Did you know Facebook breaches were responsible for a whopping 849 million leaked records in 2019? (Comparitech) With more than 2.8 billion active users, bad actors have plenty of opportunities to target social media accounts. Below are a few stats that showcase just how vulnerable social media can make your company.
- Around 30-40% of social media infections come from infected ads in a user’s newsfeed.
(Bromium Into The Web of Profit – Social media platforms and the cybercrime economy) - During a study conducted by RSA Security LLC, it was discovered that over 15,000 compromised credit cards were publicized on various social media networks. (RSA 2020 Hiding in Plain Sight Report)
- At least 20% of social media infections stem from add-ons or plugins for social media platforms (Bromium Into The Web of Profit – Social media platforms and the
cybercrime economy) - Criminal revenues from fraud enabled by social media have increased by over 60% since
2017. (Bromium Into The Web of Profit – Social media platforms and the cybercrime economy) - Scammers use fake Facebook accounts to connect with users and their friends to scrape personal information in an effort to steal identities. According to Facebook, the platform has a team of more than 35,000 people working to block millions of fake accounts and false information being posted to the platform.
- Cybercriminals are using LinkedIn and WhatsApp messages in phishing attacks by contacting potential victims in order to build trust and persuade them to visit a phishing page. (https://www.securityweek.com/iranian-hackers-target-academic-researcher-whatsapp-linkedin)
Protect your business with these important tips:
- Develop an understanding of how social media is used within your organization, including knowing which platforms benefit the organization most effectively and those that pose the greatest risks.
- Deploy protection beyond simply banning employees from social media platforms – ways around these restrictions can and will be found and cause trouble for security teams.
- Develop robust cybersecurity policies around social media usage that include layered cybersecurity defenses and encourage better password hygiene (such as multi-factor authentication) and strict password controls.
- Social media platforms vary. Therefore one fix cannot cover all platforms. Task your security team with considering the development of enhanced methods for the prevention of social engineering.
Source | Bromium, Inc.- Web of Profit Social Platforms Report (https://www.bromium.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Bromium-Web-of-Profit-Social-Platforms-Report.pdf)
INSUREtrust’s, ASSUREtrust CyberSecure can provide you and your clients with free security services to help manage cyber risks. Through a partnership with ThreatAdvice, we can provide a results-oriented approach to mitigating your client’s phishing risks. Contact us today to learn more.