Social media is weaved into the modern fabric of life, and nine out ten people are in at least one social media network. While the pitfalls of using social media are elaborate on a personal basis, it carries a significant risk on cyber security for businesses and it is important to be ready to protect from cyber-attacks. Here are social media myths you need to be aware of and avert cyber-attacks, as well as understand what cybersecurity does.

Employee Social Media Activity Does Not Pose a Cyber security Risk to Your Organization

Contrary to this myth, employees’ social media activity creates close to 80% of IT security issues to your enterprise. While they may not know it, their innocent posts give the opportunity to cybercriminals to infiltrate the organization. They socially engineer their targets following their posts and use their work email to send malware to your entire computer network. Cybercriminals capitalize on the power of phishing emails without considering cybersecurity laws and these type of emails have a higher click-through rate, so it is important to carry out random penetration tests of your security protocols.

Accepting that cybercriminals can infiltrate your company causing IT security issues is the first step to safeguarding your organization. Educate your employees why cybersecurity is important and the importance of using the privacy settings on social media to reduce the number of people who see their activity. Also, carry out penetration tests on your firewall and configure it accordingly to protect from cyberattacks.

One Administrator for the Organization’s Social Media Accounts

This might be the best practice to ensure that the proper channels are followed when sharing information about the company. If the administrator has their account connected to the corporate account, and their account is hacked and they are oblivious to why cybersecurity is important. There is also a problem when the administrator leaves the company that they will be a risk to the organization’s online image if he or she misuses the social media accounts since they have sole access to the account, or fails to understand what does cybersecurity do.

While it is logical to have one administrator, ensure that key executives, marketing department, or the HR have access to the account. Above this have a Cybersecurity Protection System, that includes a password manager for all the corporate accounts. This will ensure that employees do not make away with your social media account passwords. In case of one of the employees with the passwords leaves, the password manager will secure your password by making it hard for them to change the passwords, as well as help in generating stronger passwords. A lawyer conversant with cybersecurity laws will help in prosecuting employees current and former who violate the set cybersecurity protection protocols.

More importantly, discourage employees from attaching their accounts with the corporate one and in the case of LinkedIn, take them through the necessary security protocols to uphold your organization’s cybersecurity protection policies as well as why cybersecurity is important.

Social Media Keeps Up Pace with Cyber security Protection Protocols

Social media companies may deploy all the latest advancements in security, but it should not mean that it deters cyber criminals. Remember that cyber security is your responsibility, it is wise to have a social media policy, and it will teach employees why cyber security is important. Since they publicly share that they are working for you, they need to keep security and brand image in mind whenever they post on social media and setting who will see the posts.

Have the IT department carry out random penetration tests on your system and develop high-quality cyber security protection protocols.

Final Thoughts

You need to ensure that you have an above average cyber security Protection System and have an attorney conversant with cyber security laws in case of a cyber security protection protocol breach who also understands why cyber security is important. A social media policy and constant training will keep your employees in check to avoid IT security issues.