Billions of people around the world use social media sites regularly these days. Hackers know this and are continually looking to such networking spots to launch attacks and prey on vulnerable people and organizations.
As such, whether you’re an active member of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or another service, you’re at risk of a cybercriminal attack. To help you protect yourself and your data, it pays to read up on social media security threats.
Phishing
Phishing is one of the most common social engineering attacks. This name refers to a strategy where hackers use deceptive emails and websites to obtain people’s personal information. There are different tactics, but cybercriminals generally either send out emails purporting to be from reputable sources, or they create sensational “clickbait” headlines and articles on social media sites to get people to click on links.Check this out: How to Get More Twitter Followers in 2020 – Influencive
The issue with these communications is that the emails and links contain malware and viruses, or send people to bogus websites that try to trick them into inputting personal information or clicking on more links filled with more malicious content.
Many phishing schemes on social media sites are created around current events, disasters, tax season, or even things like supposed celebrity deaths or other fictional scandalous stories. Most phishing strategies involve manipulations across numerous steps, and they’re generally very effective at making content seem relevant, interesting, and real to potential victims.
Account Cloning
Another issue that crops up often on social media is the prevalence of fake accounts. Hackers develop fraudulent social media accounts designed to appear to be from a real person (or even organization). This is quite a sophisticated tactic and often occurs on Facebook. It involves cybercriminals researching target accounts and then, typically, sending friend requests to the acquaintances of the person whose account is being cloned.
The idea is that if these people confirm the friend requests, they’ll legitimize the new fake account. At this point, hackers begin using a phishing attack, forwarding messages to the unwitting contacts, and asking them to click on links or view articles. When they do, their security is compromised.
Profile Hijacking
In the case of profile hijacking, rather than copying a social media account, cybercriminals seize control of an original one. They then use this account for their own nefarious purposes. Hackers regularly target dormant accounts, where people create a page and then don’t post much on it, or don’t come back to it for a long time.
Many people learn of the takeover by friends who mention receiving a strange message out of the blue from them. When this happens, original account users can generally find ways to take back control by taking advantage of the different security measures social media firms have in place, such as password or email address changes. However, in the meantime, hackers can still take advantage of you, your contacts, your brand, and potentially your customers, too, if it’s a business account.
Hacks of Third-Party Applications
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably granted many different third-party applications access to your personal information over the years, including social media apps and those related to the networking sites. The problem with apps is that it’s easy to lose track of which ones you use, and the permissions granted often leave you more vulnerable to a hacker attack.
Cybercriminals break into these apps to steal information (many apps don’t have enough security measures in place), or they design apps intended to look authentic and helpful but are merely there as a rouse instead. An example was a technical flaw exploited in the Twitter Counter app a few years back.
The popular tool for analyzing Twitter followers got hacked, and numerous official Twitter accounts, including those belonging to Forbes and Amnesty International, were accessed. The cybercriminals involved Tweeted Nazi-related messages and graphics from the broken-into accounts.
Stay Safe
The above are just a few of the common social media security threats. Others include fraudulent chain messages, quizzes designed to obtain personal information, and Facebook scams enticing users to click links to fill out surveys or install extensions to learn who has viewed their profile.
It’s vital, then, to be aware of these practices so you can steer clear of them. Stay safe by installing comprehensive internet security products onto your devices. That way, hackers have less chance of getting into your accounts and other systems. Use quality passwords everywhere, not just on social media sites but also on your email account, modem, and computer hardware.
Open messages and click on links cautiously, and keep up to date on new scams as they develop. Trust your instincts and research online for news of potential threats when your gut tells you that an invitation, message, or content doesn’t seem quite right.
You’re responsible for your own digital security, so be smart about how you operate online. Being proactive and learning as much as possible can go a long way to keeping your data safe.