In a new report, Forrester shares examples of how popular networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter have been linked to harmful attacks and scams, pointing out that they can’t secure their own environments — let alone their users’ data. This is a key reason that cybercriminals use social media to exploit brands and why the channel poses a serious threat to businesses today.

The report covers four major cyberthreats, how social media amplifies each threat, and how brands can mitigate the risk. Threats outlined in the report include:

  • Reconnaissance: tapping into social media to gather personal/sensitive information during the recon phase of a cyberattack.
  • Technical exploit delivery: employing a variety of tactics to distribute and execute malware using social media channels, such as the rumored connection of the Pentagon’s data breach as a result of Twitter malware.
  • Brand hijacking: looking for vulnerabilities via digital touchpoints to commandeer a brand. For example, attackers may impersonate a brand on Facebook to launch fake promotions, steal customer data, or promote hashtags with malicious posts.
  • Threat coordination: becoming a valuable tool for cybercriminals to recruit, coordinate an attack, or raise funds.

Click here for more information, and contact us if you’d like a copy of this report.