Make cybersecurity a priority to safely navigate social media

posted by Ben Hayden on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 in SHAZAM Blog

Someone once said, “Passwords are like underwear; change them often, don’t share them, and don’t leave them out for others to see”……meaning, if you write it down, don’t leave it in plain view on a post-it note. Better yet, use a secure password management tool.

As we find more ways to socialize online, be mindful that with every social media account you sign up for, every picture posted and status updated, you are sharing information with the world — and hackers who want to gain access to your social media accounts. We have some simple cybersecurity rules to offer your institution and accountholders to keep social online accounts safe.

So, why would a hacker want your account when it’s filled with photos of your dog or recent community events? First and foremost, it’s a legitimate account. Social media platforms delete billions of fake accounts every year. Bad guys steal real accounts, like yours, and sell them on the black market where buyers can use them to spread propaganda or to extort and scam money from unsuspecting victims. Victims who may be in your social media friends list.

Use these simple cybersecurity rules to protect yourself and others, and to confidently and safely navigate social media:

• Use separate and complex passwords for each social media platform, and all online accounts. Change these passwords often as hackers buy and sell stolen password lists on the dark web.
   
• Make sure you understand the account password recovery and reset services. If a hacker gains access to your account, one of the first things they’ll attempt to do is reset the password. If the platform offers some form of multi-factored authentication, such as a text message approval, use it wherever possible.
   
• Be leery of private messages, even if sent from a colleague or friend. Follow the adage of trust through verification. Call or text the person to verify it’s them contacting you. Use the phone number from your contacts list and not the one provided in the message. If you don’t have their number, do you really need to be in communication with them over social media platforms? Probably not.
   
• Don’t overshare information. Hackers can utilize information you post on social media platforms in complex social engineering attacks against you.

Share these cybersecurity tips to help protect your financial institution, employees and accountholders. As more and more employees are working from home or sending and receiving emails from their personal devices, the further we open ourselves to increased risk at work. Hackers often use attacks against a single employee as a means to gain access to an entire organization. Don’t be that pathway for the attackers. Make cybersecurity a priority today.

If you do become a victim, contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to report the online crime.

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SHAZAM, Inc. and ITS, Inc. provide this blog for general informational purposes only. Our blog may be shared by a direct link wherein the content remains as originally presented and has not been altered. SHAZAM, Inc. and ITS, Inc. assume no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents on the blog. By using this blog, reader agrees that the information published does not constitute nor is a substitute for legal advice which should only be sought from a qualified, licensed attorney. 

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