In the digital era, social media plays a crucial role in a business’s marketing strategy but is often overlooked when leaders think about cyber security. The consequences of a compromised social media account can be quite expensive: hackers may amass substantial unauthorized ad charges, resulting in financial losses, while the dissemination of malicious or inappropriate content can harm your brand reputation. Additionally, the recovery process itself can be time-consuming and costly.
Recently, someone shared their experience of having a business social media account stolen, and here’s what the threat actor did:
- Logged into the account with a compromised password
- Changed the password
- Changed the phone number associated with the account
- Change email
- Removed Known Good Devices
- Enable Encrypted Messages – prevents users from recovering account
- Accessed the business page and used it to promote other businesses and products
- Set up thousands of dollars in ads associated with products unrelated to the business and charged them to their credit card.
After many wasted hours with support, changing information, and dealing with the credit card company, the business that this happened to had to learn the hard way that securing the business's social media accounts is essential in today's digital landscape.
Protecting your social media accounts doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s a matter of applying the same simple best practices you would to your email or any other account.
- Start by ensuring your social media accounts have strong, unique passwords.
- Implement two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security, requiring a verification code in addition to your password.
- Regularly monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity (unknown devices or login locations).
Don't underestimate the significance of protecting your social media presence, as it can save your business from costly repercussions and reputation damage.
