Facebook: The 7 golden rules for avoiding phishing attacks
Phishing is a type of attack on personal data that comes in the form of a fake email or website that appears to come from a trusted location – but in reality, it doesn't.
The user may, for example, receive an email that includes all the topics and images from a typical message sent by Facebook. In addition to this email, the user will be asked to reset their password and will be offered a login prompt to do so. The user clicks on the prompt, which will direct them to a fake Facebook-like website, and the user then enters their username and password. The phishing attack has just been successfully completed!
Phishing works because it relies on people’s trust. Facebook is a good example of this. In recent years, the ubiquitous social platform has become a very popular tool for phishers, who have exploited both Facebook’s popularity and people’s fears of losing their personal data to ultimately steal their details by sending fake password reset requests purporting to come from Facebook.
There are several ways to avoid phishing attacks. The common denominator in each is the users' suspicion of any electronic request that requires filling out their personal information.
To summarize, here are some tips:
1. Never complete a request for personal information that comes in an email.
2. Only enter personal information on a secure website. You’ll know a website is secure if the URL starts with “https://” and if a lock icon appears in the bottom right corner of your Internet browser. Click on this lock icon to view the site’s security certificate.
3. Look for telltale signs of phishing in emails requesting personal information – spelling mistakes are a red flag. If the prompt on a website to enter your data has a URL that is different from the site you expect, this is a sure sign of a phishing attack.
4. Don’t click on links that ask for personal information. Instead, go directly to the site in question by typing the URL into your browser manually.
5. Make sure your computer’s antivirus has phishing protection.
6. Make sure that your web browser, antivirus, and all software programs on your computer are always up to date with the latest versions that have the latest security patches.
7. Report any suspicious messages to your bank or social media platforms immediately.
