The Importance of Social Media Cybersecurity

Social media apps are a great way to connect with friends, keep in touch with your loved ones, and even present a lot of opportunity for creators, influencers, and businesses. That being said, social media can also facilitate a wide variety of cyberattacks that rely on farming personal information. This is what makes social media cybersecurity so vital for individuals and businesses alike.

By practicing social media cybersecurity you can avoid oversharing and protect yourself from threat actors who are looking to exploit any security vulnerability they can find.

If you want to test the strength of your current cybersecurity policies and strategies against industry standards and best practices, take some time to review DOT Security’s Cybersecurity Checklist: How Covered Is Your Business?

How Threat Actors Use Social Media

Threat actors leverage social media platforms in various ways to execute cyberattacks, exploiting the vast amount of personal information available and the trust users place in these networks. One common method is phishing, where attackers create fake profiles or hijack legitimate ones to send malicious links or attachments.

These messages often appear to come from trusted contacts, making recipients more likely to click on them. Once clicked, these links can lead to sites designed to steal login credentials or install malware on the user's device.

Social engineering is another tactic used by cybercriminals on social media. By studying a target's online presence, attackers gather information that can be used to craft personalized and convincing attacks. For instance, they may impersonate a friend or colleague and request sensitive information or financial transfers.

In fact, we saw this exact type of impersonation attack play out in September of 2023 when the MGM Casino Group was breached. In the incident, the IT department was duped into giving a threat-actor employee credentials after the threat-actor used LinkedIn information to convincingly impersonate the actual employee.

Beyond phishing campaigns and social engineering, threat actors also use social media to distribute malware through seemingly benign posts and advertisements. These can exploit vulnerabilities in the social media platform or the user's device to install harmful software.

Still, in some cases, attackers use social media to coordinate and launch large-scale attacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, by rallying a network of compromised devices or bots.

The pervasive nature of social media and the interconnectivity of users make it a fertile ground for spreading malicious content quickly and widely, amplifying the scale of a cyberattack.

Keeping Personal Information Private

Keeping personal information private on social media platforms is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, sharing too much personal information can make individuals prime targets for identity theft. Cybercriminals can use details such as full names, birthdates, addresses, and phone numbers to steal identities, apply for credit in someone else’s name, or commit other forms of fraud.

Even seemingly innocuous information, like the name of a pet or the street you grew up on, can be used to guess security questions and gain unauthorized access to financial accounts or personal data.

By being mindful of the content shared, users can significantly reduce the risk of both virtual and physical threats while still enjoying the connection, engagement, and community that social media can provide.

Best Practices for Social Media Cybersecurity

Now that we’ve covered a few of the ways that threat actors leverage social media to launch and execute cyberattacks, let’s review some of the best ways to avoid falling victim to a threat online when it comes to social media cybersecurity.

Join us below to review some of the most important security practices for individuals and businesses alike when operating online including:

• Multi-factor authentication
• Password updates
• Cybersecurity awareness
• Privacy setting management

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication significantly enhances social media security by adding an extra layer of protection beyond just a password. With MFA, users must provide two or more verification factors to gain access to their accounts.

These factors typically include something you know (password), something you have (a smartphone or a hardware token), or something you are (biometric verification like fingerprints or facial recognition). This makes it substantially more difficult for attackers to gain unauthorized access, as they would need more than just a compromised password.

By enabling MFA, users can protect their accounts from a wide range of cyber threats, including phishing and brute-force attacks, thereby securing their personal information and online presence.

Regular Password Updates

Regularly updating passwords is a fundamental best practice for maintaining social media security. Over time, passwords can become compromised through data breaches or cyberattacks, and using the same password across multiple sites can exacerbate this risk.

By changing passwords periodically, users can mitigate the threat of unauthorized access, even if their old passwords are exposed. It’s essential to use strong, unique passwords for each account, combining letters, numbers, and special characters to increase complexity.

Additionally, leveraging password managers can help users generate and store secure passwords, ensuring they maintain robust security across all their social media accounts. On top of this, it’s beneficial to use a more complicated passphrase that is longer, more complex, and easier to remember because it’s personalized.

Recognizing Social Engineering Online

Recognizing social engineering tactics is crucial for staying secure on social media. Users should be wary of unsolicited messages asking for personal information or urgent actions, verify the identity of senders through separate communication channels, and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown sources.

Educating oneself about common social engineering strategies and remaining vigilant can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to these manipulative attacks.

Managing Privacy Settings

Effectively managing privacy settings on social media platforms is essential for protecting personal information. Each platform offers various options to control who can see your posts, contact you, and access your profile information.

Users should regularly review and update these settings to ensure they are sharing content only with intended audiences, such as friends or specific groups, rather than the public. Limiting the visibility of personal details like email addresses, phone numbers, and location can reduce the risk of identity theft and unwanted contact.

Additionally, users should be mindful of third-party app permissions, revoking access for apps that are no longer in use or that request unnecessary information. By actively managing privacy settings, individuals can maintain greater control over their online presence and minimize exposure to potential security threats.

Wrapping Up on Social Media Cybersecurity

Social media platforms offer users a lot of fun and interesting ways to connect with one another, build community, and engage with content that they enjoy. However, it’s important to remember that not everyone online is there to be a friend.

Threat actors commonly use social media to launch and execute cyberattacks powered by the information they farm, malware they spread, or platform vulnerabilities they find. By practicing social media cybersecurity, you can avoid falling victim to a wide variety of security threats.

If you’d like to learn more about protecting yourself and your business network online, review DOT Security’s Cybersecurity Checklist: How Covered Is Your Business?