Staying Safe on Social Media

Passwords:

Use strong passwords. You often hear you should use strong passwords online, but what makes a password strong? A good password is made up of several different characteristics. Remember, long, strong, and unique. Long: every password should be at least 12 characters. Unique: each account should be protected with its own unique password. Don't reuse the same password for everything; if one account is compromised, your other accounts won't be secure either. Strong: use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Check out nine ways to protect your password.

Enable MFA. Multi-factor authentication, also referred to as MFA, is an added security feature that 'authenticates' a user, proving to the service being used that you are who you say you are. By using multiple factors to verify who you are, MFA enhances the security of a site that typically holds sensitive information. Here's everything you need to know about MFA.

Posting on Social Media: 

Avoid oversharing. Social media has become a great outlet for keeping in touch with friends and family. However, you should think twice before you post your "Back-to-School" photos with your child's teacher's name, school name, and other personal information.

Don't share your location publicly. It's okay to share your vacation pictures, but consider sharing photos and stories of your adventures once you've returned.  The more information you post publicly, the more at risk you can be for a hacker or someone else to use that information to steal your identity, access your data, or more.

Say "No" to strangers' friend requests. Remember that not everyone who requests to follow you has friendly intentions. Depending on the information you have visible on your profile, someone who friends or follows you might know your contact info, general location, age, and other data. This is why you want to think twice before accepting a request or invitation to connect from just anyone.

Keep an eye out for scams: 

Know common types of scams. Con artists have long exploited social media sites to perpetrate various scams, including identity theft, fraudulent shopping schemes, and impersonation scams disguised as online romances. Read our blog about common scams. 

Learn how to spot a scam. Phishing attacks are now happening on social media. Follow the same rules: don't click unknown links, and keep your personal information private. If you get suspicious, typo-ridden, or too-good-to-be-true messages from someone you don't know on social media, assume it's phishing – delete it! If you receive a message from someone you haven't heard from in a while or something about the message seems off, also use caution as it's possible their information was compromised. Learn more about identifying scams and safeguarding against them.

With all the sharing, conversations, and information exchanged among family and friends, social media can become a distinct digital representation of ourselves. Therefore, it's essential to understand how to protect your social media accounts from hacks and attacks.