In today’s tech-savvy world, social media is skyrocketing! It is extensively used by everyone on a daily basis. Millions of posts are being uploaded on social media platforms, new users join social media and overall a lot of information is stored here; making it a perfect opportunity for hacking a social media account.
Social media is a platform for all businesses to showcase what they’ve got and make the most of it. But businesses cannot afford to ignore a key factor: customization of security settings. Unless you don’t optimally utilize the online security tools, you are going to be vulnerable to social media security risks like hacking and phishing attacks.
So is social media really evil and phishy? Well, not really! It is social media security that is actually fishy! Who is to be blamed for any scam/breach in social media security, the employee or the employer?
There are both advantages and disadvantages of social media, where advantages range from creating brand awareness, generating leads and the worst case scenario is a lapse of social media security!
Sometimes, well-known brands in the market see someone misusing their systems or worse, getting their social media accounts hacked where they have been seen promoting another brand/competitor. To avoid such situations, a planned method is required to respond to attacks.
How to prevent hacking of a social media account?
Here are some noteworthy factors that can shield your business from social media security attacks:
Continuously monitor social media accounts:
Was there any suspicious login to the account from an unauthorized user? Regularly check your social media accounts to know if at all the security has been breached at any level. For this stay in continuous touch with the marketing team to know about the credentials of various accounts of the firm.
Social media training:
Though everyone is on social media platforms but sometimes they are unaware of social media security issues that come along with the pomp and show of social media. It is advised that a business should deliver a detailed understanding of social media security risks to its employees that have happened in the past and may be possible in the future. The business team that is going to handle the social media accounts of the clients business must be aware of the do’s and don’ts of social media marketing when it comes to security.
Curate your connections:
The truth about social media is that although you might be knowing a person, nothing is really reliable on social media. People could be unaware of suspicious members in their friend list, and these members pose a threat to the individuals or business account. To avoid any such suspicious members, a regular cleanup of friends lists is advised. Not only does this get rid of unfamiliar members, but also maintains a clean and updated social media account.
Someone in charge:
Assign a person whose task is to keep a check on all social media activity of the company, to manage and prevent any possible cyber-attacks. This way one can keep an eye on all the platforms where the company has an account/presence. This helps you to constantly keep a check on all the comments on the company’s posts and ensure that nobody is posting malicious links to your posts.
Encryption:
Encrypt data that is important for your company or business. Hackers in the digital world are on a continuous lookout for an opportunity to hack into systems and accounts. Encrypting your data is the most secure method of keeping your information safe and preventing hackers from getting access to it. Thus, before sharing any information on social media sites, it is recommended to see 'https' before the URL for secured connection and data encryption. This https you can easily enable through security solutions like comodo ssl certificate.
Change passwords frequently:
Whenever you create a password for any account, make sure to make a strong password that is difficult to crack. Password should be strong enough and not easily interpreted by the hackers. To keep your accounts safe, try to regularly change your passwords.
Two-factor authentication:
Having a strong password is not enough to make your account safe from any cyber-attack. To make your account more secure, two factor authentications where one uses verifications received on the registered email id or a number, reduces the possibility of your account being hacked.
Social media continues to be the cusp of evolution in the sphere of business and economy. This platform lets you voice your opinion and allows your business to reach out to masses, but like all great technologies, it too has its risks. Take these measures to keep your accounts secure.
If you’re looking for a team to manage your social media presence, reach out to our experts!
