On April 22, 2013, The Associated Press had their Twitter account hacked, causing the Stock Market to go into a panic. The tweet reported two explosives had gone off at the White House and President Obama had been injured. Fortunately, this was not true, although there were some serious consequences stemming from the tweet. Within only a few minutes of the tweet hitting airwaves, the Dow dropped by 147 points. With Twitter becoming a widely popular source for up-to-date information on news, it is not a surprise this happened. Many individuals in the financial sector are checking social media sites like Twitter constantly throughout the work day. This incident should caution other businesses to be careful when using the internet. With social media sites always changing it is important to keep up with new designs and policies. We have provided a list of way to help prevent events like this from happening to your company:
1. Check active log in sessions
Many social media sites allow you to view the times and cities your account was logged into. Below is an example of Facebook Log in Sessions. If you notice a city that you have never traveled to, chances are someone else has accessed your account. To view your active sessions on Facebook, go to 1. Account Settings 2. Security and 3. Active Sessions
2. Use caution when you’re on a Public Network
Doing some online banking at Starbucks? You might want to think twice before providing personal information while on an unsecured network. There is a chance than a hacker could be in the same room as you trying to break into all your accounts.
3. Use caution when downloading Free Software
Many free downloads online can have harmful bugs which may put your computer at risk. Make sure to download items from credible sources and if you have any doubts, it may be better not to proceed.
4. Routinely change your password
It is best to create a new password for your accounts on a regular basis in the event someone found out your old one. Also, be sure to think of something unique and record the password in a place only you can access.
5. Train your employees to use safe practices on the company network
It is important that everyone within your organization understands the importance of keeping the company network protected. They should know their work email accounts are not to be used for personal purposes such as sharing links with friends. This will decrease the chance of secured information being breached.
Social media has become an amazing tool allowing businesses to speak with consumers much more frequently than in the past. Keeping these tips in mind will prevent your company from an embarrassing incident like the one which happened to the Associated Press. It is important to watch out for strange behavior that occurs on your social media page. Red flags like log in sessions from unknown places are a sign that an intruder may have logged into your account. These things can be prevented by changing passwords on a regular basis and training employees to use the company network in an appropriate manner.
Please feel free to comment below and let Mittcom answer your questions about social media safety!