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Dangers Of LinkedIn: 4 Security Features To Use TODAY

A recent report from Check Point Research has uncovered a startling statistic: nearly half of all global phishing attacks involve impersonating LinkedIn, the business platform owned by Microsoft.

Scammers often exploit LinkedIn by targeting individuals seeking new job opportunities or career changes. While emails with subject lines like "You have 1 new invitation" or "Your profile has been viewed by 63 people" might seem legitimate, it's crucial to verify the sender's email address to ensure it truly comes from LinkedIn. These impersonators craft emails that closely resemble authentic ones, containing links to fake LinkedIn pages designed to steal your information as soon as you enter it.

Another tactic employed by cybercriminals involves creating fake LinkedIn profiles to message users about job opportunities. Once they have your interest, they might ask for a small upfront payment to process your application—money you'll never see again—or send you a link to a form that is, in reality, a disguised phishing link.

LinkedIn is aware of these issues and is actively working on developing advanced security features to protect its users. Here are three security measures that LinkedIn has already implemented:

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1. Suspicious Message Alerts - LinkedIn's technology can identify messages from individuals trying to lure you off the platform or those containing potentially inappropriate content, and will notify you with a warning.

2. Profile Verification - This feature enables you to authenticate your page's legitimacy. By providing an additional form of identification, you can obtain a verification badge on your profile, ensuring that viewers can trust your identity. This is particularly valuable because scammers frequently target new victims and their pages are often quickly shut down, leading them to neglect keeping their information current.

3. Profile Information - This feature enables you to view the specifics of someone's profile, assisting you in deciding whether to respond to a message, accept a connection request, trust an offer, and more. To access this information under your profile, click on "More" and choose "About this profile" from the drop-down menu. You'll then be able to see details such as:

  • When the profile was created.
  • When the profile was last updated.
  • Whether the member has verified a phone number.
  • Whether the member has a work e-mail associated with their account.

4. Detection of AI-Generated Profile Pictures - Scammers often exploit AI technology to create highly realistic profile pictures of nonexistent individuals, which they then use to set up fraudulent profiles. Alarmingly, LinkedIn's research revealed that most users struggle to differentiate between genuine and AI-generated faces. To combat this issue, LinkedIn has collaborated with academic institutions to develop and implement sophisticated detection tools. These advanced features enable LinkedIn to identify AI-generated profile pictures and deactivate the associated profiles before they can cause any harm.

Do you use LinkedIn to find jobs, employees or clients? It's a great resource for business, but it's important to stay secure. However, LinkedIn's features are just the first line of defense. If someone in your organization were to fall for a scam and click a bad link, would your internal security solutions be enough to protect your network?

We can help you find out. We'll do a FREE Security Risk Assessment to help you determine if your network is vulnerable to any type of attack. To book yours, call us at 702-605-9998 or click here to book now.