Overcoming the Challenge of Social Media Cyber-Vandalism

When it comes to cyber-vandalism, online communication tools can be seriously challenged. However, to keep social media accounts protected, small businesses need to take advantage of any social media security options available. There are a variety of tools available to assist in protecting your company’s social media accounts. Using these tools, you can enact a security policy for your small business. One of the most important parts of protecting your company in the cyber world starts before any attack ever comes.

Readiness – Making a Plan

When it comes to creating a plan for cyber security, it is important plan and train your staff prior to any attack actually occurring. This includes preparing approved processes and material for the recovery and response to cyber-vandalism. One of the first things to decide is a direct chain of responsible managers and their responsibilities in response to a potential cyber-vandalism, particularly in regarding to the social media aspects of your business. These managers should be empowered to take decisive action if necessary. The team should also be fully connected with each other, including by email, phone, text and any other appropriate means of communication.

Members of your cyber-vandalism team should include someone from your social media team, program manager, public relations, IT security and senior leader or manager.

What Do Your Social Media Accounts Offer?

For a variety of social media outlets, there are specific communication tools that can be used to provide added security to your accounts. Therefore, depending on the type of social network, it is important that your team understand how those security options impact your business’ accounts.

It is best to have your team examine each account. For example, Google offers specific tips to protect your account, whereas Hootsuite focuses on social media security. Yet all their tips are geared at keeping your accounts secured from cyber criminals.

Plan Ahead with Rapid Outreach

While every business hopes that they will never have to activate their cyber security or cyber vandalism plan, the reality is that it may happen. Therefore, you want to have drills periodically to allow your staff to work through the plan and identify any potential quirks or potential issues, which you can then address before you have an actual incident.

Some other points to consider as you prep your team for a potential cyber vandalism incident:

• Prepare a list of internal and external contacts, as well as the processes for this type of event.
• Who is the point of contact for the app or platform when an incident occurs?
• Who are your key communities and audiences on social media and other channels you must alert?
• Incorporate relevant contact information for all the necessary parties.
• Emails, phone numbers, social media handles, hashtags, listservs and any other necessary sites.

Another part of your planning process includes creating communication templates that your team can take out and use for a variety of different circumstances. They should also have different options to reach out to individuals that may have been affected by the breach, such as customers and the public at large. Emails, press releases and even Facebook statuses that are pre-populated with messages. The information shared should discuss the account that was compromised and what information is unauthorized.

Best Practices Checklist

You need to also institutionalize secure web standards, as a foundation for securing your social media accounts. Your checklist should include a social media policy, the best practices for passwords and training for all the members of your team who are involved in your social media strategy.

Additionally, you may want to consider using a two-step verification with as many of your accounts as possible. This will require a user to be verified when they are attempting to access your account from a different or unauthorized device or system. Thus, you will need to make two consecutive, yet dependent, entries. This may not be effective if your team members do not have mobile devices or a way to receive the verification codes.

As you can see, there is a lot of parts to your social media strategy for dealing with cyber vandalism. Then you will need to review each aspect with the individual that it pertains to within your process. If they are unclear, then you make need to make some edits to make sure the policy is clear and can be implemented correctly. Additionally, make sure that all your connections are as secure as possible when connecting to your social media accounts to minimize the risks to your business.