In the age of Social Media, where a “like”, a comment, or a share can lead to new opportunities, we often forget that sites such as LinkedIn aren’t just for networking. They also provide opportunities for cybercriminals who are looking to exploit your personal and business data.
Why LinkedIn (and Social Media) are targeted by cybercriminals
- They provide a ready-made directory with names, job titles and places of work.
- Your posts can provide a feel for how you speak, what language you use and who you communicate with. Valuable things if someone is looking to impersonate you!
- Oversharing is the norm and you may well post something that exposes personal or company information.
- It’s common to accept requests to link up with people you don’t know, as they can potentially offer good business opportunities. Cybercriminals create fake accounts which they hope you’ll connect with, to let them in to your environment.
Five tips for staying safe
1.Review your profile privacy settings
Most social media platforms (including LinkedIn) let you control what others can see. Do you really need your contact details or connections list visible to everyone?
2. Be selective with connections
Not every request needs a “yes.” If someone looks suspicious or doesn’t explain why they’re reaching out, don’t feel obligated to connect. A few minutes of scrutiny can save you a lot of hassle later.
3. Think before you post
Pause before sharing details about projects, clients, or internal events. Could this information be useful to someone with malicious intentions? If in doubt, leave it out!
4. Watch out for phishing attempts
Be wary of messages that seem urgent, ask for sensitive information, or contain suspicious links. Even if the sender looks legitimate, double-check the email or LinkedIn profile before responding.
5. Keep your team informed
Social media security isn’t just an individual responsibility, it’s a team effort. Regular cyber security awareness training can help your team spot fake profiles, phishing attempts, and other social engineering tactics.
To discuss cyber security in more detail, give us a call or enter your contact details here and we will be in touch.