I’m a hacking expert – your five most dangerous Facebook posts revealed

POSTING on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter might seem harmless – but giving away too much info could get you hacked.

Cyber-experts have told The Sun that even the most innocent posts can be used against you.

Facebook / The SunBe very careful when you post something to social media[/caption]

We spoke to security whiz Javvad Malik, who urged app users to be extremely careful online.

“Any information publicly posted can be used by criminals,” said Javvad, who leads security awareness at KnowBe4.

“Even seemingly trivial information can be put together to build a better picture of the victim.”

You might think you’re being very safe.

But posting about what you do, where you are, your family or your history on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter could leave you exposed.

“Broadly speaking, the most dangerous information that you can put out there relates to password reset questions,” Jay told The Sun.

“So things like mother’s maiden name, schools, street, etc.

“Also, it’s important to realise that information that people post may target those around them.

“So parents posting excessive information about their children can be used against their children as opposed to the parents.

“Finally, people should be careful about the information they post about their workplaces.

“Details about work or posting pictures of office parties and lanyards can all be used by criminals to attack the organisation.”

Five Facebook posts to avoid

We spoke to cyber-expert Jamie Akhtar, who revealed five things you should be very careful about posting online.

Here’s what the CyberSmart CEO said never to share:

#1 Personally identifying data that could be used to verify your identity. Think full address, date of birth, mother’s maiden name etc.

#2 Location data, could be used to conduct physical cyberattacks and other crimes.

#3 Be very selective in sharing data with third-party applications such as quizzes and games. Many of them are scams and if you’re ever asked for personally identifying data by one of these apps, stop immediately

#4 Be very wary of anyone you don’t know personally who contacts you. And, again, never share anything with anyone you don’t know

#5 Avoid going into any detail about your workplace or what you do there. Cybercriminals regularly hunt for target’s employees on social media, so you could become an unwitting tool for them to attack your place of work.”

If you’ve posted any overly sensitive information on social media, consider taking it down.

And always think twice before you put up a post – could hackers be lying in wait?

Read all the latest Phones & Gadgets newsKeep up-to-date on Apple storiesGet the latest on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram

Featured Image Credit: Facebook / Unsplash / The Sun

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk