Security is not getting any simpler. With more exploits targeting your users’ personal information, today more than ever before we need to make sure every single person on your team is vulnerable to a personal cyberattack, which may end up putting your business at risk.
Today, I want to go through some simple steps everyone on your team can take to protect their identity by being conscious of their Facebook security.
Here are 11 simple Facebook security tasks to ensure your teams are keeping their information safe online:
Avoid birthdates on your Facebook page—I know that it’s nice to have everyone wishing you happy birthday on Facebook. But there is a huge risks when it comes to your personal security when information like birthdates are publically shared. Any piece of information a criminal can use—like your birthdate to steal your identity or access an account—will be on the top of their list to take and use.
Consider adding an additional contact email—hackers able to get into your Facebook account have been successful getting into your email as well. If you only have one email account, you may be stranded. Note: you do not have to add your email address to your profile for everyone to see (I would highly recommend NOT including it).
Don’t reuse your Facebook password on other accounts—maybe this is obvious at this point, as we’ve been through password security already, but sharing a your Facebook or social media passwords across more sensitive accounts really puts your personal data—and your business data—at risk. Hackers that have accessed Facebook (they’ve done this last month to well over a million US-based users) will be searching out other places to try your credentials. Nearly 70% of workers still reuse passwords. Let’s make sure it’s not on your team!
Use a different password for every single account you have online, and make those passwords hard to guess by using a mixture of numbers, letters and symbols. The longer the password, the harder it would be to crack.
Be suspicious of anyone asking for money or information through Facebook—scammers can much more easily hack into a user’s Facebook account and ask for you to transfer funds or steal info than other less connected platforms. Before giving anything sensitive (or money) to someone, verify with that person over the phone that they actually sent that message to you. This tactic of asking via Facebook has been popular amongst many scamming groups. We don’t want your team falling victims as well!
Have account controls over your privacy settings—some information that you can publish on Facebook should really not be even visible to your friends (as I mentioned above, any of their accounts could be hacked at any moment and you don’t want too much info being leaked to prying eyes). In fact, most identity thefts end up being amongst friends or family. Under privacy settings in Facebook you can control who sees your email address, age, relationship status, etc. Make sure you are not allowing everyone to see any of your personal information.
Better yet, input someone false information in spots so if your information gets leaked, it at least isn’t your true personal identity!
Avoid friend requests from people you do not know—hackers will pretend they are your friend (maybe from another time in your life) so they can access information you are sharing on your account. Some of these people may even steal photos of people you know and deceive you into friending them. Before you accept that next request, send a private message to ask them something only they would know (validate those people in your circle). Never accept requests from random strangers, as they most definitely are not friending you for any good reason.
Do not permit Facebook to use your personal data—by default, Facebook will use your personal information for advertising purposes. They are even pulling photos used on personal Facebook accounts for these ads. If you do not want to allow this type of activity, simply opt not to share personal data.
Limit access on a post-by-post basis—Facebook allows you to specify the audience for each post. You can post something but limit access to a select group of friends.
When you click on Update Status, select the drop-down menu next to the Friends option, choose More Options and then proceed to Custom. You’ll see suggestions of friends to grant access to your post. You can also type in a list of people to make your post visible to.
Keep photos and videos private—no information on Facebook is quite as revealing as the photos and videos you post. From these, criminals can get a sense of your personality, how close you are with family and friends, and can socially engineer their way into stories and recent happenings observed on social media. Criminals have used this type of Facebook information to hack into systems, steal money out of bank accounts and validate security questions to gain access to accounts. Next time you are considering dumping your photos to Facebook, you might want to double think their implications.
If you already have a bunch of posts online (if you’re like most people that have used Facebook for years) don’t worry. Reevaluate those posts and consider either deleting photos that might seem sensitive today, hiding those photos from your timeline, or limiting who can access those posts.
To do this, click on your name in the menu bar, choose Photos, then hover over photos of you, click the editing icon and either delete or hide unwanted photos on your timeline.
Hide your friends list—one of the easiest ways to deceive their way into your life is for a criminal to stalk everyone on your friends list. Many of these friends will overshare information about themselves, giving them more than enough information to use to deceive you or someone you are mutually friends with within your workplace. By hiding your friends, you eliminate this risk.
Don’t share stuff that you might have to delete later—this might be a no brainer, but there are a ton of posts that many of us wish weren’t on the internet. Before clicking, think about whether sharing that information is a good idea. If there is any doubt in your mind, reconsider posting on Facebook. If you want to share with a more private group, consider simply sharing your video or photos with the group and asking them not to post the pictures on social media.
Bottom line with Facebook: Be social, but protect yourself.
Facebook has been an immensely useful tool, but there’s a fine line between its utility and your need to protect your privacy. Many have considered the nuclear option of deleting their accounts, but the risk comes when a scammer then moves to reinvent your digital presence through a fake account with your name slapped on it (this DOES happen). By simply applying these tips, you can help ensure your personal data doesn’t danger your or your work’s safety.
