The report by Kaspersky Labs revealed that 27% of users reported receiving suspicious messages with links and attachments on their social network accounts.
Meanwhile, over 55% of respondents reported they do not post important personal information like their phone number and home address on social media sites. Furthermore 68% said they try to be cautious by not accepting friend requests from people they do not know.
This contrasts with a recent survey by Faronics that found many UK web users would hand over a password, bank account number or their mother’s maiden name via email or social networks to someone they don’t know.
However, Kaspersky points out that avoidance measures may not fully protect social media users against infection and data loss.
Cybercriminals can often find ways to access another’s social media account and distribute malware-infested links to a user’s network of family and friends.
A 2012 IBM report also revealed that cybercriminals have started to focus on social networks as a result of improved security measures. Many use social sites to gather personal information from those that are comfortable enough to share online.
Users that access social networks through smartphones or tablets are particularly at risk, the Kaspersky research found. The company warns that unsafe internet connections and low protection levels on devices opens the door for cybercriminals to attack.
To hear more about social media threats and what enterprises can do to protect themselves, listen to CBR’s exclusive podcast with Faronics on our multimedia site, CBRTV.
