Social media can do wonders for your business. It can help you increase brand awareness, reach out to current and prospective customers, and create a loyal following. What's more, you won't have to spend a single dime of your budget for social media accounts, as setting these up are completely free.
But social media is more than just promoting your business. Since it relies on interacting with people, you also have to ensure your data is safe from cybercriminals looking to steal it.
Cybercriminals, for instance, may hack your social media accounts and post malicious links or attachments that can infect your clients with malware. Your competition may also hire a cybercriminal to take over your accounts and post malicious messages. And with 43% of cyberattacks aimed at small businesses, you need to be more vigilant than ever.
Let’s take a look at some bad social media habits that can compromise your business’s cybersecurity:
1. Revealing too much personal information
When promoting your business on social media, avoid sharing too much personal information such as your birthdate, personal mobile number, current residence, and names of your family members.
These data can be used for business email compromise attacks, or sophisticated scams wherein cybercriminals compromise official business email accounts to conduct unauthorized fund transfers or steal even more sensitive information.
2. Using only one password for all social media accounts
Using only one password for all your social media accounts is risky. If a cybercriminal gets a hold of that password, they can take over all of your accounts that use the said password.
Unfortunately, password reuse is still a common practice among many people. According to an online security survey by Google and The Harris Poll, 65% of users reuse passwords for their accounts. Even Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg isn’t immune from such a habit.
This is why you should use varying passwords for all of your social media accounts. Try using passphrases as these are harder to guess, and turn on multifactor authentication if it’s available. If you have trouble remembering passwords, try password managers such as 1Password, Dashlane, or LastPass. These tools will store all your passwords and automatically log you into your social media accounts — all you'll need to memorize is the master key.
3. Accessing social media accounts using unsecured devices
While smartphones and tablets make it easier to manage social media accounts, these devices pose a security risk. If your company-issued smartphone gets stolen, your social media accounts can easily be hacked and used for malicious purposes.
To mitigate this risk, use only authorized devices for your social media initiatives, deploy a mobile device management system, and secure your mobile devices with passwords. This prevents cybercriminals from accessing your social media accounts even if they get a hold of your devices.
4. Leaving social media accounts idle
Being on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok maximizes customer engagement. However, you may not be able to devote enough time to some of them.
While you may think that an underused social media account is nothing to worry about, the opposite is true. Idle social media accounts can be hacked by cybercriminals to post defamatory messages about your business and industry, which can ruin your reputation.
Avoid this risk by regularly posting content. If a platform isn’t engaging well, it’s better to deactivate your account completely.
5. Not considering insider threats and human error
Aside from third-party actors, your business’s cybersecurity can also be compromised by your own employees. In fact, according to Cybersecurity Insiders, 70% of businesses find that insider attacks are becoming more frequent.
Insider attacks could involve an employee accidentally downloading a malicious file or interacting with a fraudulent social media account. It could also entail a disgruntled employee intentionally sending your sensitive information to hackers, who can then use it for identity theft and other cyberattacks
Keep your social media accounts secure by enforcing proper access privileges. Make sure that only those tasked with managing your social media can access your accounts. If someone leaves your company, their access privileges should be revoked immediately. Conduct regular cybersecurity awareness training as well to prevent future insider threats.
Don’t skimp when it comes to your business’s cybersecurity. By partnering with a managed IT services provider like USWired, your business isn’t just protected from the latest threats, but you also get peace of mind. To find out how your business can benefit from a technology provider, download our FREE eBook today or contact us.
