It’s a popular notion among social media fans to not turn a blind eye towards being at any cyber crime risk. Unfortunately, the problem is wider than it seems to them. Technological acceleration at the apparent rate has transformed social networking sites into a magnified cocoon for exchanging personal and sensitive data. But so has it enhanced cyber criminal’s capability and techniques at hacking an account.
Phishing scam – where emails and websites probe you to share your usernames and passwords – is a common method. Sometimes key-logging software ambiguously gets installed into computer systems and sends records of key strokes to the hackers’ database. Identity theft has been a major crime where virtual ids and information are conned to obtain money and goods. According to 2012 Global Economic Crime Survey, 30% of businesses in Australia reported a cyber incident including leaking of confidential data.
Hackers have a high appetite for sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. because of its huge database and penetrating nature. Adding to that is the absent minded behavior of people while using media sites. According to 2013 Norton Report that, in 30% cases, users do not sign out after each session, 25% share credential information and 1 out of 3 people accept unknown friend requests. As a result of this 12% of users have reported their accounts being hacked.
Password hacking cases such attack against FB account of NATO’s most senior commander has lead to huge losses. A common man may not equate this situation, but loss of his credit card details or harm to any family members can feel as grave a threat from social media. These ideas are further facilitated by rising of software like a Facebook Zeus Malware variant capable of replacing the website page of bank with a fake one to capture social security details.
The hacking plague consumes 37% of U.S social media users, and the toll is still rising. Simple, yet effective ways to stay secure are to manage the privacy settings of social media sites. Though a fun act, it is advisable not to link to unknown people without reference. Clicking on shortened, suspicious URLs can be a call for trouble. Another effective method is to download password creating and securing software that save the trouble of remembering and typing varied passwords for varied sites. Thus, the best way to ensure safety is by your conscious self.
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By G+ Author: Erin Washington.
