In the age of social media, it’s more important than ever to be aware of the dangers of cybercrime. With so much of our lives and businesses now conducted online, criminals increasingly turn to cyberspace to victimize unsuspecting people. Small business owners are particularly vulnerable, as they may not have the resources or the knowledge to protect themselves from attacks. We wrote down five tips to help you keep your accounts safe from cybercrime.

How does cybercrime affect our daily lives?

Committing cybercrime usually involves the use of computers and the internet to achieve personal gain. This can include anything from identity theft, extortion, and fraud to cyberstalking and cyberbullying. Cybercrime has become a growing problem in recent years, and hackers who take over small businesses’ social media accounts in exchange for a cash buyout are becoming increasingly common.

1. Use Two-Factor Authentication

One of the best ways to protect your accounts from cybercrime is to enable two-factor authentication. It adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a code from your mobile phone or email in addition to your username and password when logging in. This means that even if a criminal manages to obtain your login credentials, they will still be unable to access your account without having access to your phone or email account.

2. Use Strong Passwords

Another important step you can take to protect your accounts is to use strong passwords. A strong password is at least eight characters long and contains a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using obvious words like “password” or easily accessible personal information like your birthdate, maiden name, or pet’s name.

3. Change Your Passwords Regularly

In addition to using strong passwords, you should also change your passwords regularly. Aim to change them every three months and never reuse a password across multiple accounts. It may seem like a lot of work, but keeping your accounts safe is worth it. If you tend to forget your passwords, you can use password keeper services and apps like LastPass or 1Password to help you manage them.

4. Don’t Use the Same Passwords on All Accounts

Another mistake many people make is using the same password for all their accounts. If a criminal manages to obtain your password for one account, they will then have access to all your other accounts as well. To avoid this, use different passwords for each of your accounts. 

5. Don’t Share Your Passwords With Anyone

This tip seems like an obvious one, but it’s worth repeating. Never share your passwords online or write them down somewhere they could be exposed. Once someone has your password, they can access your account and potentially cause a lot of damage. This is particularly dangerous if you have used the same passwords on different accounts (a big no-no!). If you need to share your password with a colleague or a social media manager, make sure you trust them 100% and change the password immediately once you stop working with them.

Protecting Your Accounts from Cybercrime is becoming increasingly common, making it critical that small business owners take steps to protect their social media accounts. By enabling two-factor authentication, using strong passwords, changing those passwords regularly, and avoiding reuse across multiple accounts, you can help safeguard yourself against attack. Though it takes some effort, these precautions are well worth taking to ensure the safety of yourself and your business.

We hope this blog post was useful to you and that you’ve already changed your passwords. If you want to read more about marketing and social media, check out our other blog posts!