Social media has been a common tool for sending and receiving of information from various people in different geographic locations of the world across the internet. However, through this process of interaction, there have been several loopholes that have created an environment for attackers and malicious acts that have left its users exposed to risks of their critical information being lost and their privacy rights being bleached. In this article we are going to look into various ways how attackers have taken advantage over individuals over the internet.
Firstly, different social sites have interlinked their users to other programs and other services thereby building trust issues among their members. Concerns from different parties have raised in cases that their data integrity have been infringed, individuals have felt like trust doesn’t really matter when it comes to third party programs, software’s and sites. In the occurrence of this events, users have been triggered to share their personal information with unknown entities.
Secondly, in the process of interconnectivity, people using the internet have had a pop-up ads and links that have exposed them to hackers after clicking. Hackers are unidentified entities that use one’s device or gadget without the conscience of the user on the attacker’s presence, this happens as a result of connectivity via a network either local area network or wide area network. Hackers leave behind a massive data loss and security of the user weakened.
Also, as a result of online engagement via e-mailing, attachments have been sent and received from unknown sources thereby declared as computer spams. These attachments appear as adverts which are viruses, once downloaded they take over the computer system and may to some extents knock out a user from his/her computer until they buy an antivirus from the spammers.
Cyber bullying still has been an issue in the online world when it has come to security measures. This refers to the action whereby there’s a communication between persons but the conversation has ended leaving one party as a victim. This has been a wide form of discrimination in aspects of religion, economy and political beliefs of different cultures. Most of the occurrences of bullying comes where one is being threatened or held into victimization over certain matters contrary to them.
Identity theft is another form of cyber crime on Social media, this attack impersonates user’s information where they are asked to give out critical and personal information thereby performing illegal activities within the accounts this has been mostly into the online platforms such as Facebook or Instagram. This form of impersonation has left the victims helpless and regretting.
Due to technology advancement in this age, online crimes have increased majorly in the platforms where people are using them daily. This includes the big five giant of communication and entertainment, this includes; WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. It has been an easier task for the attackers to do this because the users of these platforms don’t know the corrective and preventive measures to secure them against these cyber crimes. We shall see different measures and cautions to undertake while on the internet that secures us from all these losses and victimization.
To start with, sharing of passwords and other critical information should be avoided. This means that we should not give out our personal information while prompted to do so in cases whereby the source is unknown, sharing our data with unknown personnel’s gives an authorization to the operations of our accounts thereby violating our privacy. Unless we are asked to give out our credentials by known people or sites we should keep our information undisclosed. To do this we ought to update the information in our accounts regularly, this doesn’t pave way for attackers.
Secondly, online attachments should be avoided mostly they are on e-mails, this adverts lures one to click on them thereby leading to viruses because these are embedded into viruses and other junk files thereby harming our computers. To avoid this we should take the precaution of denying to open or download any mails whose their sender is unknown or are not reliable. Other form of precaution includes installing an up-to-date antivirus in our gadgets and devices, antivirus handles all the suspicious mails, junk files and programs in our devices and cleans them out, leading to our safety while surfing.
Another aspect of safeguarding our security on the internet is revoking the third party access of our apps and programs that we commonly use on the net. This helps to maintain data integrity and trust between brands and their customers. Brands that may interlink their users to other sites
Should not violate the user’s rights of privacy by sharing their information to other sites. As a result of information sharing, people are lured to risks of having their credit cards amongst other financial details stolen or exposed, thereby paving a way for attackers to get this easy.
Visiting trusted sites and web pages can also be a caution against insecurity on the internet. Unknown sites and web pages can be a hunting ground for cyber criminals where attacks over the internet are carried out in, avoiding this sites can save a lot in terms of security and threats cautioning. Users and account holders should be aware when visiting some sites to avoid them being hacked or being spammed.
Other aspect of internet security includes creating online content that doesn’t bring favourism or even discrimination to others, this may be against their religious beliefs, ethnic backgrounds or even economical classes. This judgmental facts may draw conversations on the social media that may humiliate others thereby leading to cyber bullying. To avoid the fuss people should keep respect to other peoples’ opinions and comments while interacting with others.
In conclusion, social media is a powerful tool to communicate, exchange ideas, market goods, buy goods or even build brands. Therefore people should not misuse this sites to spread hatred or malice against people, companies or brands. We should use the online platforms to bring the best out of us, to change the world, to educate and have fun.
