A year ago, Facebook suffered a severe backlash from a data-sharing controversy wherein millions of users of the social media platform fell victim to improper data harvesting. Dozens of information, ranging from names to sensitive data like Social Security numbers, were breached during that time. Therefore, a lot of people were alarmed about the safety and protection of their personal and private information online.
To shed some light about the issue, several cybersecurity experts have shared some information about online protection. According to them, social media platforms have a central repository archive where all user information is stored. In general, hacking into these social media archives is not easy, and there are ways we can individually hinder a breach through simple means.
Use Strong and Unique Passwords
In the online world, the best way to protect your information from hackers is to create strong, unique and distinct passwords in every account. Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and characters. In this way, simple hacking techniques will not make your account vulnerable to breaches.
Furthermore, it is essential that you understand why you should avoid using the same login credentials in different accounts. If you are using the same information and passwords in all your accounts, there is a high chance that hackers can tap into all of your information across various platforms with just a single breach incident. Thus, it is better to avoid using similar log in credentials in different platforms.
Limit What You Share on Social Media
If you are one of those individuals who tend to share everything they do online, now is the best time to stop this kind of habit. Aside from hackers, the online world makes you vulnerable to other threats as well, including stalking incidents and identity theft. Every information that you share online—be it a photo of your new ID, rants about your workplace or your party plans with friends—can put you at risk.
There have been stories wherein criminals use information shared online, such as public posts and tweets, to their advantage. On that note, you have to be wary about what you post. Never share information about your location and the like.
Avoid Malicious Links and Attachments
One of the reasons that make us vulnerable to hackers is through mindlessly clicking on links and attachments that are not secured. Sometimes, these types of links are gateways to data breaches.
You should also be careful about linking your accounts with applications to prevent your data from leaking to other websites and apps. Remember that you have full control over what type of applications have access to your information. Do not allow access to websites and apps that are not secured.
Although there have been several incidents of data leakage and breaches all across the globe in recent years, you can contribute a lot in the prevention of these types of incidents. All it takes is to be mindful in handling your social media accounts and all the information you share online.
