Social media channels offer an opportunity to reach people outside of our day-to-day routines both professionally and socially. Many executives rely on LinkedIn to get industry news, connect with colleagues, and even search for potential employees. Unfortunately, LinkedIn also hides potential trouble in the form of cyber threat actors.
Recently, the site purged hundreds of thousands of bios that listed Amazon and Apple as their employer https://krebsonsecurity.com/2022/10/battle-with-bots-prompts-mass-purge-of-amazon-apple-employee-accounts-on-linkedin/) These bios were fake accounts that used real users’ information and created AI-generated profile pictures. In June, LinkedIn issued a statement about problem and asked users to report suspicious accounts https://blog.linkedin.com/2022/june/16/working-together-to-keep-linkedin-safe)
LinkedIn is working to combat this issue and they are asking users to help in this fight. Here are some things you can do:
- Do Not accept a connection from someone you have never met or spoken to. Attackers use large connection numbers to gain credibility.
- Beware of what you click on. Before you click any link. Hover your cursor over the link and check the address in the lower lefthand corner of your screen. Does the link direct you to where it says it does?
- Use strong passwords of 10 characters or more with a mix of uppercase, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (mfa), a second line of defense in addition to your password.
- It’s an old saying but it’s still true – If it’s too good to be true, it is.
- Check for spelling errors in URL links, names, etc. Hackers use ‘typosquatting’ to appear legitimate. Typosquatting is a minor misspelling or different URL address that appears correct when viewed quickly – Apple.us, Microsoftcustomerservice.com
- Beware of users who ask to take conversations off the channel and into another channel – WeChat, WhatsApp, etc.
- Use an executive recruiter to find your next applicant or position. We are here to help find the real opportunities and the best placement for your organization.
Here are a few more articles to learn more about LinkedIn scams
https://www.fastcompany.com/90803825/that-new-job-offer-may-be-a-scam-heres-what-to-look-out-for