Your digital footprint is becoming incredibly sought after. With a combination of Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, forums and more, it is now easier than ever to build a portfolio of an individual or business. Your information is used to register for every online service imaginable. This information is valuable and sharing of this can be quite intrusive depending on the service you register for. There is a well used quote “If something is free, you are the product”, and this applies to many scenarios in the digital environment. With a host of services, your information is gathered during registration for use in marketing, and often sold to third parties.
Without proactive control over your data, you can quickly leave yourself susceptible for Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). OSINT is the method of harvesting publicly available information on an individual or business by digging into their social media, looking at common online usernames and aliases to find out as much information as possible about an individual. Findings from this type of OSINT can be used for blackmail, fraud or may even be sold to another individual to misuse.
Borwell’s advice is to be vigilant with the information you give out online. You wouldn’t put your confidential letters in a bin without shredding them, or at least ripping them apart – so why share all of this information and allow it to be publicly visible online? This information can be collated and used for identity theft, fraud or blackmail; all it takes is a dedicated individual with enough motivation to harvest your information. If you must use your personal information for services, make sure that this is set to private so you cannot be easily traced, or better yet, reduce which services you register for to make your digital footprint smaller.
What should I change immediately you may ask? Make sure your social media profiles such as Facebook and Twitter do not include private information such as address, contact number and date of birth. This information can go much further than you think when it gets into the wrong hands! This information can quickly be used and sold to your detriment. Our second major tip is to ensure vulnerabilities in your network, software and infrastructure are found and remediated before cyber criminals can use OSINT to find them.
If you have questions or concerns don’t hesitate to contact the team on SecureSoftware@borwell.com who are ready to support you in improving your cyber resilience.