I run a technology company, but got hacked: lessons on cyber security for executives

Photo credit: pressmaster / 123RF Stock Photo.

 “Hey, it’s OurMine Team, we are just testing your security, please send us a message.”

Earlier this summer, that message was blasted out to my followers on Twitter… only I didn’t send it.

I had been hacked. It was scary. It was humbling. It was embarrassing. I run a technology company — in fact, it’s a social media management company that prides itself on world-class security for our customers. How could this happen? What did I do wrong?

In the following days, I learned that Ev Williams — the co-founder of Twitter — had fallen victim to the same hackers. And not long before that, Mark Zuckerberg’s Twitter and Pinterest accounts were compromised. So I wasn’t the only victim who could have been more proactive on security.

Even so, it should never have happened. For other professionals and executives out there on social media, here’s a rundown of what went wrong in some recent high-profile hacks and how you can keep your own accounts safe.

Beware of the side door

Here’s where I got tripped up. The confusing part is it had nothing to do with Twitter itself or with Hootsuite (which I use to manage my Twitter). The hackers who breached my account actually gained entry through a completely different app that I hadn’t used in years. I had authorized this app to access my Twitter account, then I completely forgot about it.

Lesson: Most social platforms have multiple points of access these days through partner apps. Step one in safeguarding your social media is deauthorizing these affiliated apps you’re no longer using. In the case of Twitter, you can see a list of all the services you’ve authorized in the apps tab of your settings page.

Pump up your passwords

I can see your eyes glazing over. But strong passwords — the kind with lots of random numbers and symbols — actually do matter. If you can’t think of your own, services like LastPass, which generate and manage random passwords, can be a big help.

The hackers who gained access to Zuckerberg’s accounts evidently took advantage of his exceptionally weak password: “dadada.” Worse, he may have used the exact same password for several different platforms.

Sharing isn’t caring

But even a strong password won’t do you any good if you share it around. Lots of CEOs (me included) get help from staff with their social media.

A natural inclination is just to share your log-in info, but there’s a better way. Instead, use social media security tools that let you authorize other users, without ever divulging your actual password. That way your credentials start and end with you, and you can pinpoint the source of any security breach.

Two-factor is a no-brainer

After my hacking incident, I did something I should have done a long time ago: I enabled two-factor authentication on my Twitter account. You’ve probably been prompted to do this on lots of your platforms… and ignored the option. But it’s worth the tiny extra headache.

Instead of just entering a password, you’ll be asked to enter a special code sent to your phone when logging in from a new location or device. It takes an extra few seconds but it makes it considerably harder to hack your account.

Careful where you click

Have someone (or something) at the helm

When you’re hacked, time is of the essence