6 things you do on social media which make you vulnerable to cyber criminals

Cyber crime is a real and prevalent threat – so there’s no harm in trying to tighten up your web safety.

To get the ball rolling, here are six things you probably do on social media which can make you vulnerable to hacks or attacks.

1. You accept followers or friend requests from people you don’t know.

By allowing strangers to view your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social profiles, you’re essentially granting them access to your personal details.

You wouldn’t tell people on the street because it would be bizarre and potentially dangerous. Same goes online.

According to a study from Kaspersky Lab, specialists in internet security and antivirus software, a third (31 per cent) of users will accept connections from people they don’t know. This could expose them to more unknown people – even advertisement agents or cyber-criminals.

2. You click on links you’re sent by online friends without asking what it is.

Usually, friends share links to funny pictures or interesting articles. But, there’s no harm in being vigilant if the link looks dodgy or comes from somebody you don’t know or rarely speak to.

The study found that 26 per cent of participants said they’d click on a link sent by an online connection with no hesitation, or concerns in case the sender’s account had been hacked.

3. You’re sharing personal details.

It’s not just stuff like bank details you need to protect.

Online accounts can be set up with minimal information, so if there’s something you don’t want to share with your employer, family, or strangers – don’t put it online.

Almost a third (30 per cent) of social network users asked share their posts, check-ins and other information, not just with their friends, but with everybody who is online.

This leaves the door wide open for cyber-criminals to attack, as users remain unaware of just how public their private information can be on these channels.

4. You’re neglecting privacy settings.

Twitter and Instagram both have the option to decline follower requests – while Facebook over a slightly more in-depth choice of privacy settings.

If there are certain details, pictures, status updates or other information you don’t want people to know – ensure you’re using the protection provided.

Despite over three quarters (78 per cent) of Internet users having a social media account, the survey showed a distinct lack of security awareness amongst social media users.

One in ten (9 per cent) quiz respondents didn’t think people outside of their friends list could be seeing their pages and posts, making it easy for their personal information to fall into the wrong hands, or even be used by criminals for identity theft and financial fraud.

5. All of your passwords are the same – or they are saved in your web browser.

Although it’s terribly handy to have all of your log-ins and passwords remembered for you – it means if anyone hacks your browser, they have access to everything.

Strong passwords are made up of a mix of numbers, letters in bother upper and lower case. They should be strong and memorable, but not obvious – so forget using your date of birth.

6. You don’t have security software.

Along with vigilance and a little common sense, security software makes it possible to protect your digital life against Internet threats and safeguard your privacy and identity.

‘Social network users are playing a dangerous game by not being cyber-savvy and essentially giving strangers easy access to their personal details and private information.

‘With social media profiles containing a raft of insight – from birthdays through to addresses and holiday plans – it wouldn’t take much digging for a cyber-criminal to find and exploit valuable information, or steal your identity for their own gain.

‘This is even easier if you have unwittingly made them your friend,’ warned David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky.