Do the Needful in 2021: Social Media Security Tips and Risks

With millions of people working from home, privacy has taken a step back.

The year 2020 has not only been about biological viruses, but it has a digital perspective in it as well. The coronavirus outbreak has changed our lives completely. It has even managed to change the way we consume social media.

The overuse of social media has been debated for quite a long time. However, during the coronavirus outbreak, social media sparked unimaginably.

While the coronavirus outbreak managed to restrict people from spending their lives normally; outside the house, it spiced up the internet life.

People found themselves using the internet more than ever. From accessing the internet for fulfilling their corporate duties and to streaming their favorite TV shows and movies, people were also busy using social media excessively.

This was also because due to the coronavirus outbreak people had little left for their entertainment and information. In such times social media served various purposes. From being the medium to online shopping to being the ultimate source for connecting with people in trying times, social media had a lot to offer.

However, in times when people felt connected online other people were trying their best to sabotage the happening activities.

During the coronavirus outbreak hackers became more active in conducting their malicious activities. The high internet usage with limited concern for cybersecurity created a haven for hackers to continue with their intentions to damage the internet world.

The cybersecurity risk became so intense during the coronavirus outbreak that 59% of organizations in a Global Information Security Survey reported experiencing significant incidents or threats within 12 months.

The risks endured in 2020 are still hard to register for many companies, but as a brand, there’s a lot more than you can do to make your brand secure in the coming year.

To help you out, we have listed down a few common cybersecurity risks and their solutions that you can practice to protect your brand from the reach of malicious hackers.

Use a Reliable Internet Connection

Whether you are a brand or an individual using social media for fun, you need to make sure you are using a high-speed, reliable, and strong internet connection.

An unprotected Wi-Fi and a weak internet connection are the easiest targets for hackers to get access to your social media accounts.

Therefore, it is essential to have a reliable and strong internet connection like Spectrum Internet. Spectrum provides high-speed internet service along with reliable cable TV service via Spectrum Select Bundles for customers across the United States.

Unattended Social Media Accounts

While it is good to have the brand profile on all social media platforms, it is hard to be attentive to each one of them.

Most of the brands end up not keeping their social media accounts on some platforms active.

Such inactive social media accounts become easy targets of hackers.

Hackers might start posting fraudulent messages under your name by hacking your unattended social media accounts.

Therefore make sure you have certain people hired to keep all your social media accounts active and monitored. In case you find certain social media appearances unnecessary in the time being then, make sure you deactivate your account from the that platform and not let it be available but ignored.

Human Error

Do you know that 20% of cyber-attacks happen because of employee weakness? Well, this is what EY Global Information Security Reported.

Let us be honest, we all make mistakes. But when it comes to cybersecurity risks these stakes can be eliminated with abundant information on the matter.

For instance, if you can guide your employees about the potential cybersecurity threats then you might end up limiting the risk of the data breach on your brand profiles.

Make sure you teach your staff the basics of cybersecurity hygiene such as having strong passwords for all your social media profiles, not clicking doubtful links received on brand pages, not giving out private brand information to customers, and more.

Vulnerable Third-party apps

Did you know that hackers gained access to FC Barcelona Twitter account by getting access to its third-party analytics app?

No matter how much you think you have protected all mediums through which hackers can cause you damage, always know that hackers are thinking ten steps ahead of you.

Even if you have protected your social media accounts, you can still face a cyber threat from connected third-party apps.

Therefore, make sure you not only protect your accounts but also keep all pathways secured, including connected third-party apps.