7 easy security tips for influencers

Cybersecurity for influencers is becoming increasingly important. We have already described in detail in another blog post why. This blog post deals with a different topic and is intended to give simple security tips / tricks on how influencers with no or little budget can protect themselves and thus achieve more security on the Internet. This is also possible and very important when it comes to protecting yourself. However, the article is not limited to influencers or public figures only. Every individual can use these tips and secure their own online presence. After all, no one wants to be hacked!

Passwordsecurity

One of the most important topics in security is the password. It is the key to accessing your own accounts. That’s why you should not share the password with anyone, use at least 20-digit passwords and avoid reusing them on other platforms. The best would still be a secure password vault. These are already available for free and already increase security even in this product class. We recommend NordPass for this purpose, as this product offers an extremely good encryption and even the free version already supports many features. If you would like to spend a few dollars/euros for it, we can only support that. With the “Data-Breach Scanner” you have the possibility to change passwords before they can be misused against you. You can find more information here.

Data disclosure

As an influencer, one of the big parts of the job is simply sharing content, presenting your own life and revealing personal information. This part is indispensable, as you always want to build a personal bond with your followers and encourage them to “follow” you. Nevertheless, it is important to know what I can share and what not. You always have to differentiate and should never share your home address, private contact information (phone number, email address, etc.) or information about friends and acquaintances with videos, reels, stories or pictures. It is important to check every recorded medium carefully to prevent important information from being shared.

Device and software updates

Everyone of us works with digital media. This makes the maintenance of our systems even more important. In about 99% of incidents, hacker attacks are successful because a software or operating system was simply not up to date with the latest technology. It’s very easy to do this and it doesn’t cost anything extra. Therefore: Pay close attention to the current software status and update browsers, apps, cell phones and operating systems regularly. This will help you catch most of the viruses and work more securely.

Use privacy settings

Cybersecurity for influencers is not just about what is actively shared, but also the settings in the social media apps themselves. The default settings are often very open to get the most information from you. However, this is not necessary and only puts your identity at risk, should the leak of data ever occur. The less info you share with app providers, social media platforms and programs in general, the less can be stolen. Therefore, always check all permissions of apps on your phone. Does Snapchat really need access to phone numbers? Is it necessary for Instagram to have access to the local network? For every permission, ask yourself what YOU need it for. Not what the app needs it for. It’s better to decline once too often and change it later, than to always agree everywhere. You have the power over your data.

If you want to find more information about the privacy settings of the current major platforms, we have gathered some links below:

• Instagram: https://help.instagram.com/196883487377501/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/help/238318146535333/
• TikTok: https://support.tiktok.com/de/account–and-privacy/account-privacy-settings
• Snapchat: https://help.snapchat.com/hc/de/sections/5690164367636
• WhatsApp: https://faq.whatsapp.com/3307102709559968

Get informed about current security events

The world of cybersecurity is changing every day. If yesterday software A was the most secure in the world, it may not be today. The reason is a constantly changing landscape. That’s why you need to stay up-to-date on what’s currently happening and how to effectively protect against it. If you want that for free, you need to go to blogs and news sites yourself and get that info through a newsletter. If not, you can also hire a security company to warn you about threats. When doing so, make sure that these warnings should be tailored to you and not warn you about everything possible that is going on outside. Otherwise, these warnings will quickly become meaningless.

Backup, backup, backup

How often do we see hacked users coming to us for support because their PC has been taken over? That’s why we can’t say it often enough. Start regular backups and store the data separately. In case of an attack, you will have all your data at hand, even in the worst cases, and you won’t have to worry about it.

Links and files

Every day, millions of documents and links are shared via social media sites, email or direct messages. Unfortunately, a large portion of the content is malicious and can damage a device on the one hand and contribute to leaking your own data on the other. Therefore, always pay attention to what you open and what links you follow. Always ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I get out of following the link?
• Do I know the person who sent me the document/link?
• Why am I receiving this mail? Does it concern me?
• Is it plausible that this person is sending this to me?

Often it is enough to question these things. This can prevent a large part of the attacks free of charge and effectively!

Summary

With our security tips, you as an influencer, public figure or normal user, have built up a basic protection that doesn’t cost you a cent. Nevertheless, technical tools such as antivirus solutions or VPNs can offer a significant benefit and increase your cybersecurity even more. If you need more information about our products or offers, you can find more here.

The question is not whether you will be hacked – but when and how you will be prepared for it

Dr. Christian Keller, IBM