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Dangers Of LinkedIn: 4 Security Features To Use TODAY

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

Scammers exploit LinkedIn by targeting individuals seeking new jobs or career changes. While emails with subject lines like "You have 1 new invitation" or "Your profile has been viewed by 63 people" might appear genuine, it's crucial to verify the sender's email address to ensure its authenticity. These impersonators craft emails that closely mimic legitimate ones, directing recipients to fake LinkedIn pages designed to steal their information upon entry.

Another tactic employed by cybercriminals involves creating fake LinkedIn profiles to message users about job opportunities. Once engaged, the scammers might request a small upfront payment to process the application—money you'll never see again—or provide a link to a form that is actually a phishing site in disguise.

LinkedIn is aware of these issues and is actively developing advanced security features to protect its users. Here are three security measures currently in place:

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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 confirm the authenticity of your page. By providing an extra form of identification, you can obtain a verification badge for your profile, ensuring that viewers recognize you as the legitimate owner. This is particularly valuable because scammers frequently target new victims and often have pages that are swiftly shut down, making it unlikely for them to maintain current information.

3. Profile Information - This feature enables you to view the specifics of someone's profile, aiding in your decision to respond to a message, accept a connection request, trust an offer, and more. To access this information under your profile, simply click "More" and choose "About this profile" from the drop down menu. You'll then be able to see such details 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 are increasingly using AI to create realistic profile pictures of non-existent individuals to set up fake profiles for fraudulent activities. Alarmingly, research by LinkedIn revealed that most users could not visually differentiate between real faces and these AI-generated images. To combat this, 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 harm.

Do you leverage LinkedIn to discover job opportunities, recruit employees, or attract clients? While it's an excellent tool for business networking, maintaining security is crucial. LinkedIn's built-in features provide initial protection, but they shouldn't be your only safeguard. If an individual in your organization were to fall for a scam and click on a malicious link, would your internal security measures be robust enough to safeguard 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 800-626-3223 or click here to book now.