Know the Risk - Raise Your Shield: Social Media Deception

In the wake of so many recent data breaches you may be one of the millions of Americans whose personal information has been compromised. Who has stolen this information about you? It could be a hacker or a cyber criminal but it could also be someone working for a foreign government. What will they do with your information? Financial fraud and identity theft are possibilities but it could also be used for another purpose to gain your trust. Social media provides a ready made platform form this form of deception. Millions of Americans have used their social media accounts to reconnect with old friends build professional relationships and express their opinions. Unfortunately social media users often fail to safeguard their personal privacy leaving their accounts fully accessible to the public. But do you really want everyone to know that you might be on vacation and away from your home or to see those pictures of you and your family or know where you work and what you do? An individual could use that information to pose as a former acquaintance colleague or classmate.

Once inside your circle their objective is to elicit more information from you. Foreign governments in particular are likely to target those individuals with access to sensitive government information. Lets look at how this might happen. Tom Wilson is a U.S. Government contractor with access to sensitive government information. He is active on a social media site where users can make professional connections learn about job opportunities and connect with potential employers.

He receives a message from a recruiter claiming to be interested in Tom as a potential hire. The recruiter says he was referred by a former colleague and represents a well known company. He has clearly already read Tom's profile but then asks even more detailed questions. Finally he asks if Tom has an active security clearance. While these might seem like innocent questions the information Tom reveals could provide valuable insight to a foreign government. So, what can you do to protect yourself from social media deception? First understand that information you share on social media sites may be collected by others. Maximize your privacy settings so the information you share doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Second use a strong password one with a combination of upper and lowercase letters numbers and symbols. Nearly one third of users on Facebook do not use a strong password making it too easy for their accounts to be compromised. Third make sure that people you connect with online or give access to your personal information are those you know and trust.

As with all emerging technologies social media has provided some wondrous advances but also new vulnerabilities that could be exploited by our adversaries. Know the Risk. Raise Your Shield. .

As found on Youtube