Social networks are widely used by users today. There are a lot of very varied options. Some may offer us the possibility of giving our opinion, others instead allow us to upload photos or videos and sometimes simply be in contact with friends or family. However, these types of platforms can also pose a problem for our security and privacy. In this newsletter we're going to give an explanation for what scams and security problems can come through social networks .
The use of social networks today
Currently, social
networks are present both at the business level and at the
level of private users. We can find a wide range of possibilities in this
regard.
The rise of mobile
devices has made them gain in usability, since they also
serve to be in contact with other users from anywhere. This brings added
value to this type of platform.
But beyond private
users, they are also widely used by companies. Ultimately, it is a means
of communication with which to be in contact with customers and to be able to
promote their products.
Scams through social networks
The truth is that
through social networks we can find multiple scams . This
can put our privacy and security at risk. We could make mistakes when
using these types of services. We are going to explain which are the most
frequent.
Fake News
Undoubtedly, Fake
News or false news are very present in social networks. Basically
it is a false computer that comes to us through different accounts that we
follow, contacts that have shared it or links that we access.
It is a problem
beyond being a hoax as news, since sometimes they can contain links that lead
us to download malicious software or even tools that automatically share that
with other contacts.
Discount coupons
Discount coupons
are also present on social networks such as Facebook or Twitter . They
offer us a supposed discount to buy products on a known page, but in reality it
is a hoax. They may force us to download a file that contains malware or
access a page full of adware.
Platform improvements
We can also come across supposed improvements
in the platform . For example, offering us the
possibility of knowing who has visited our profile, when a user connected, etc. Again,
on platforms such as Facebook, we can find this type of deception that does
nothing more than collect user data and put our security at risk.
Fake awards
Something similar
happens with fake awards that can appear on social
networks. They inform us that we have been the winners of a supposed draw
and that we simply have to fill in a series of data. The problem is that
we are actually dealing with a fraud that simply seeks to collect personal
information.
Security risks when using social networks
Beyond the scams
that we have indicated, we can also suffer security problems. They can put
the proper functioning of the devices at risk and affect users in a very
negative way.
Using modified apps
Without a doubt,
the most important security risk when using social networks is the use of fake
applications that have been maliciously modified. The
objective is none other than to steal information and our passwords.
To avoid this we
simply have to make sure that we always download the applications from official
sources and never from third-party sites. Also check that the page we are
visiting is the real one.
Phishing attacks
The Phishing
attacks aim to steal our passwords. They are
very present at all levels in the network, but mainly they focus on email and
social networks. We may receive fraudulent links to log in not only to the
social network itself, but to other platforms where we have an account.
Once again it is
vital to log in from the official page and make sure that the link we enter is
the original one. In this way we will not run the risk of our data ending
up in the hands of hackers.
Using outdated programs
Another problem
that can put our security at risk is the use of outdated programs . Sometimes
vulnerabilities can arise that compromise our security and privacy. It is
very important that we always have the latest versions installed and in this
way prevent cybercriminals from taking advantage of certain vulnerabilities.
This is something
that must be applied both to the application itself and to the operating system
that we are using. It is important to always have the latest versions and
not take risks.
