Tag Archives: social networks

Panda Security

Why Your Business Needs a Security Strategy for Social Networks

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In 2017, it’s not easy to find a company that doesn’t have any sort of presence on social networks. A Twitter account, a Facebook page, and a lot of Instagram photos come standard in any business’s digital communications pack.

Added to this are all of the employees who access their own accounts during work hours. Despite all this activity, there are still plenty of corporations that don’t regulate it, putting their own security at risk.

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, around 50% of the companies analyzed have no briefing for social media use within the company.

Businesses that don’t take this security issue seriously are exposing themselves to a diversity of threats. First, they may witness their own employees leaving negative posts about the company from their work stations. Worse still, they could publish confidential corporate data.

Aside from avoiding potential scenarios in which lead to a corporate crisis, the main goal of a social network strategy should be too clearly define what your employees are permitted to do on them during work hours. One of the premises that should be clearly established is to not follow links whose origin is unknown or untrusted.

In that way, and with the right protection, it is possible to avoid some of the risks hiding in the deepest corners of social networks. Phishing attacks, spam, or any type of malware could jeopardize corporate secrets. A clear policy for Twitter & Company is critical.

Best social network practices could also increase productivity. This is demonstrably true, according to the same Pew Research study, as we see that 40% of employees at a company with no such policy use social platforms to relax a bit.

On the other hand, when a clear policy is in fact in place we see the number drop to 30%. Not only, then, are we avoiding risks, but also promoting a more professional work environment. Does your business have rules for the use of social networks in the workplace?

The post Why Your Business Needs a Security Strategy for Social Networks appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.

Panda Security

Is WeChat set to shake up the tech industry?

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It’s very easy to write off any instant messaging app that isn’t Whatsapp as a clone of the famous messaging giant.

How could anyone possibly take on the might of the Whatsapp –recently ranked as the best messaging app in the world for secure communication- behemoth?

Well, WeChat, a China-based messaging app has an active monthly user base of almost 1 billion users worldwide and has recently been called one of the world’s most powerful apps by Forbes magazine.

Here at Panda Security we’ve taken a look at the reasons behind WeChat’s success story and posed the question.

Can the Chinese messaging giant challenge the western tech companies’ supremacy worldwide?

WeChat is by no means a new player in the game.

The app has been around since 2011, which by tech industry standards is a long time indeed. It’s easy to forget, when some apps currently form such an integral part of our daily lives, that Whatsapp, for example, was founded in 2009, only two years before WeChat.

WeChat is a multifunctional and integral part of daily life in China.

Whatsapp, with its user base of over 1 billion people, can rightfully stake a claim to being the most seamlessly integrated app worldwide, forming an important part of millions of people’s daily lives.

However, many people who have travelled to China, for business reasons or otherwise, have found WeChat to be an unavoidable addition to their mobile devices. The transition back to using Whatsapp, many say, makes the western messaging giant feel one-dimensional by comparison.

Why is this?

WeChat is not simply a messaging app.

It’s many features means that it has managed to roll the functions of several apps into one interface, before companies that provide those functionalities in the west have had a chance to reach the Chinese market.

WeChat Shake, a function that allows you to shake your phone and talk to any other lonely -or bored- stranger who’s shaking there’s, makes the app a Tinder of sorts, helping users to connect with new people. Moments, meanwhile, is a social media feature, Facebook and Messenger combined.

Think Facebook’s recent announcement that you’ll be able to make payments to friends via its Messenger app is world changing? WeChat has had a comprehensive Pay feature since 2013 that even allows users to pay the bills using the app.

The Chinese messaging app is also a Slack, a gaming network and even an app store.

In fact, WeChat’s multifaceted nature means that businesses and brands see having a prominent presence on the app as an essential step towards being successful in China. Not bad for a simple ‘messaging service’.

The big players are paying attention.

Mark Zuckerberg’s recent strategy of splitting the Facebook and Messenger apps may well have been inspired by a desire to emulate WeChat’s multifunctional approach. However, it has also gotten the tech industry in the west paying more attention to the potential of multi-faceted messaging apps, spurring an onslaught of new faces in the messenger market, as well as leading some to believe that WeChat could really stake a claim outside of Asia.

Add this to the fact that a recent Apple keynote speech from Tim Cook, in which he took aim at the Chinese market, heavily featured the WeChat app.

This leads us to the following point…

Do WeChat have an unfair advantage?

Though it’s proving unsurprisingly tough for WeChat to break into the western market, they have a pretty comprehensive, and enviable, home advantage. China’s is, of course, an enormous market that tech giants such as Facebook and Whatsapp have had little success breaking into, due in large part to government bans and censorship within the country. Meanwhile, WeChat, and it’s parent company TenCent have comparable free rein to continue their dominance within China whilst also expanding and taking on the dominance of Facebook et al in the west.

Perhaps the thought of one single tech company playing such an integral part in people’s daily lives is a scary idea. What if the app’s cyber security is breached? Would privacy become an even more controversial issue? All we know is that Silicon Valley has taken note, and the traditional tech giants that we know may be set to face a very real challenge to their dominance in the coming years.

The post Is WeChat set to shake up the tech industry? appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.

Panda Security

Eight everyday security tips for the whole family

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family-EN

From the youngest to the oldest in your household, every member of the family uses the Internet and apps to inform, entertain and maintain contact with their loved ones. This Sunday, May 15th, is International Day of Families and to celebrate, here are some basic tips to keep your family safe while navigating the web.

Updates

Make sure that your operating system and programs or applications are updated properly. Manufacturers often fix vulnerabilities that are appearing, but the only way to make sure your software is “patched-up” is by using the latest version.

Email Attachments

If you get an email that looks suspicious, do not open it until you are sure that the sender is who he claims to be. If you receive unknown messages, do not download the attachments! Even those documents that appear harmless (such as a Word or a spreadsheet) can hide malware. A simple photo might not be what it seems.

Public Wi-Fi

Prevent connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.  Any cyber-delincuent  could use the network as a trap to access your device and steal your information.  If you must use a public network, you should follow these basic security tips.

Online Shopping

While searching for the “best deals” online, we can end up on some unreliable and unknown websites.  Stay away from them! Always verify that the website address matches the webite you are trying to access and that it starts with “https”.  If you always buy on reputable website you will avoid greater evils.

Social Networks

Do not accept friend requests from strangers or allow your children to do so. Try not to share your personal data (like your phone number or address)across platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, because you can never be certain who is on the other side or spying your conversations. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Anti-virus

A good anti-virus is the best barrier that you can put between your computer and possible cyber-attackers. Each day, new vulnerabilities are discovered. Only the security experts are aware of them and can update the protection measures when there is a threat.

Parental Control

There are always threats on the network targeted towards young internet users.  Educate the children in your family about proper internet usage and how to recognize unusual behavior.  Teach them what they should do in a difficult situations and always install a good parental control system, like Panda solutions.

Keep Them Little

It is normal, if not inevitable, that your children use social networks or messaging programs like WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger to speak with their friends. These services can be beneficial or entertaining, but are not 100% danger-free.  Beware of cyber-bullying and the danger-strangers that lurk behind the disguise of a screenname. And for those older members of your family, you should educate them about the dangers of sexting.

 

The post Eight everyday security tips for the whole family appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.

Panda Security

Cyber-criminals really “Like” Facebook

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facebook-one

With 1,590 million active users per month, Facebook is the Social Network. In fact, they just posted their quarterly earnings and they are up 50%. Cyber-criminals are aware of their success.

These platforms are the ideal place to “phish” for information. 18% of companies infected by malware were infected through social networks. Attackers pass as part of a company’s customer service team in order to steal sensitive data from consumers.

A recent study was released by the RSA organization proving that cyber-crime on social networks is a “global epidemic”. The RSA organization was founded by the creators of the encryption algorithm that is used every time we make a bank operation online or digitally sign something.

Cyber-crime in social networks

is a “global epidemic”

These platforms are not only hot-spots for attacks but they have also become the perfect forum for scammers to communicate. According to the study, there are more than 500 online fraud related groups with more than 220,000 members. The majority of these groups are public and visible.

Uncovering Credit Card Data

Fraudsters share information like credit card numbers accompanied by personal information and authorization codes, cyber-crime tutorials and other malware tools.

Proving this, the investigation invites us to write our CVV or CVV2 numbers in the Facebook search bar (those verification numbers on the back of a credit card). The result will surely surprise you: it is easier to find data from a stolen credit card than find an old friend you are trying to reconnect with.

facebook-2

In total, the RSA detected some 15,000 compromised credit cards publicized on social networks in the six months that the study lasted. He also discovered that many of these criminal groups focus their attacks on shops, banks and accounts of consumers in their area.

In China and Russia, platforms QQ and VKontakte are preferred by the scammers, while in the rest of the countries, Facebook remains the favorite. Unfortunately for us, cyber-criminals really “Like” Facebook.

The post Cyber-criminals really “Like” Facebook appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.

Avira

Are Social Networks interested in your sex life?

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If there is a big topic related to SPAM that has been used for years and years, most of us would agree it’s… Viagra sales. It is really interesting to see those mails on the junk folder of our mailing service, trying to sneak in the desired inbox and capture our attention at least for a second.

The post Are Social Networks interested in your sex life? appeared first on Avira Blog.

Avast

Facebook increases security for users

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Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Facebook has become more concerned about its users’ security. The social giant understands that education is the key to providing users with a secure experience. We have already seen the Facebook “dinosaur” guiding us via privacy settings. Now Facebook pops out a short guide to improve the security of our profiles. We strongly recommend not to ignore it and take those steps to ensure that your profile is properly protected.

Step 1. Take control over your login

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

We check our Facebook profile on multiple devices: Our smartphones, tablets and via different apps (Facebook group, messenger, Facebook app). Sometimes we don’t even realize it! ‘Log Out of Unused Apps’ will show you all the apps that you use to log in, but haven’t used for a long period of time. From a security perspective that can create a vulnerable situation. If you don’t use the app, better log out!

We have also a solution for that. If you don’t want to be bother with constant login into your social account, we recommend Avast Passwords available for all your mobile devices for FREE. Check it out for Android and iOS. With one password you can safely log in into your all social apps, without remembering multiple passwords!

Step 2. Set up login alerts

Get login alerts

Login alerts will notify you about unauthorized login attempts into your account

Facebook will let you know when there is an attempt to log into your account via a new device or browser. You can set up both – Facebook notifications as well as email alerts. In this way you have better control over who, when, and where someone tries to login into your profile. You will receive a notification and if it is a hacking attempt, you can block it. We recommend to chose both options, in order to increase your chances to discover a hacker, before he cracks your account.

 Step 3: Protect your Password

Follow Facebook rules to protect your password

Follow Facebook rules to protect your password

Follow simple security rules:

  1. 1. Set up unique password to your account (don’t use the same password to all your social profiles).
  2. 2. Don’t share it with anyone else.
  3. 3. Make sure your password is strong: it should contain small and big characters, numbers and special signs. We recommend minimum 16 characters.
  4. 4. Change passwords regularly and always, if any of your accounts or websites that you use is compromised.
  5. 5. Last but not least, use Password management system, to protect all your accounts requiring logins, not only Facebook. For example the free Avast Passwords.
Secure Facebooking!

Secure Facebooking!

 

Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.

Avast

Facebook increases security for users

Leave a comment
Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Facebook has become more concerned about its users’ security. The social giant understands that education is the key to providing users with a secure experience. We have already seen the Facebook “dinosaur” guiding us via privacy settings. Now Facebook pops out a short guide to improve the security of our profiles. We strongly recommend not to ignore it and take those steps to ensure that your profile is properly protected.

Step 1. Take control over your login

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

We check our Facebook profile on multiple devices: Our smartphones, tablets and via different apps (Facebook group, messenger, Facebook app). Sometimes we don’t even realize it! ‘Log Out of Unused Apps’ will show you all the apps that you use to log in, but haven’t used for a long period of time. From a security perspective that can create a vulnerable situation. If you don’t use the app, better log out!

We have also a solution for that. If you don’t want to be bother with constant login into your social account, we recommend Avast Passwords available for all your mobile devices for FREE. Check it out for Android and iOS. With one password you can safely log in into your all social apps, without remembering multiple passwords!

Step 2. Set up login alerts

Get login alerts

Login alerts will notify you about unauthorized login attempts into your account

Facebook will let you know when there is an attempt to log into your account via a new device or browser. You can set up both – Facebook notifications as well as email alerts. In this way you have better control over who, when, and where someone tries to login into your profile. You will receive a notification and if it is a hacking attempt, you can block it. We recommend to chose both options, in order to increase your chances to discover a hacker, before he cracks your account.

 Step 3: Protect your Password

Follow Facebook rules to protect your password

Follow Facebook rules to protect your password

Follow simple security rules:

  1. 1. Set up unique password to your account (don’t use the same password to all your social profiles).
  2. 2. Don’t share it with anyone else.
  3. 3. Make sure your password is strong: it should contain small and big characters, numbers and special signs. We recommend minimum 16 characters.
  4. 4. Change passwords regularly and always, if any of your accounts or websites that you use is compromised.
  5. 5. Last but not least, use Password management system, to protect all your accounts requiring logins, not only Facebook. For example the free Avast Passwords.
Secure Facebooking!

Secure Facebooking!

 

Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.

Avast

Facebook increases security for users

Leave a comment
Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Facebook has become more concerned about its users’ security. The social giant understands that education is the key to providing users with a secure experience. We have already seen the Facebook “dinosaur” guiding us via privacy settings. Now Facebook pops out a short guide to improve the security of our profiles. We strongly recommend not to ignore it and take those steps to ensure that your profile is properly protected.

Step 1. Take control over your login

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

Don’t ignore Facebook alerts and take your time to improve your security

We check our Facebook profile on multiple devices: Our smartphones, tablets and via different apps (Facebook group, messenger, Facebook app). Sometimes we don’t even realize it! ‘Log Out of Unused Apps’ will show you all the apps that you use to log in, but haven’t used for a long period of time. From a security perspective that can create a vulnerable situation. If you don’t use the app, better log out!

We have also a solution for that. If you don’t want to be bother with constant login into your social account, we recommend Avast Passwords available for all your mobile devices for FREE. Check it out for Android and iOS. With one password you can safely log in into your all social apps, without remembering multiple passwords!

Step 2. Set up login alerts

Get login alerts

Login alerts will notify you about unauthorized login attempts into your account

Facebook will let you know when there is an attempt to log into your account via a new device or browser. You can set up both – Facebook notifications as well as email alerts. In this way you have better control over who, when, and where someone tries to login into your profile. You will receive a notification and if it is a hacking attempt, you can block it. We recommend to chose both options, in order to increase your chances to discover a hacker, before he cracks your account.

 Step 3: Protect your Password

Follow Facebook rules to protect your password

Follow Facebook rules to protect your password

Follow simple security rules:

  1. 1. Set up unique password to your account (don’t use the same password to all your social profiles).
  2. 2. Don’t share it with anyone else.
  3. 3. Make sure your password is strong: it should contain small and big characters, numbers and special signs. We recommend minimum 16 characters.
  4. 4. Change passwords regularly and always, if any of your accounts or websites that you use is compromised.
  5. 5. Last but not least, use Password management system, to protect all your accounts requiring logins, not only Facebook. For example the free Avast Passwords.
Secure Facebooking!

Secure Facebooking!

 

Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.

Avira

The Dawn of Privacy-Driven Social Networks

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As Avira focuses on privacy and security issues, and social networks now play a major role in people’s lives, CNET journalist Laura Hautala caught my attention yesterday with her article “Non-creepy social networks make it to your smartphone” (CNET, 15 June 2015).

Partly in response to outrage (in the wake of Edward Snowden’s disclosures) over government surveillance abuses and companies selling personal data from their customers to the highest bidders, a few companies are now attempting to disrupt the dominant paradigm – i.e. to provide private, encrypted alternatives to Facebook and other networks that the public perceives as being more concerned about profit than the privacy of their customers.

Meet the innovative Minds

Manhattan-based Minds, which has run an alternative social media website for two years, just launched a lightweight social-network app for mobile (for Android and iOS) that encrypts all communications – so they are secure and anonymous (able to be read only by the intended recipient). According to the company, Minds is the first social network with an encrypted app and it’s all based on open-source code to ensure that any attempts to read what shouldn’t be read will be transparent to developers.

According to Co-Founder and CEO Bill Ottman, the app launched this week with a two-year base of 30,000 people already using its social website. As Hautala points out, it’s not a number that will cause Facebook any pain (with its near 1.4 billion users), but the IT world can and often does change rapidly.

In addition to encryption of the data going through the app, Minds collects none of its customers’ data. So even if intelligence agencies demand users’ data, the company has nothing to give them.

As for earning revenue, Minds plans to give up traditional ad sales (which it has used on its website version) and instead offer ‘VIP services’ for points, which can be either purchased outright or earned free via interaction. Such services include being able to expand the reach of your content beyond your personal connections.

Others en route

With a focus on similar principles – namely, data privacy, anonymity, and seeing customers are more than just numbers – the Vermont-based social network Ello also plans to launch a mobile app for iOS, Android, and Windows devices. More will come.

While I have personally suggested to friends and colleagues that ‘privacy’ may have been a short-lived concept in human history (and is in fact already gone from our lives in the way our grandparents knew it), it seems that companies led by freedom-loving people continue to rise up against privacy’s seemingly increasing absence.

While writing this, I downloaded the iOS version of the Minds app myself. I’ll activate an account later today and, if I find it to be a promising social experience, maybe I’ll see you there.

The post The Dawn of Privacy-Driven Social Networks appeared first on Avira Blog.