Why someone would
set up a fake social media profile? The answer correlates with news of
cyber-attacks on businesses and other organizations being targeted with advanced persistent threats which has
risen sharply over the past two years.
The Register reports
“Social engineering via platforms
such as Facebook can be one of the early stages of an advanced persistent
threat (APT), the latest buzz word on the information security scene and a
technique commonly linked to cyber spies operating from China.”
One highly publicized cyber- attack was on Supreme Allied
Commander Europe (SACEUR) Admiral James Stavridis NATO’s most senior military
official.
It is believed the social media account in his name was
“attempt to trick colleagues, friends and family into giving away his personal
secrets on the social network”
These cyber-attacks on social media are often used to gather
intelligence to crack a password or to gain insight to knowledge based
questions or challenge questions. For example:
· What’s your favorite food?
· Where did you honeymoon?
· Your first pets name?
· Name of your first car?
· The name of your elementary school?
· Your father’s middle name?
· Your mother’s maiden name?
All
these questions are meant to bypass social media security and replace that used-to-be-secret-obscure word that
only you and your parents would
know the answer to.
Officers
of a company or anyone in a pivotal position like HR or accounting, need to
recognize IT security risks and realize while
they may not be a NATO commander they do have access to company and client data
that may be worth serious money to a thief, competitor or foreign
government.
Below
are a few social media security tips on how to
prevent cyber-attacks:
· Keep social media profiles all business
· Limit “lifestyle” information and set your
privacy setting to high
· Don’t just friend anyone
· Be cognizant that someone’s always watching
and might be using what you post to access your company data
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