Social media sharing
Hacking people is the best way to get into systems, and the more hackers know about the people they want to hack, the easier it gets. Most of us have social media profiles where we share our musings and day-to-day lives with our friends. These profiles are a goldmine for hackers.
On your social media page, hackers could find information about your family, living situation, hobbies, and interests. This makes it easy for them to create spear phishing emails that are tailor-made to trick you into opening infected attachments or fake links.
If you broadcast your vacation or vacation plans on social media, hackers and thieves can also use that information. Thieves will know that your house is sitting empty, which makes it a target for break-ins. Hackers will know that you’re not at work, which makes your workplace a target. For example, hackers may try to send phishing emails to your colleagues in your name asking for quick money transfers due to suddenly urgent matters related to your business. They may also send emails to your friends and family claiming that you have been robbed and need money to get back home. Or they could target you and send you fake travel confirmation emails or booking changes, knowing that you would be more inclined to click on them.