All You Need to Know for Social Media Security

Posted on: Mar 27, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

All You Need to Know for Social Media Security

Social media has been integral to our lives for a few years. Everyone loves using social media as a form of communication or entertainment. However, social media cyber security is real, and we should approach it cautiously. Do you still use the same password you used when you were younger? Well, there are some things you must do to keep your social media accounts safe and secure.

Social Media Security Risks

One can encounter several types of cyber threats regarding social media. You should be aware of these as most of the common scams do not happen by hackers but through social engineering.

Let's dive deeper into it!

Risk 1: Fake emails that impersonate social media platforms

A widespread cyber scam is emails posing as authentic social media platforms. They impersonate platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc. Scammers procure large email lists of accounts with at least a thousand followers as they feel it's a good source of income for them or because they grew it organically. They then send an email to them saying something about how the victim has violated the terms of service somehow and their account will get suspended if they don't fill out some terms.

You might understandably think the email is authentic as these platforms use various email accounts to send emails. It can be difficult to fathom whether the email was genuinely sent from the platform by only looking at the sender. Platforms might use one email account for the latest offers and another for security alerts. Victims generally feel they'll never be victims of such scams. However, emails of such nature are sent to thousands of email inboxes, and mostly, a few people are not so vigilant. It is also possible that someone has recently posted something and they get a scam email saying they have violated the terms of service. It might look genuine in such a case, and that's when the problem happens by clicking through.

Clicking on such phishing email links directs you to websites similar to those social media platforms with a slightly different domain name. You enter your username and password, and your information is available to the hacker. If you think about the two-factor authentication in this scenario, scammers copy your credentials and enter them into the legitimate platform in real time. You will not think anything about it when you receive a code for two-factor authentication and will put it on the fake website. While this seems too elaborate, it is straightforward as it takes only a few minutes in real time.

Cyber insurance is paramount, especially for younger students who need more knowledge. Ensure you have cyber insurance for student and keep them safe.

Prevention

When logged in, you can look for communication within the app from your social media platform. For example, if you use Instagram, then go to the app "settings" and click "security." Go to "emails from Instagram," and you'll find all official Instagram communication.

Risk 2: Accounts that impersonate genuine platforms

Another type of scam is when the accounts have already been hacked. Scammers or hackers change the name to "support" or something similar to accounts with a large following. You might feel the account is real if you get a message (DM) from an account with an official name with many followers.

Prevention

You must ignore messages from these "platforms" as no platform sends messages asking for personal information on DMs.

Risk 3: Accounts that impersonate the people you already know

A similar-looking scam involving people you might already know. Scammers might hack the account of a known person and use their list of followers to benefit from their relationship with you. Scammers send messages asking for account details or money to people they have been in touch with. A common thing in this scam is human error, where password managers, two-factor authentication, and passwords cannot always be accounted for. The consequences of becoming a victim of these scams are disastrous, as they can lead to identity theft, financial loss, or device damage.

Prevention

Stay vigilant when you receive a message from a known person asking for account details or money. Contact them through other means of communication and ensure it is them.

Tips to Protect Your Information

You must know what personal information can be at risk in addition to account security. Take the necessary steps to keep your social media cyber security top-notch.

Check out these tips

1. Limit how much personal information you share: Remember to be mindful when you share your personal information on social media. This information can be your email address, phone number, or address. Do not share sensitive information like your financial information or social security number.

2. Know who can access your personal information: You must check your privacy settings and ensure that only trustworthy people can access your personal and sensitive information.

3. Beware of third-party services and apps: Third-party apps and services might collect and share your personal information without your knowledge. Hence, you must be careful before granting access to them, research the service or app, and always remember to read the privacy policy to understand better how your personal information will be protected or used.

It is essential to be educated and aware of potential risks so that you can consider what to share on social media.

Cyber insurance is of utmost importance, especially for younger students who do not have much knowledge. Ensure you have cyber insurance for students and keep them safe.

Tips to Boost Security on Social Media

Here are a few tips to boost your social media security:

1. Limit social account access: Limit access if you have an account that multiple people access. Ensure your security measures are updated if your social media manager or assistant posts on behalf of your account and accesses it.

2. Two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication as an important security layer. You must even use it for non-social media accounts.

3. Use password managers: Use a password manager and get a strong password to keep your social media account safe.

4. Periodically review the websites and apps that you have given access to for your social accounts and email.

Conclusion

As social media continues to evolve and integrate into various aspects of daily life, users must prioritize cyber security and safeguard their personal information online. By understanding common social media security risks and implementing proactive security measures, individuals, especially students, can mitigate the threat of cyber attacks and protect their digital identities.

Disclaimer The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

5+ Common Job Scams & How to Avoid Them!

All You Need to Know About QR Code Scam

What is Email Spoofing & How to Stop Attackers from Posing as You?

How to Protect Yourself as the Threat of Scam Apps Grows?