Cybersecurity & Social Media.

Are we safe using Social Media??

What technology companies are doing to protect the users and the data stored on their platforms? Is it enough to stop cyber criminals?

We are living in an interesting time, but the same could be said by those before us and the next generation will say the same thing - most probably due to different reasons. We cannot predict the future, but are we ready for it? Have we done enough to prepare our children for what might come next?

Social Media, the apps, the platforms, and all the content presented is a phenomenon of the last decade. So much information is available, and presented in so many languages, anybody can write a story, record a video, or post photos. We like to check what our “friends” are doing, what has changed in our professional network, who was promoted, what products are “hot” now, or what conference was interesting. If our job description is not to deal with social media, we should be careful not to spend too much time “exploring the online world”.

My first experience with cybersecurity crimes (cybersecurity was called IT security at that time) was a long time ago. It was a small company, a type of startup with the latest technology at that time, and a small IT team.

While performing routine tasks we realized that we were not fully aware of how the system could be abused if the proper security measures were not in place. The first incident we discovered was the act of an insider - “the criminals attracted an employee”.? Later, when the company continued its growth, we had to prepare for other various types of actions by those who tried to benefit from “the services” while committing criminal acts.?

Today, the methods might have changed, the solutions, platforms, and business systems are a bit different. Cybercrime became “a type of business” for those trying to benefit by breaching systems security, harassing and abusing the network of the end users, stealing data from the platform owners, denying access while using sophisticated software tools, or the same old methods utilizing a bit more sophisticated tools.

Let me share an example of cyber criminal actions I have experienced recently.

A few weeks ago I received a message from my social media (SM) friend, whom I have not been in touch with for some time. I was a bit surprised by the initial message.??

Here is the conversation:

Friend: Hi, how are you?

Me: Hello, all good, what about you?

Friend: My SM account was blocked. I was told to select five friends, who could help me to get a confirming code. SM will send you a code, and I will send you a code so you can enter it correctly.

(Comment: this message sounded strange to me)

Me: Is it a SCAM?

Friend: You should receive a text message on your phone with the code. The code is eight characters.

Me: OK

Friend: Please send the code.

Friend:?

Me: I did not get it.

Friend: OK, send me your phone number.

Me: OK, but not here. What is your e-mail address? Or Phone number?

Friend: [email protected]?

(Comment: this was not my SM friend's name)

Friend:?

Me: OK

Friend:?

Me: When and where did we meet?

Friend: good, send me your e-mail address.

Me: You did not answer my question.

Me: If I do not get an answer to my question I will assume that you are not the person I know, the owner of the SM account.

No more conversation after that. I tried to call the person through a video call, but no one answered.

I talked to my real friend and learned that the SM account was hacked a few days back. The issue was reported to the local Police and the SM team. No action has been taken so far and “the new user” a criminal,? is using the SM account, changing the content, and trying to use the “Network of Friends” for “criminal activities”.?

I wonder why the SM team takes so long to block the “fake user" and restore the original one.?

Two weeks after the above event another friend of mine from SM told me that my account was hacked and he was getting strange messages from this account. I checked my account and realized that I still had full access to my account and my password was not changed.

After further investigation, I realized that a new account was created, with my picture -? stolen from the SM, my name - with one incorrect character, and this account started connecting to my friends from my real account network and trying to commit a criminal act.

Thanks to my friend, and his message, I was able to pass the information to the SM, and the account was deleted.?

My friend, whose account was hacked, was not so lucky, and the access to the account was still not restored when I last time checked.

Do you think that your data is safe on the Social Media you are using?

How often do you check if your picture or name is used to create fake accounts?

I heard stories that it took a long time to restore the ownership of the accounts for hacked users, some of them were quite well known, and others were very recognized social media influencers.?

Do you think that Social Media platforms are properly equipped to deal with cyber criminals??

Do you know the process, or procedures, you need to follow in case of a cybersecurity bridge impacting you?