Social media is a great way to expand your business, stay in touch with family and friends, and learn more about the world around you. Today, over two billion people use social media, which means it’s a hotcake for personal and business data. As such, it is a prime target for hackers and other cybercriminals.
One of the reasons cybercrime targeted on social media accounts has been prevalent in recent years is that users are unaware of the hidden security risk of social media security. Besides, many users are still negligent of security protocols.
Here are some of the hidden security risks of social media you need to be aware of:
1. Lack Of KYC Verification
Know Your Customer (KYC) is a process that helps companies verify the identity of their customers so they can better understand who they’re doing business with and what kind of risk they may be taking on. KYC’s verification cannot be understated, and it’s crucial for security, compliance, and fraud prevention.
KYC is critical for security in social media because it helps verify each account user. This can help prevent ghost and pseudo accounts that people can use to monitor others. For example, without KYC, a private Instagram viewer can spy on your account without your knowledge of who they are.
2. Social Media Spying
Social media spying is a type of hacking that involves using social media platforms to access your personal information. Social media spying can be as simple as reading your posts, or it could be more invasive and involve accessing private messages, photos, and videos from your account. For instance, some apps can see private accounts on Instagram, which means someone could be stalking you even when you restrict your account.
This type of spying is motivated by financial gains, such as stealing credit card numbers or bank details, and for political manipulation to influence elections. Social media espionage can even have serious implications for national security. Imagine what would happen if terrorists were able to hack into the accounts of government officials and obtain classified information.
3. Social Engineering
Social engineering is manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information by gaining user trust by either acting as an individual with authorized access or impersonating a trusted entity, such as a social media administrator. In other words, social engineers try to convince you that they’re someone they’re not.
They do this by sending messages from fake accounts designed to look legitimate, sending attachments containing malware or links that lead to malware, and using automated phone calls and text messages. Most users tend to fall for this type of attack, especially when they inquire about a business on social media.
4. Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are a way for hackers to steal your personal information such as login details, passwords, or credit card numbers by impersonating a trustworthy organization. It happens when you receive an email that directs you to a link that looks like part of the company’s website, like the login page. However, it will take you somewhere else, where all your data will be stolen and used for malicious purposes.
A hacker can send thousands of messages to social media users through private messages and emails. When users click on these links, they risk giving the hacker access to their social media accounts. Although most social media platforms will require an extra layer of protection, such as a code to access the account, there are cases where hackers can still gain access. In such a case, you may lose your account forever. That's why it's important to ensure email security by setting up DMARC.
5. Malicious Apps
Malicious apps are a serious threat to your social media security. These can be used to steal your personal information, spy on your account, or infect your device with malware. These apps can come from any source, including social media pages, your browser pages, or any other entry point on your device.
Therefore, you should be careful when downloading apps from third-party app stores. These app stores have less stringent rules than the official app stores, allowing questionable apps on their platforms. Moreover, check out an app’s reviews before installing it on your phone. When browsing for new games and tools for productivity and other legitimate reasons, check out what other people say about these apps’ functionality and how secure they are before installing them.
Conclusion
Whenever you sign up for a new service, think about the kind of information it asks from you. If you don’t want to share your data with a third party, don’t. Remember to be careful about what information you post on social media. No one wants their home address to be publicly available. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when in doubt, don’t give it out.
