Social Threat Monitoring

Social Threat Monitoring

Social Threat Monitoring comes under the Detection team at SOC365. We use Social Threat Monitoring for attack indication and intelligence, and we can tell a great deal about approaching events from the way new accounts related to your business or organisation are formed. Threat actors are increasingly using social media to attack brands, VIPs, and customers. The anonymous nature and extensive reach of social media invite a broad spectrum of bad actors, exposing enterprises to substantial risk through defamation, impersonation, phishing and social engineering.

Social media has become an integral part of modern business operations, providing platforms for marketing, customer engagement, and networking. However, this widespread adoption also opens up new avenues for cyber threats. Businesses must be aware of the following current threats stemming from social media:

Phishing and Social Engineering: Phishing attacks on social media are increasingly common, where attackers use deceptive messages or fake profiles to trick users into revealing sensitive information. These attacks often leverage the trust users place in their social connections, making them more effective than traditional phishing emails. For businesses, this can lead to credential theft, unauthorized access to systems, or even data breaches if employees are targeted.

Impersonation and Fake Accounts: Impersonation attacks involve the creation of fake profiles that mimic legitimate businesses or individuals. These fake accounts can be used to defraud customers, spread misinformation, or conduct phishing attacks. For businesses, such activities can damage brand reputation, lead to loss of consumer trust, and potentially result in financial losses.

Malware Distribution: Cybercriminals use social media platforms to distribute malware, either through direct links or compromised advertisements. Clicking on these malicious links can lead to the installation of malware on a user’s device, which can then spread within a corporate network. This threat is particularly concerning given the rise of remote work, where the line between personal and professional device use is often blurred.

Data Leakage: Employees often inadvertently share sensitive business information on social media, either through posts, comments, or shared documents. This can include proprietary data, client information, or details about business operations that should remain confidential. Data leakage can occur both intentionally and unintentionally and can result in significant legal and financial repercussions.

Reputation Damage: Social media amplifies the impact of negative publicity, where a single adverse event can quickly escalate and reach a global audience. Cyber attacks targeting social media accounts can lead to unauthorized posts, misinformation, or inappropriate content being shared under a company’s name. This can result in severe damage to a company’s reputation and brand image.

Corporate Espionage and Competitor Analysis: Competitors and other malicious actors can use social media to gather intelligence on a company's activities, strategies, or even employee behavior. This form of corporate espionage can provide adversaries with insights that could be used to gain a competitive edge or to plan further targeted attacks.

What we use Social Threat Monitoring for      

We monitor these threats and occurrences to provide a better, strong Cyber Threat Detection capability. Specifically, we use Social Threat Monitoring to enable:‍

Security Awareness Training: Within SOC365, we can provide your training teams with information about the risks associated with social media and best practices for avoiding phishing and social engineering attacks. These can be tailored to the specific risks facing your organisation. For example, if your CEO has no LinkedIn profile, and one is created, how would you check to know it really is your CEO?

Monitoring and Incident Response: SOC365 continuously monitors social media channels for unauthorized activity or mentions of your company, and we have a response plan in place for potential incidents.

Access Control and Authentication: We check to see if clients are using strong, multi-factor authentication methods for social media accounts to prevent unauthorized access. SOC365 also monitors the breach lists to alert on possible compromise of those accounts.

Data Protection Policies: While SOC365 monitors your social media profiles, we will alert on information that we suspect should not have been shared on social media.

Social media offers significant benefits to businesses, but these must be balanced with a comprehensive understanding of the associated risks and a proactive approach to cybersecurity. SOC365 will help you manage these risks.

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