
Think before you share
It does not necessarily mean that only your friends and family can see what you share on social media. Depending on your account settings, anyone and everyone can see what you post. Moreover, they may also see the posts you’re tagged in, groups you are a part of or interests you follow.
Cybercriminals often use publicly accessible social media information to tailor their attacks. Moreover, they may target any employee as an entry point for a corporate-level attack.
Common social media sharing mistakes include:
- Workplace photos that expose details about your employer (e.g. ID badge, log-in details can be seen on sticky notes in a photo)
- Personal posts (a new car photo in front of your home, driver’s license)
- Geolocation-enabled photos may let criminals when your home is empty
- Social media platforms may require having a phone number or email address for security purposes. However, make sure that the setting won’t expose your account.
Use passphrases
Passwords are your accounts’ first line of cybersecurity in social media. Yet, password cracking software keeps on evolving so what we considered a strong password before may not suffice in keeping us secure.
Consider using passphrases. The rule of thumb here is the more complex and unusual are they, the harder it will be to crack. Passphrases are a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Moreover, it is important that you use unique passwords in each of your accounts. Use a reputable password manager so you won’t have a hard time remembering them.
Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security. Additionally, keep your apps updated to ensure that you are secure from the latest threats. Delete any accounts that you no longer regularly use to prevent hackers from leveraging them to access other linked accounts.
Beware of Cyberpropaganda
Fake news and misinformation are everywhere on social media. They have even become a service offered in the underground marketplace. Hence, we must take steps to avoid falling victim or being a part of the problem. Before clicking or sharing, check the sources of the links first.
Here are some ways to verify if a post is real:
- See if reputable media outlets report that news story. If it is real news, more than one media outlet is covering it.
- Apply the same principles you use in protecting yourself from phishing. Are letters in the URL replaced with similar characters?
- Check the quality of the post. Are there real comments? Moreover, spelling and grammar mistakes may not be a good sign.
- Be cautious of clickbait headlines using exaggerated terms.
- Practice the concept of Zero Trust. You never know if your friend or another organization may have fallen victim to fake news.
