Social networking

Cybersecurity threats span all social networks, but Bryan Harris, VP of cyber research and development at SAS, argues some platforms carry more risk than others.

"LinkedIn is one of the biggest sources of wealth for the bad guys," he says. "It's a tough social media platform because it has this dual nature: you want to expand your network and improve your career, but you're also increasing the attack surface by not knowing who you're connecting with."

With each LinkedIn request, employees face a choice. If they accept, they could benefit from a new contact -- or increase their attack surface by letting an unknown party access their professional network. Employees with large social networks, like those in marketing and PR, increase their likelihood of attack as they build connections.

Twitter, like LinkedIn, comes with a great risk of social engineering because there is a lower barrier to entry for attackers. Facebook and Snapchat still pose challenges, Harris explains, but people are less likely to accept requests from people they haven't met in person. On Twitter and LinkedIn, people connect based on mutual interests and professional connections. Attackers can send direct messages in ways that seem legitimate but aren't.

(Image: Diabluses via Shutterstock)