Keeping Your Data Secure While Using Social Media

Schedule Initial Consultation

The Risks of Social Media

LinkedIn and other social media platforms offer an excellent way for professionals to connect, network, and share industry insights. When used as a business tool, there are some accompanying risks that can compromise security. The most common risks include:

Phishing attacks: Cybercriminals often use various techniques to impersonate employees, clients, or higher-ups in a company in order to deceive individuals and essentially trick them into revealing sensitive information or downloading malicious content.

Data leakage: It’s easy to get carried away on social media, but oversharing on profiles can inadvertently disclose corporate details, project updates, or other data that was not meant to be shared publicly.

Malicious links: Scammers will distribute links that seem legitimate but, when clicked, will lead to websites that are infected with malware, potentially enabling unauthorized access into your corporate network.

Identity theft: False identities can be created using stolen personal information from LinkedIn profiles. Unfortunately, this can result in potential reputational damage to the individuals and their companies.

Social engineering attacks: Attackers can leverage the information that is gathered from public profiles to create personalized, convincing messages aimed at tricking employees into sharing sensitive information or granting unauthorized access.

Best Practices to Maintain and Improve Security on Social Media

Despite the risks that come with social media use, there are several common best practices that will help your business and employees maintain or improve overall security.

Regular privacy checkups: Periodically review the LinkedIn privacy settings of your business and encourage employees to do the same, ensuring the information you are sharing is only going to your intended audience. Limiting your profile visibility will help prevent unauthorized access.

Be cautious with connections: Before accepting any connection requests, verify the individual’s identity and background. If you don’t know them or the profile appears suspicious, it’s best to use caution and not connect.

Limit personal information: Do not share any sensitive data publicly on any social media platforms including contact information, home addresses, or travel plans. This information can easily be used for nefarious purposes, putting personal safety at risk.

Educate employees: Your company should conduct regular cybersecurity awareness training to educate employees about the various social media risks that will emphasize the importance of practicing caution and being vigilant to protect data. Consider implementing a platform such as KnowBe4 that can help train your organization’s last line of defense…your employees.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Wherever possible, enable MFA to add an extra layer of security and significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access to accounts and data.

Software updates: Software updates often contain crucial security patches that shield your devices from potential threats. Whether it’s your computer’s operating system, mobile apps, or even your smart devices, staying current with updates is a proactive defense strategy. Enabling automatic updates can streamline this process, ensuring you’re not inadvertently exposing yourself to security risks.

Monitor company social media accounts: If your company has official social media accounts, they should be closely monitored and controlled to prevent unauthorized posts or leaks of sensitive information.

Use strong passwords: Encourage the use of strong, unique passwords for social media accounts and other applications. For greater security (and to prevent users from tracking all of their passwords on paper), consider employing a password manager to securely keep track of multiple, complex passwords.

Make Cybersecurity a Priority with SSE

As social media continues playing a significant role in our professional lives, it’s essential to understand and address the associated risks to maintain data security and corporate integrity. With the right cybersecurity practices and employee awareness, you can minimize your potential social media risks significantly. Be cautious, remain vigilant, and implement robust security measures to safeguard both personal and corporate information from potential attacks and cybercriminals.

Make sure your business is prepared and your cybersecurity practices are the best they can be with the help of the experienced professionals at SSE. We’ve made it our business to stay up-to-date on the latest cybersecurity trends and threats, offering end-to-end solutions to keep your data secure. Contact our team today to schedule your initial consultation.