Today’s world is dominated by social networks. It’s no secret that social networks allow people to share information privately and to communicate with their friends. Over two billion people use some form of social network every day. Nevertheless, issues related to maintaining the privacy and security of a user’s information can emerge, especially when the uploaded content is multimedia, such as photos, videos, or audio. A file that is uploaded to a social networking site can be transmitted almost instantly and virally.
WHAT IS A SOCIAL NETWORK SERVICE
Social Network Services (SNS) link people with similar interests, backgrounds, and activities. SNSs allow their users to make new friends and expand their social networks. Besides sharing data, users can also share videos, photos, and activities on social networks. The popularity of SNS such as Twitter and Facebook has skyrocketed in recent years. Users generate profiles through these services and communicate with their friends, family, and colleagues through communication mechanisms.
HISTORY OF SOME SOCIAL NETWORKS ATTACKS
Hacker Peace exploited the passwords of 117 million LinkedIn users via a massive cyberattack in 2012. The same hackers reared their heads again when the dust settled from the first attack, new protocols were put in place and public awareness had all but passed. Almost five years later, the “Peace” group released the stolen password information of the same LinkedIn users affected by the earlier hack.
Since millions (in the case of Facebook, billions) of users’ data are floating around the internet, it is apparent that social media platforms need to ensure tight security. The company has reported receiving more than 600,000 security hack attempts a day at least. The NSA on their part says they are the target of 300 million hack attempts daily.
WHAT IS SOCIAL NETWORK SECURITY
Social Networking is the use of internet based social media applications to stay connected with peers and family. The most popular social media networks in the world are:
Social network security refers to the idea of securing and protecting these social networking sites. These platforms have the personal information and sensitive data of the users. So it is necessary to take essential measures to maintain security checks on these social networks.
COMMON SOCIAL MEDIA SECURITY RISKS
Unmonitored Social Media Accounts
If you are not going to use all of your brand’s social media channels right away, it is a good idea to reserve the handles. Thus, people will be able to find you across a variety of networks, maintaining a consistent presence. But it’s important not to neglect accounts you haven’t used yet, you haven’t used recently, or don’t use for a very long time. Hackers may post fraudulent messages under your name using unmonitored social accounts.
Human Error
It is human nature to make mistakes. Almost anyone can expose the company to a cyber threat, especially in today’s busy world. An EY survey found that employee weakness accounted for 20% of cyberattacks. It only takes one wrong click or download to cause havoc. Additionally, taking some online tests and challenges may pose problems. Employees can make social media security issues worse by completing them.
Third Party Applications
It’s great to lock down your social media accounts. Despite this, hackers could still gain access to secure social media through vulnerabilities in third-party apps. The International Olympic Committee’s Twitter accounts were accessed by hackers recently. Using an analytics app from a third-party, they got in. The same hackers targeted FC Barcelona as well.
Phishing Attacks
Information security risks emanate from phishing scams on social media. To commit a phishing scam, a malicious person will try to obtain private information from the target. Fake coupons, including those for big-name brands, such as Starbucks, Costco, and Bath & Body Works, are common phishing scams. Facebook users are especially susceptible to this. Your address and birthdate are crucial pieces of information that you shouldn’t give away easily, since this makes it easy for attackers to guess users’ passwords.
Malware Hacks
Hackers can do tremendous harm to the reputation of a brand by accessing their social media accounts. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Instagram account was recently hacked by hackers. His team had to deal with the damage when they tweeted racial slurs. Hackers from OurMine attacked 15 NFL teams in January of 2020. Several accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram were also hacked.
SOCIAL NETWORK SECURITY – BEST PRACTISES
It is necessary for users to keep a set of basic safety tips in mind, which are easy to remember and highly effective, to make the best use of social networking.
- Try to manage your privacy settings. They will help you manage your social media accounts in a positive way.
- You may want to think twice before posting pictures of yourself that you would not want your parents to see. Recruiters reject 70% of candidates after finding information about them online, according to research.
- Don’t share too many things on your social media account, whether it is real or fake.
- Don’t give out too much personal information on social networking sites.
- Update your operating system, web browser, and other software.
- You should report an individual who harasses or threatens you to the site administrator, remove them from your friend list, and block them.
- Passwords should contain letters, numbers, and special characters (such as +, @, #, or $).
- It is possible to receive links that seem to originate from friends but contain harmful software or are part of a phishing attack. Avoid clicking any links if you have any suspicions.
- A friend’s account should never be taken at face value, so it is imperative to verify its authenticity.
- Passwords can be stolen if they are used across multiple platforms with one sign-on.
In today’s world the ability to connect globally is considered a very good thing. People have been using social media sites for the last decade, but it very recently got fresh hype during the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. As you find and make your connections on the different platforms, you should be very careful in protecting your digital presence, as it can be harmed by anyone if your presence is highlighted anywhere. So, feel free to use every social media site; however be sure to keep these necessary practices in mind.