This is how Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn fight to protect your security

Probably when you were reading about the privacy policy on Facebook or Twitter, you skipped the part of ‘how to protect yourself from cyber attackers’. Each time you download a new application you agree to its terms and conditions, and we are sure that you don’t stop to read them and never worry about how the applications manage your sensitive information.

Social networks strive to inform you on how they protect your information and what can you do to contribute to this task. That’s why they offer the information in the most understandable possible way.

Facebook the most complete

Facebook just had its guide to security redesigned and in the ‘How to Keep Your Account Secure’ section offers new recommendations on how to prevent cyber-attacks through interactive graphics. And to assure everyone can read these tips, they are available in 40 languages and you can share them on your profile.

The recommendations “focus on the tools we make available to help you secure your account, the steps we take to keep your information secure, and the ways you can recognize and avoid attempts to compromise your information” explained Melissa Luu-Van, product manager at Facebook. Van-Luu added in the same post that already millions of people have read the new privacy settings launched last November.

Click on ‘help’ if you think your account might have been taken over by someone else, explain you that you have to log out if you are not using your habitual computer or inform you that you can report suspicious profiles and posts are some of the features included in the new security collection.

The guide also warns you of the possibility of a phishing attack. Facebook will never send you an email asking for your password, so if you ever receive an ‘email’ requesting this information could come from a cyber-attacker who created a fake web site to steal your information.

LinkedIn the less organized

Facebook isn’t the only social network which has improved its security information recently. LinkedIn has also a new ‘Security Blog’ with helpful guidelines. “We’ll use this site to share some of our security research, whitepapers on how we handle data and the security features and diligence we’ve built into our products. If you are responsible for information security at an enterprise that uses LinkedIn’s products” says Cory Scott, LinkedIn’s Information Security Director.

This professional network explains how your information is used and protected. For example, inform that they can hire third party companies to provide their services with limited access to your information. In addition its support center offers advice on how to better protect your account: changing your password regularly, check the privacy settings or activate the two-step verification to prevent phishing attacks, that many users have suffered in the last few months.  Nevertheless, this information is less organized than in Facebook, so you will have to dive deeper to find what you want.

Twitter the one that offers personal tips

Twitter also wants to show you its way of protecting your information. If you are interested to know more details, in their help center there is a wide security and protection section, you can access it from the tab of ‘help and support’ in your profile.

Here you can find out some tips on how to maintain secure account (similar to other social networks), or how to inform Twitter if you find your account has been violated. The company pays special attention to cyberbullying and includes custom security tips for teens, parents and teachers.

What about Google?

But not only social networks detail their security policy; google has been doing it for a while. A complete manual is included in the web ‘How to stay safe and secure online’ where explains how to prevent cyber-attacks protecting your passwords, checking your Gmail’s settings or verifying the emails’ sender if you think it might be a scam.