I’m an Ethical Hacker. Here’s How I Could Use Social Media to Scam You
Be careful about what you’re oversharing online, because it makes it easier for (unethical) hackers to target you
By Katie Paxton-Fear
Scam emails aren’t what they used to be. Gone are the days of fraudulent emails filled with typos and Nigerian princes promising riches if only we hand over our credit cards. Today’s phishing emails can be quite convincing, often addressed to us by name or with specific personal details. Modern hackers can find everything they need to know about a potential target through Google or social media and use this information to architect the perfect scam. How do I know this? I’m a hacker, albeit an ethical one who makes a living breaking into well-known companies (with permission) to identify potential security vulnerabilities, like a cyber Sherlock Holmes.
Cybercriminals exploit the personal details we share online to try and trick or impersonate us — piecing together every photo we post, location we check into, person we tag, or pet photo we upload to build an understanding of their targets. The social engineering scams they create are designed to entice people to download malware, send money, share personal information, or disclose log-in details.
