Social media can be both a blessing and a curse for businesses. On the one hand, they constitute a perfect platform to maintain fluid communication freed from corporate corsets with massive and very diverse audiences. On the other hand, they can become a serious problem and affect the company’s productivity, especially if they become a regular hobby of employees.
But the risk of social networks goes much further as they constitute an ideal platform for the spread of malware.
Social Media is A Blessing or a Curse
And the risk to companies is particularly high if malicious software enters the corporate network due to inappropriate use by any employee from their workplace.
In fact, in a recent study in which more than 15,500 Internet users from 11 different countries participated, we have verified how our behavior on social networks had many possibilities of becoming victims of cybercriminals.
An open the door to cybercriminals
Cybercriminals are intensifying the use of social networks as effective malware spreaders. One of the most popular scams is their massive distribution through links posted on social platforms. A link that supposedly leads us to some scandalous video or of Nowadays finally ends up on some infected page.
Also, the risk of downloading malware is high if we consider that one in five Internet users clicks on these links and does not distinguish if they come from their contacts, from a known site, or are anonymous or suspicious.
And to keep the scam completely unnoticed by even the most cautious Internet users, the links are often so abbreviated and camouflaged by URL shorteners that they are not easily recognizable and offer very few clues as to the inherent danger they entail.
Clicking on these types of links can lead us to infected websites capable of stealing our data, which can be especially serious if we are part of a corporate network and have fatal consequences for any company, or transform us into malware sprinklers directed against our network of friends and contacts without, of course, being aware of it.
What can we do? Follow these tips
- The solutions of security that include some form of web filter should be mandatory for any user.
As far as companies are concerned, the most recommended is the use of comprehensive security solutions that comply with each company’s security policies.
- Include, in all cases, common security components such as antivirus protection, web filter, firewall, or antispam.
- Never click on an unknown link. As we have discussed previously, the consequences can be fatal.
- Comprehensive security solutions have to limit USB memory sticks’ unwanted use, the random installation of programs, or the uncontrolled navigation of employees in the workplace.
Among the company’s advantages is its adherence to current legislation, the limitation of points of attack, and, as an added consequence, a notable increase in productivity.
There is danger in social networks, but they have their advantages.
The great truth is that we do not deny the advantages of these social media. Among the advantages of social networks are interacting with your customers and promoting products and services even for free.
There are the Fanpages that are a web page within Facebook. This helps a lot when it comes to marketing on social media. Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, among other networks, are very good at developing marketing campaigns, especially social marketing.
Something must be taken into account very much, and that is that in social networks, the risk goes much further because they constitute an ideal platform for the spread of malware and the risk for companies is particularly high if malicious software enters the corporate network as a result of the inappropriate use that any employee can make from his / her job.
The surveillance of the personnel who interact with them is recommended because misuse can also damage the business’s good image.
Companies must guide their employees well on this issue. In fact, in a recent study in which more than 15,500 Internet users from 11 different countries participated, it was found that our behavior on these social networks had many possibilities of becoming victims of cybercriminals.
Be very careful with this cybercrime. We must be aware of the danger there is and try not to be another victim of fraud or misuse of our personal information.
Beware Of Cybercriminals On Social Media
These cybercriminals are intensifying the use of means as effective malware propagators and one of the most popular scams is their massive distribution through links published on social platforms, that is to say, on social networks, so that a link that supposedly leads us a scandalous or current video finally ends up on an infected page.
In addition, the risk when downloading malware is really high if we consider that one in five Internet users clicks on these links and does not distinguish if they come from their contacts, from a known site, or are anonymous or suspicious. Hackers are trying to steal your personal information every day and the very varied use they can make with it is well known. One is blackmail or simply damaging your reputation.
Some people make a living from being a hacker. Cybercriminals know very well what they do to make the scam go completely unnoticed, even by the most cautious Internet users.
It is important to know that clicking on these types of links can lead us to infected websites capable of stealing our personal data, which can be especially serious if we are part of a corporate network and have fatal consequences for any company, or transform us into malware sprinklers directed against our network of friends and contacts without, of course, being aware of it.
