Social media has disrupted the privacy concept – most likely – forever.
If there is a flip side to privacy, it’s security.
Even the casual participant in social streams has probably experienced Twitter or Instagram accounts that have been hacked, which often then send Direct Message (DM) spam with colorful messages or alarming warnings coupled with links that invariably lead to adult content or sites that install malware code on your computer ever-so-quietly in the background.
And attacks don’t have to come from DM spam. Legitimate blogs and websites get hacked, malware code is inserted, and unsuspecting visitors are compromised.
Such cybercrime is more than an annoyance. It can be costly to your business, your clients, or your entire organization, from a few thousand to millions of dollars in lost time, data, and equipment.
Time, money, and reputation are at stake.
The exponential growth of social channels has created a lucrative business for network security solutions providers. But it’s more than about protecting individual devices such as computers, tablets and smartphones. Your social brand is now under constant attack.
While network administrators protect businesses and ISPs from massive attacks via sophisticated technology fortifications, as a social media marketer, it’s largely up to you to protect your social brand or the social accounts you manage for your company or your clients.
The simple question to ask is: can you afford to lose all the work and effort you’ve put into building a prosperous social business channel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, YouTube, or Pinterest?
If you want to know what will probably happen if your Facebook account is hacked, you should immediately click this link and sober up to the thin social ice on which we all tread. Hari Ravichandran’s book, Intelligent Safety: How to Protect Your Connected Family from Big Cybercrime, tells even more stories like that, so include it on your reading list.
Few of us have the connections to get an audience with a Facebook security specialist. The fact of the matter is that unless Facebook or any social network is financially impacted (read: the board of directors or shareholders punch some buttons), the security and preservation of your social media accounts are totally up to you.
There’s a definite trend here, and it’s probably going to get worse. As you expand your social presence for business applications, hackers will exploit the very qualities that are keys to social business success: your desire for openness, transparency, and accessibility.
When it comes to security, you probably will not be able to turn to your social channel to help unravel an account mess. In other words, you are pretty much on your own.
After personally experiencing a series of attacks from compromised blog sites and social channels, one of which resulted in a total system meltdown requiring a re-install, I created my own short list of protective steps to fight this growing trend:
It’s not enough to have an antivirus program
You have to have a malware protection program as well. And, by the way, Macs are no longer immune. When Macs held a low percentage of market share, cybercriminals needing to infect tens of thousands of computers looked to Windows PCs. Now, there are Macs everywhere, and the hackers know it.
Looking for a free antivirus alternative, try AVG Free. There’s also the free Malwarebytes program, which focuses exclusively on malware rather than viruses.
Not sure which program to use, try free online file-checking utilities such as VirusTotal or VirSCAN, which will test a suspicious file against dozens of the most popular antivirus and anti-malware programs. Gmail is now supplied with free malware scanning tools, so it is a good way to protect yourself from malicious files arriving in an email.
Use two-factor authentication
The latest trend in account protection is two-factor authentication. If you have a Google account, you’ve probably been offered to convert your login security to its 2-step verification process.
Though I agree using two-part authentication can be annoying at times, for the time being, it is considered the best approach for protecting your social accounts from intruders. If a social platform or tool offers it, add the extra layer of protection.
Preview links before clicking them
Link-shortening systems revolutionized social engagement by reducing content curation text clutter in posts and status updates. The problem is any shortened link is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you are going to get. Why take chances?
If you’re just not sure about a shortened link in a Tweet or an email, check it out with any number of handy link-revealing apps such as Unshorten.it. When in doubt, use the tool to load the page before you do!
Take your passwords seriously
Too many people are still not taking their passwords seriously enough. They use the same passwords over and over again. They don’t create secure passwords unless they absolutely have to. They have no password management software, etc. etc.
Let this article be your final incentive: Go ahead and get your passwords in order. Check if your password or email is any kind of hackers’ databases too!
Backup your crown jewels
By now, you should have a backup strategy for your computing devices. Backup to a local server is good, but double up with a backup to the cloud via any number of services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and others. You’re not done yet.
What about your blog, your website, or sites you manage for a company or clients? There are plenty of free and paid backup plugins and solutions for WordPress and other platforms.
Just about any ecommerce builder includes some kind of security and backup options, so make sure you discover and benefit from yours.
As we navigate the complex landscape of social media, it becomes evident that safeguarding our digital identities and brands is a pressing responsibility. While organizations invest heavily in network security solutions to fend off large-scale attacks, individual entrepreneurs and social media marketers are struggling to protect their online presence.
The symbiotic relationship between success in the social realm and qualities like openness, transparency, and accessibility provides an enticing opportunity for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks have demonstrated the capacity to compromise even the most prominent platforms, making it clear that no one is immune.
As social media continues to reshape the way we communicate, the responsibility to guard our online presence falls on our shoulders. Keep your online identity secure by managing your passwords safely, using two-factor authentication where possible, and keeping our software updated.
Denise’s Security Recommendations
These are the tools I use to protect my business:
RoboForm – I’ve been using RoboForm as my password manager since it was launched in the early 2000s. Never been hacked like some other password managers on the market. Due diligence is required when choosing a password manager! 😎
BackBlaze – automatic cloud backup for your computer
Google Authenticator – for 2-Factor Authentication on my smartphone (works with iOS and Android)
UpdraftPlus Premium – automated backup of my website
*Some or all links on this page may be affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make any purchases based on my recommendations.
Excellent article! Security is essential online.
Really good article. This cannot be overstated. That Forbes article you recommend is really scary and eye-opening. Hacks aren’t new. They are time-consuming and frustrating to unwind. Two-factor authentication is a nuisance, but look at the grief it could have prevented! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by, Jan. I know a lot of people who hate being forced to use 2FA, and I think they’d hate to be hacked and loose their info even more.