Privacy, Security & Virus Information

Social Networking

With the rise in popularity of social network websites both on a personal and business level it is now becoming important that security considerations and threats are understood and planned for. The relaxed nature and tone of voice used on social networking websites often mean that a relaxed approach is taken to the security of that website as well.

When people use social networking websites on a personal level, they often employ a lapsed approach to security as they get a false feeling of anonymity which often means that they share more information than they would previously give out over the Internet. However, you should be aware that when using social media websites there are many security factors and with this a number of protocols should followed. You should always:

• Use a social media website that has a renowned reputation and one that is trusted by the wider public and gets good press about its online practices and procedures. This will mean that hackers will often find it harder to hack into the bigger social networks websites that spend money on hacker prevention techniques and robust security technology and software
  
  
• Avoid putting too much personal information about yourself on the website such as your place of work and all your contact telephone numbers. If a hacker gets into your account then they can often use that information to try and access other websites that you use, stealing more information about yourself as they go, as well as bank account information
  
  
• Update the security settings within your social media account by updating the privacy settings which you have set. On some websites you can set who you want to see your updates and you should only allow people you know to see you updates such as friends and family, not friends of friends etc. Also, go through the privacy settings in detail and ensure you don’t show too much information
  
  
• Make sure you accept friend requests from people that you personally know and trust as this will help protect your online information
  
  
• Be aware that whatever information you post on the social networking website will remain there, often even if you have deleted it, it can still be in the websites archived files. Also, avoid posting personal information that could endanger your safety such as where you are going

In a business environment social networks are often at the heart of communication flow both between employees and clients. Many companies have their own social networking accounts which are run by the Marketing department and these websites can help create a vibrant corporate culture. The major downside of a business employing social media strategies though is the threat to its network and data. It is therefore of paramount importance that businesses implement robust integrated security strategies that monitor network usage and the threat of viruses. As well as threats to physical hardware, server and software other security risks occur when employees use social networking which include employees:

• Leaking sensitive corporate information allowing hackers to gain access to sensitive business networks or writing specific malicious code for use on a company
  
  
• Freely speaking can cause reputational damage to a company if an opinion is taken out of context, untruthful or just an opinion. This type of open commentary will soon get around to customers

It can be seen that social networking websites offer all types of security risks both from a technical perspective to a personal data sharing level. What is important is that a strategy is implemented both by individuals and companies to ensure that the technology used protects the integrity of the data and a logical approach to sharing information is adopted.

 

Article by Sarah Wain, 18th November 2011. Content correct at the date of publication.