On May 4th, the world celebrated World Password Day to remind everyone of the importance of strong passwords. But some accounts are more susceptible to weak passwords than others, particularly social media accounts. This is because securing social media passwords presents unique challenges that are often overlooked.
When organisations consider password security, they typically focus on employee email accounts and network passwords, ignoring the potential vulnerabilities that social media passwords pose. This oversight could be putting organisations and their reputations at risk.
One of the biggest areas of vulnerability is the lack of centralised, secure social media password management. Many businesses, especially those that outsource social media management to third-party agencies, don’t have a password management system in place. When clients share their social media passwords with the agencies through unencrypted emails or messages, they expose themselves to the risk of cyber threats.
Another common mistake that businesses make is storing passwords in a spreadsheet or text file, which creates a single point of failure. If this document is compromised, all accounts are vulnerable. Similarly, if the same password is used for multiple social media accounts, cybercriminals can more easily access other accounts once one is compromised.
Using weak passwords or passwords that have already been compromised as part of a public data breach leaves social media accounts open to credential-stuffing and password spraying attacks. Social media teams are often unaware of these attacks unless they have measures in place to detect any weak or compromised passwords available on the dark web.
To secure corporate social media passwords, all accounts should have strong, unique passwords that are stored and shared securely. Passwords should never be sent through unsecure channels like email or SMS, where they could be intercepted by prying eyes.
A password manager is necessary to secure social media accounts, especially when multiple people need access. A password manager can automatically generate strong passwords, store them in an encrypted vault, and allow employees to securely share the credentials with anyone who needs access. It can also facilitate the protection of accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA). Any user logging in with the password manager will have immediate access to 2FA codes through the shared record, eliminating the need for colleagues to send the code through an insecure channel.
Controlling access to employee and contractor accounts through role-based access control (RBAC), in conjunction with the principle of least privilege access, also limits access to the company’s social media accounts to only those employees who need it. Without a secure password management solution, there is an increased risk of insider threats and a higher chance of successfully accessing the company’s social media accounts.
In conclusion, World Password Day is an excellent opportunity to secure social media and other types of accounts. A password manager can reduce the chances of a compromise that could damage or hurt a company’s reputation or brand. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that social media passwords are as secure as other crucial passwords that protect a company’s network and data.