The National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) has issued a cybersecurity advisory concerning social media account security at the organizational level.
Based on recent responses and investigations into various incidents, NCERT has identified several critical loopholes in the management of social media accounts within organizations.
According to the advisory, these loopholes arise from negligence in security protocols, lack of awareness about access control, unauthorized access and transfer of credentials, insecure storage of passwords, and unsanctioned downloads. The severity of these issues is high, with the potential for significant compromise of organizational accounts and sensitive information.
Exploiting this mismanagement could result in unauthorized access to organizational social media accounts, misuse of administrative privileges, unauthorized actions on social media platforms, and exposure of sensitive information to potential breaches. Such compromises could lead to reputational damage, loss of trust, and legal implications for affected organizations.
NCERT states that these loopholes impact organizational social media accounts on platforms including Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. Any organization using these platforms for official communication and engagement is vulnerable to these risks.
NCERT recommends implementing stringent access control protocols, which include formal approval processes for granting administrative privileges and restricting admin access to a select few designated officers, not exceeding two, to mitigate the risks associated with vulnerabilities in organizational-level social media account security.
Additionally, it suggests utilizing platform-specific role-based access control mechanisms to assign customized access levels to team members and enforcing two-factor authentication (2FA) for all administrators to bolster account security. Regularly reviewing and updating access permissions to align with organizational roles and responsibilities is also advised.
NCERT urges educating team members on secure login practices, password management, and awareness of social engineering threats, while also monitoring account activity logs for signs of unauthorized access or suspicious behavior. Staying informed about platform regulations, guidelines, and security updates is emphasized to ensure compliance.
The National CERT recommends that organizations and officers officially report any security breach to the designated officer in charge within the organization and to the NCERT incident response team.
Additionally, they should report the incident to relevant social media platforms for prompt action. NCERT urges organizations to prioritize implementing these recommendations to safeguard their social media accounts against potential threats and loopholes in user management.
