It only takes 1 moment of weakness or mistake to open your Twitter account to hackers. And if you purposely try to make them mad, good luck on that one too.

A friend of mine found out the hard way yesterday that you just don’t put your Twitter username and password into a web page without making sure that it is the genuine Twitter sign in page. He started sending Direct Messages (DM’s) to his followers, directing them to another web site.

It all started when he received an Email from a trusted friend. Here it is; with names blurred:

Twitter message with hyperlink in email

 

My friend clicked on the hyperlink and it took him to what he thought was the Twitter login page. He entered his Twitter username and password. Then some time after, all hell broke loose.

So what is our take away from this learning moment?

  1. When you go to log into a social media site, make sure it is the secure login page. Look for https in URL/address bar at top of your web browser.
  2. Be very careful when you receive generic email messages or social media application messages. Classic examples are: picture of you, is this you or such.
  3. Once you realize that the damage is starting, login to your account and change the password. Make sure you make it a good password. You don’t want these people back in.
  4. You should use a different password for all your logins.
  5. If something has happened, make sure you scan your computer as well for viruses.
  6. It could also be a third-party program that you have given access to recently that’s sending these tweets out. Check for any strange applications. You may have to revoke access to that application that is being bad.
When I spoke with my friend and we did an after action check, we concluded that the only damage was revealing the password and username for a Twitter account. He changed the password and did a scan. Nothing turned up in the scan. The damage to his Twitter account was minimal. But he has learned a powerful lesson. It could have been worse.

So be smart with your social media logins. Don’t be click happy. Think before you dive into a possible mess. And by the way, don’t go bragging how bullet proof you are. This only makes you a bigger target for someone looking for a challenge.

“If you need social media training, consulting or a social media speaker (Truro, Halifax, Dartmouth or throughout Nova Scotia – for that matter – anywhere),  use the Contact page to get started. I am available also on Skype: jeff.brown.alpha”