Home Commentary Advice Beware: Cybercriminals could be profiling you

Beware: Cybercriminals could be profiling you

By

Jason Albuquerque

-

10/25/2019

Jason Albuquerque guest column

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and it is a good time to remember that cybercriminals are constantly on the hunt for new ways to obtain information. According to the Better Business Bureau, criminals love to target people who widely share personal and corporate information on social media (especially not under a private account), because it

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October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and it is a good time to remember that cybercriminals are constantly on the hunt for new ways to obtain information. According to the Better Business Bureau, criminals love to target people who widely share personal and corporate information on social media (especially not under a private account), because it makes their job that much easier. Attackers are far more sophisticated than we give them credit for. The most successful cybercriminals are not just technical experts at hacking, but they also have high levels of understanding on how to exploit the psychology of their targets. Attackers search social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and build profiles on people and companies. Once the cybercriminal has built a profile, now they can craft messaging they know their targets will want to engage with. One of the highest areas of concern is employees’ unintentional posting of sensitive information about themselves or their companies, such as birth dates, anniversaries, IDs, badges, company programs or benefits. This information is not always considered confidential, but having it posted on social media can present serious vulnerabilities. Just search some hashtags such as #WorkBadge on Instagram and you can see how information can be inadvertently shared that could be used in profiling and scamming. It is very important for everyone who is active on social media to remember to thoroughly review content before posting online. It’s fun, helpful and entertaining to create content and engage on social media – as long as it is done safely. Consider the content you’re sharing on social platforms and ask yourself if it easily gives criminals insight to an immense amount of personal and corporate details. Cybercriminals can learn all about you. #BeCyberSmart and make it harder for them by avoiding posting full real names and pertinent home, school and work details. Jason Albuquerque is chief information security officer at Carousel Industries of North America Inc. in Exeter.