Social media was created with the intent of staying in touch with others, but it comes with nasty repercussions. It comes at significant risk to both your personal and professional security. How can you make sure that your social media usage isn’t putting your organization at risk of compromisation or worse? The first thing that you want to take into account is awareness.

Depending on the way that it’s used, social media can be dangerous, regardless of your age or what you do for a living. The Internet’s anonymity is notorious for providing people the added veil of secrecy that allows them to do all sorts of unspeakable acts under the facade that they won’t be discovered or that there won’t be any repercussions for their actions. Whether it’s a troll or a full-on cyberbullying case, social media can enable some of the worst people out there.

On the business end of things, social media can be used to steal information through the use of phishing scams and hacking attacks. Hackers will use everything that they have at their disposal to steal whatever they can from unsuspecting victims. Personally identifiable information and contact information is usually at the top of their lists, though they will settle for anything remotely confidential or valuable that they can get their hands on. Social media accounts usually hold valuable information on them in their own right, including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and so forth, all for the taking of anyone who has permission to view it.

Phishing tactics are a bit harder to identify as they are specifically designed to trick users into willfully handing over any information. You might be surprised by the tricks they employ to make even the most vigilant users spill the beans on their most sensitive information. Impersonating social media accounts is a major way that hackers will attempt to steal data from users. Hackers can even use personal messages to try and coax information from unsuspecting users. It’s clear that users should be smart about what they post, but how can they do so?

The first thing you need to consider is that everything you post on social media is likely to be seen by just about anyone. If you post pictures of your house or your family, all of that can be traced back to you. A hacker could use this information against you. Furthermore, anything you post can and will be used against you. If you post something in the public domain, it could affect your business in a negative way.

Beyond that, you have to make sure that any information that you share over social media isn’t confidential or sensitive in nature. If someone messages you and it seems out of place, chances are that you should put them through the ringer to guarantee you’re dealing with the genuine article. Never share sensitive information if you don’t have to, and always take any request for such information with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Does your business need help staying secure? Data Net can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (760) 466-1200.