When was the last time you posted photo on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter? Chances are, it’s been less than a week. Although sharing images on social media platforms is a fun way to visually engage with your network, you might not realize that these posts can also offer cybercriminals an opportunity to gather information they can use against you.
In his latest column on GeekWire, WatchGuard CTO, Corey Nachreiner, breaks down a seemingly harmless Instagram post to reveal that it actually contains six minor details hackers can use to make their attacks more effective. Captions, exchangeable images file format (EXIF) data and various objects in the background are just a few elements that can hide personal information you didn’t intend to post publicly. So, whenever posing anything to your social media accounts, Corey recommends a few tips and a healthy dose of common sense:
“Once you’ve got the filters just right and the emoji choices down, spend an extra minute or so before posting to make sure that nothing in a photo or caption gives away too much about you. Also, be selective about who you allow to follow you or see your pictures online. While it does take more work, you should also purge the EXIF data from photos you post publicly. You can find a number of free tools that help do this. Simply put, think before you post. Whether it’s a picture, a file or just text, consider exactly what you might be sharing before putting it anywhere it might go public.”
For the more information about the hidden hazards of social media photos, check out the full article on GeekWire.