The problem for Cyber Security with social media these days is the huge amount of disinformation spread to you by Bots, Sockpuppets and Trolls.
A bot is a computer program that behaves like humans. It performs automated tasks, and were developed to help you feel more comfortable when interacting with automated software systems.
But all too often, automated bots have been built to deceive, especially within the social media software systems. Not only do these bots pretend to be real people, but they spread misinformation, malware and ransomware. These bots are well known for coordinating social media harassment campaigns.
Not only have individuals been victims to these coordinated bot attacks, but corporations and governments too. In addition to bots, there are two other categories you have to watch out for; sockpuppets and trolls.
A sockpuppet account is created by one individual in order to appear like the account is controlled by a second, distinct individual. The second individual could be a real person, or is a poser that simply masks the identity of the real account creator. What distinguished a sockpuppet from a bot is that the sockpuppets are at least partially controlled by a human, where bots are fully automated via software code. Often a human controls multiple sockpuppet accounts, writing different content from each one, or sending or resending the same content from all of them. There are various tools available to someone who wants to coordinate mass content across multiple accounts.
A troll is an account setup that starts quarrels or just upsets people by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic content in social media systems.
By leveraging all three of these Cyber Attack account systems, Bots, Sockpuppets and Trolls; one human can overwhelm the information seeking public quit easily.
A good example of this is the Delta Airlines over reaction decision to end their NRA relationship based on what they believed was a main stream demand by the majority of Americans to do it. Their decision cost them $50 million dollars in lost sales tax savings by upsetting the Georgia conservatives. To think that a few people can leverage these Cyber Attack account systems and suddenly your targets (Delta Airlines and others) believe you have every American Citizen on the planet supporting you. These are very valuable cyber attack tools!
FedEx did not follow Delta Airlines because they were obviously protected by very good Cyber Security experts that confirmed the Bots, Sockpuppets and Trolls that attacked them with misinformation and who these human attackers where. Which probably saved Fedex millions of dollars in not upsetting individuals, governments and businesses for unnecessary actions at that time. Information is power.
What can you do when attacked?
Rule number 1 – do not get excited.
Rule number 2 – do not over react.
Rule number 3 – you will need to add protection from Social Media Disinformation Bots, Sockpuppets and Trolls to your Cyber Security Planning and software systems.
Contact us today to see how Adept Secure can help your organization with these problems and many more.
Call us toll free 1-888-392-9623
