The recent hacking of celebrity social media accounts has highlighted significant cybersecurity concerns, with experts identifying zero-click exploits as a key issue. Social media users are advised to enhance their security measures, including using strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
7 June 2024 – The recent hacking of celebrity social media accounts has brought to light significant cybersecurity concerns. Although the social media company involved has stated that only a small number of accounts were compromised, the full extent of the breach is still under investigation.
According to the Social Media Statistics for Malaysia Report, there are 28.68 million social media users in Malaysia, representing approximately 83.1% of the population. Cybersecurity incidents of this nature are not unprecedented in Malaysia. In the past, the country’s internet regulator launched an investigation into a security breach that affected 50 million accounts.
“This incident underscores the persistent threat of social engineering attacks on popular social media platforms. Hackers sent private messages to targeted accounts intending to take control of them. By clicking on these deceptive messages, account owners risk compromising their login credentials and granting hackers unauthorized access,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager of Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.
Kaspersky experts have identified a zero-click exploit as the root cause of this security issue. This exploit allows malware to be triggered simply by opening a direct message, without the need to click on a malicious link.
Despite the social media company’s efforts to stop the attacks, Kaspersky experts noted that zero-click exploits are notoriously difficult to prevent and detect. However, social media users can take several measures to mitigate risks:
- Use strong and unique passwords: Weak passwords often serve as the entry point for hackers. Users should create unique passwords and consider using a password manager to generate and store them securely.
- Enable two-factor authentication: While many use SMS or email for second verification, Kaspersky recommends using an authenticator app for enhanced security.
- Be cautious with unknown messages: Avoid clicking on direct messages from unknown senders. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Educate children on social media safety: Ensure they understand basic safety measures for social media use.
Kaspersky has also developed a comprehensive guide on configuring security and privacy settings on social media. Users are encouraged to use the Privacy Checker tool to enhance both their privacy and security on various social media networks.
