pandemic. As a result, the volume of information shared has increased dramatically. In the wrong hands, social media profiles can be compelling. Hackers have recently taken control of media outlets and large organizations’ Twitter accounts, exploiting them for everything from spam to raising attention to global crises. Your accounts may appear insignificant to scammers, but your information is valuable even if you only have a few followers. So, here are some best social media settings to secure your accounts :

Choosing a strong password

The first step in protecting a social media account is to develop a strong password; “password123” will not suffice. Therefore, you should always choose a strong password that includes numbers, symbols, and capital letters, but it shouldn’t be so hard that you can’t remember it. As a result, you should avoid using the same password for each account; this is a popular method used by hackers to access your social media accounts. Additionally, you should avoid using the same social network account to sign in to several accounts. For example, Facebook may frequently allow you to check in to Instagram and other social networking platforms with the same account, but you should avoid doing so.

Changing your passwords

It’s a good idea to update the passwords on your personal and corporate social media accounts regularly. It would be best to change your social media passwords once in a month or at least once in a quarter and also when an relevant employee departs the organization. Furthermore, if any of the employees depart, the company should change the passwords to all accounts to which they may have had access as soon as possible. Now a days many companies are using single sign on tools to remove access in one shot from various accounts if an employee leave. However, while changing the password, don’t forget to tell the rest of the team about it, but don’t do it via Email. Make sure you choose a strong password each time, and when transmitting the revised password to individuals who require it, you should always call rather than Email.

Using two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is the most secure technique to keep an account protected. When an employee signs in from a new device, they must enter a PIN issued via an app, SMS, or Email from the account owner. This protects you from lost or stolen passwords and ensures that the account owner is present when checking in on new devices. When you log in to your accounts with a new device, specific social media accounts automatically require two-factor authentication. Set up two-factor authentication anytime someone signs into your account if you want to keep your tabs incredibly secure.

Inspecting page roles and access

Make sure you know who has access to your accounts at all times. You should regularly audit your account to see who has access and ensure that all responsibilities are assigned correctly. Although the number of persons who have access to your accounts should be limited, the password should be known by more than one person. It won’t be easy to reclaim control of an account if only one individual has access to it and leaves the company. You can add admins or managers to the same business profile on most social media networks. You can protect the account details on your page while allowing others to access the profile with their account.

Separate Email accounts for social media

If a company’s social media account is hacked, the hacker won’t access any other important information if you have a different email account for social media. Even if you only use the email account for social media, remember to implement good online security practices like choosing strong passwords, changing them frequently & using two factor authentication.

Securing social media accounts on mobile devices

Many individuals don’t require two-factor authentication for social media on mobile devices to make it easier to log in. Even if you don’t want to type  a password every time you log in, enable the need of password to lock your phone and prevent unauthorized access to your social media accounts & even to the data in the phone. To make mobile devices safe, facial recognition and fingerprint scanning are also available.

Accuracy of  information on social media

Social media is not a compliance platform ! As name says it’s a social platform. So, do we need to provide accurate information ? One recommendation is not to give the exact information as in your legal documents. Example, if the name on your PAN card is Arun Kumar Singh , you can rename your social name as Arun Singh or Arun K. Singh or A. K. Singh ! Your friends can recognise you by the initialized name & the photo. For strangers, whom you want to make friends for some reason, accurate name doesn’t matter. But if some hacker wants to use the first two letters of your first name & last name would have difficulty opening your stolen online documents which have such password protection to open documents.

Same applies to date of birth . Do you need to give exact date of birth on social media ? Your true friends would know your actual date of birth ! But if you feel good with lot of social friends wishing you on your birthday, you can always put a birthday date which is couple of days off track than actual date ! Well it’s your choice if you want to do this , but this saves you from a hacker trying to use your birthday date & month , which again is used as a password to open many online documents sent by banks & other institutions .

Wrapping Up

It’s a two-edged sword when it comes to social networking. It was a lifeline at a particularly trying period, allowing us to discover another means of communication when the regular, in-person route was deemed unsafe. It allowed us to communicate with loved ones and gave vital information when everything seemed to be going wrong. On the other hand, cybercriminals exploit it. They will continue to do so since it contains valuable data to steal and provides a platform for them to carry out malicious activities. We can at best  keep it secure while enjoying the benefits of social media by following best practices.

About SNS

Secure Network Solutions India (SNS) provides a quantifiable, risk-based approach to build cybersecurity for corporates based on globally recognized frameworks and standards. We have been protecting businesses for the last 20 years! Write to us at [email protected].