Cybersecurity Awareness Tip 20: Avoid social media quizzes, surveys and public groups

TMI

Hackers and other surveillance organizations (governments, companies) use social media, too. Surveys, quizzes, games,  pages and groups can all be used to collect personal information that can be used in indirect phishing or direct cybersecurity attacks.

Be Less Social

In its 10 Ways to Protect Your Personal Data poster, Cybersecurity education company InfoSec recommends:

"Be Less Social.
What to do: Minimize the amount of personal data you have on social media platforms.
Why: Information like your pet’s name or mother’s maiden name is sometimes used to recover account logins. Don’t give hackers an easy way into your online accounts!"

This is a good reminder to avoid surveys that ask for personal questions or other information that can be used to reset account passwords.

Your activity on Facebook groups is visible, too.  Views and likes on public groups are available to, well, the public.