In today’s hyper-connected world, many of our everyday activities—such as using social media, downloading apps, or even participating in harmless-looking online games—can inadvertently lead to the sharing of sensitive information. These activities, while seemingly trivial, often involve providing personal details, granting unnecessary permissions, or exposing habits and preferences that can be pieced together by malicious actors.
For businesses, the stakes are even higher. When employees unknowingly share personal or professional data, it can open doors for cybercriminals to exploit this information through phishing schemes, social engineering attacks, or identity theft. Data leaks stemming from such activities can compromise business operations, lead to reputational damage, and even result in significant financial or legal consequences due to non-compliance with data protection regulations.
We took a closer look at some of the more subtle, often-overlooked ways in which sensitive information is shared inadvertently, why this poses a significant risk to businesses, and what measures organisations can take to safeguard their data. By understanding these risks, businesses can better educate their teams and implement proactive solutions to minimise potential vulnerabilities.
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How do we share our data?
So, just what tricks and techniques might cybercriminals use to fool us into inadvertently parting with our data? Some of the most common examples include:
Social media games and quizzes
One of the most common ways individuals unknowingly share sensitive information is through social media games and quizzes. These seemingly harmless activities, like “What’s your rockstar name?” or “Find out your future career,” often ask participants to share details such as their mother’s maiden name, the city they were born in, or their first pet’s name.
While these prompts seem innocent, they often coincide with security questions used for account recovery or password resets.
These games are frequently designed with hidden motives. The data collected may be sold to third parties or used to create profiles of individuals, which cybercriminals can exploit for targeted attacks. Data mining company Cambridge Analytica are known to have collected information on at least 87 million Facebook users through creating their own Facebook quizzes – and they are far from alone. Vonvon are a South Korean company responsible for thousands of popular Facebook quizzes, and they claim that information is only harvested from social media to make the quizzes as good as they can be. Experts are skeptical, however, and there are concerns over exactly what data is harvested, and how it is used and shared.
For businesses, the consequences could be wide reaching: an employee’s participation in such activities could inadvertently expose credentials that hackers can use to gain access to corporate systems.
Over sharing on social media platforms
Social media thrives on connection, but it can also expose users to significant risks when boundaries aren’t maintained. According to the stats, around 84% of people share personal, private information on their social media accounts each week – and over-sharing is a prime example of how personal data can inadvertently be shared. Common behaviours include:
- Posting holiday plans or check-ins: These updates broadcast when someone is away from home or the office, potentially making them vulnerable to physical theft or cyberattacks.
- Sharing photos with sensitive details: Images of ID badges, passports, or confidential documents, even in the background of a picture, can be captured and used maliciously.
- Tagging locations in real-time: This practice can provide cybercriminals with precise information about an individual’s movements, which could be used for spear phishing or impersonation.
From a business perspective, employees who overshare may inadvertently expose company secrets or compromise their own security, creating entry points for attackers to target corporate networks.
Third-party apps and permissions
In addition to the risks of sharing on socials, the technology behind the profiles can also be a risk factor. Social media platforms often integrate with third-party apps and services, providing a seamless user experience. However, when users link their accounts to external apps—such as a photo-editing tool or a horoscope app—they may unknowingly grant extensive permissions. These permissions might include access to contacts, locations, and even the ability to post on their behalf.
Many third-party apps have questionable data handling practices, and some are outright malicious. Once access is granted, sensitive data can be harvested, stored, and potentially sold. For businesses, the use of third-party apps on professional social media accounts, such as LinkedIn, poses additional risks, as it could lead to the unintentional sharing of company information.
Why does this matter to businesses?
But hold on – why does it matter to you if your employee has completed a quiz to find out their rockstar name? The truth is that inadvertent data sharing on social media doesn’t just impact individuals—it poses significant risks to businesses. Employee behaviour online can jeopardise organisational security, reputation, and legal compliance, and there can be a number of consequences, including:
Exploitation by cybercriminals
When employees share personal details online, cybercriminals can exploit this information in two major ways:
- Phishing and Social Engineering: Attackers use personal details, like those shared in social media games, to create convincing phishing emails or impersonate trusted contacts, tricking employees into divulging sensitive information or transferring funds.
- Credential Stuffing: With details harvested online, hackers attempt to access business accounts by exploiting reused passwords or weak recovery processes. This can lead to data breaches and financial losses.
Damage to reputation
Oversharing on social media, especially on professional platforms like LinkedIn, can expose sensitive business information, from project updates to client details. Careless posts can lead to negative publicity, erode customer trust, and tarnish a company’s brand.
Legal consequences and fines
Businesses may face severe penalties if employee actions result in breaches of data protection regulations like GDPR. Potential consequences include:
- Regulatory Fines: Non-compliance with data handling laws can lead to penalties in the millions.
- Legal Liability: Exposed client or employee data may result in lawsuits and costly settlements.
- Loss of Client Trust: Mishandling sensitive information can damage relationships in sectors like healthcare, finance, or law.
What can businesses do?
It is up to businesses to ensure that their data is safe and secure – and this starts with education. Some top tips to help protect data include:
Educate employees
One crucial step is to teach employees about the dangers of social media, and the ways in which cybercriminals operate and exploit seemingly harmless interactions, such as fun online quizzes. Training should cover common attack tactics, such as phishing, social engineering, and credential harvesting: ongoing awareness and critical thinking are essential to reducing human error and minimising vulnerabilities.
Develop policies
Make sure that your workplace has clear, robust policies for responsible social media use, clearly, outlining the acceptable and non-acceptable behaviours, such as avoiding discussion of potentially sensitive projects, or limiting the sharing of any work-related information. Support these policies with training that equips employees to manage privacy settings, identify risks, and navigate social media responsibly, and make sure this training is kept up to date and delivered regularly.
Invest in robust security measures
Security measures such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) add an extra layer of security to business accounts, making it harder for attackers to access even if credentials are compromised. You can also invest in monitoring tools to detect unusual activity, such as unauthorised logins, and respond swiftly to potential breaches. These safeguards protect sensitive data and bolster organisational security.
Be proactive
Perhaps most importantly, businesses should adopt a proactive approach which combines education, clear policies, and strong security measures to help protect data, reputation, and compliance in a connected digital environment. By addressing vulnerabilities early, businesses can maintain resilience, customer trust, and cybersecurity confidence.
Final Thoughts
In today’s increasingly digital world, the way in which we share information – be it intentionally or inadvertently—can have far-reaching consequences. Businesses must take proactive steps to educate employees, implement clear policies, and adopt robust security measures to safeguard their data and reputation. By fostering awareness, encouraging responsible behaviour, and investing in strong cybersecurity defences, organisations can minimise risks and navigate the complexities of data protection with confidence. In the end, a secure business is a resilient business – and we all have a part to play.