Your safety on social media. A PSA.

Do you remember the security questions you have to set up answers for in case you forget your password and need to reset it? One of them, more often than not, is about your first pet. This is how hackers crack that question: by hitting you in the feels to get you to divulge that information voluntarily and indeed, eagerly. They will do that with your other information that may be used in the security questions you may have answered, like your first car, the neighbourhood you grew up in, your favourite teacher, your mother’s maiden name etc. They do that when you answer such questions or play silly games about how you’d look when you’re older or who your soulmate is going to be or what actor looks like you, and so on. They hide their hacking attempts in plain sight, by simply asking you for information you’d give away without resistance if only you appealed to their emotion or gamified it in some way to make you feel good inside. Indeed, they rely less on brute force, lies, or subterfuge, and more on creating scenarios where you’d trade that info willingly for a single dopamine hit.

Who’d fall for such obvious attempts, you ask? Well, as you can see from the comments, over 9.5 million people have. This is called a social engineering attack. And these are more common than you’d like to think.

Beware. And be secure. Do not play these games or be tempted to answer questions like these. Do not give access to your account to anybody just to play a silly game. Do use unusual questions for your security questions and give slightly wrong answers that only you know and remember so even if someone knew that information, they’d find it difficult to guess. Do use strong passwords. Do use 2FA where possible. Do pay attention to email and text notifications about login attempts (you’ll be surprised how many people dismiss these). Do stay safe. Social media is not some online game anymore. It is like a combination of your family album, your calendar, your diary, your contact book, emotional support system, phone directory, confessional, debating society, club, local hangout place, library, shopping complex, mall, school, office, therapist’s clinic, and family room. It deserves the seriousness that comes with it.