Facebook’s reputation has certainly taken a hit in recent years, especially on its main account, Facebook. Scandal after scandal have rocked this company, which is why it is more important than ever before that you, whether you are a business or an individual, work hard to dismantle your account so that your online data cannot be used against you.
Threats on Facebook
There are many threats to Facebook. Knowing these threats is key to avoiding them and to reduce the risk of your more personal accounts, like your bank account or even information that can lead to identity theft are not accessible to thieves online.
Use of Personal Information Against You
Public profiles are not Facebook’s fault. It is up to you to share information publicly or privately. By sharing information publicly, however, you run the risk of breaches. Most notably, a hacker could determine the answers to security questions on your accounts, and then work their way into more important accounts through the back door.
In the past, Facebook was a massive company that seemed completely impenetrable. Today it has been fraught with scandals and become a breeding ground for misinformation. In 2018, over 50 million users’ data was hacked into. The year before the Cambridge Analytica scandal proved that firms could pay their way to access private information and even skew election results. According to the NYTimes, this scandal has possibly even led to the deaths of individuals around the world.
Harassment Online
Cyberstalking and harassment are both very serious issues, especially for those who have public information that makes it easy for the cyberstalker to find you in the real world.
How to Avoid These Cyber Threats
To avoid these cyber threats, you will want to:
Set Up Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication, though not perfect, can stop a general hack.
Create a Unique Password for Facebook
Create unique passwords for every account so that breaches which involve your password being stolen are isolated.
Delete All Unnecessary Information
Go through your profile and old posts and delete all unnecessary information that can be used to correctly enter security questions.
Audit Your Friends List
If you aren’t actually friends with them, unfriend them. You don’t need strangers accessing your personal information.
Use Facebook’s Privacy Settings
Limit who can see your posts and sensitive information. Only your name and profile photo should be visible to a non-friend.
Remove Listing From Google
There is a setting which will remove your profile from Google and other search engines. Use this feature.
If you get harassment via messages, report, block, and do not engage.
Use Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
What is EDR? EDR, or Endpoint Detection and Response, is a way to analyze your endpoints. Perfect for companies, this can help ensure that a Facebook login on your server doesn’t inadvertently let hackers into your Cloud account where they can then access your data. With EDR, you will be able to monitor your endpoints and respond to attacks before they become an issue.
You should never use Facebook, as an individual or as a company, without considering the risk and how you can mitigate it. By taking these steps, you can minimize and avoid cyber threats altogether. Continue to audit your accounts and use new security features to reduce the risk associated with putting your data online.
