Social media threats

1. Social media threats

2. Warning! May contain mild peril

3. Contents • What is social media? • Risks associated with social media • How the threats work • Social media spam • Social media phishing • Social media malware • Using social media safely

4. What is social media?

5. Social media has arrived Social networking sites are now more popular than web-based email

6. Social media – key features • Allows users to become a member of an online community • Key features are “Profiles” and “Friend lists” • The most commonly used social network is still Facebook • 2009 saw the rapid emergence of Twitter • Also called social networking

7. Risks associated with social media

8. Two main types of threat Users publishing information Social networking attacks

9. Users publishing information • Reveal sensitive information • Defamation of others/school system • This can be inadvertent or deliberate • And the repercussions include: • Reputation damage • Fines

10. Social networking attacks Financially-motivated organized crime Hobby/ showing off

11. Social networking attacks Social networking accounts are valuable to hackers They can use them to send spam, spread malware, steal identities... … in the quest to acquire personal information for financial gain

12. Data = $$$ • Steal your money directly • Sell your data • Trick your friends and family intosupplying personal data • Sell your identity • Use your accounts to spread spam, malware and more data theft scams! • Sell your school’s data or sensitive information • Blackmail individuals and organizations

13. How the threats work

14. How the threats work • Spam • Phishing • Malware

15. Social networking spam

16. Social networking spam

17. Social networking spam

18. Social networking spam

19. Social networking spam

20. Social networking spam

21. Social networking spam 57% of social networking users report being hit by spam via the services That’s an increase of from a year ago 70.6%

22. Social networking phishing

23. Social networking phishing

24. Social networking phishing

25. Social networking phishing

26. Social networking phishing 30% of social networking users report phishing attacks via the sites That’s an increase of from a year ago 42.9%

27. Social networking malware

28. Social networking malware

29. Social networking malware

30. Social networking malware

31. Social networking malware

32. Social networking malware

33. Using social media safely

34. Top tips for staying secure • KNOW THE RULES - check your organization’s policy on social networking • USE SECURE PASSWORDS - minimum 14 characters including non-letters • CHECK THE DEFAULT SETTINGS - don’t providing personal information by default • BE PICTURE PRUDENT - think before posting images that might cause embarrassment • BEWARE OF BIG BROTHER - assume everyone can read your posts, including hackers! • SECURE YOUR COMPUTERS - use up-to-date security software and firewalls • THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK - if the email looks dodgy it probably is  • STRANGER DANGER - beware of unsolicited invitations from spammers

35. Summary • Financially-motivated criminals are increasingly using social media sites to steal identities, spread malware and send spam • Social networks are getting better at protecting users against these threats – but there’s a long way to go • The onus is on YOU to use social media sites safely – follow the top tips for staying secure

36. Thank you