Fake news serious danger: 5 Tips to protect your organization

Fake News. Two words which received world fame ever since Trump used them in a speech. In his speech, the president of the United States, lashed out at the press. Nowadays, the term ‘fake news’ not only refers to journalists anymore, but it’s also connected to cybercriminals.

Netpresenter to the rescue!

Fake news isn’t only a threat to computers at home, it can also be a serious danger for your company. If one of your employees does not recognize a fake article and opens it, a virus can easily enter your corporate system. Therefore, it’s important that your employees are aware and stay aware of (new) cyberthreats. Netpresenter to the rescue! You can, for example, improve the knowledge of your workforce by repeating small pieces of information displayed on corporate screensavers. In case of a cyberattack, it’s also possible to send an alert to all connected PCs, TVs and mobile devices within your organization.

In addition to protecting your systems and devices, your employees can also defend themselves in the battle against these fake journalists. Five tips to be victorious:

1) Be critical

Does a news article suddenly pop up on your social media timeline? Know that every random person can create, publish and share a news article on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. An article might not be written by a professional.

2) Do the account check!

Check who posted the article on social media. Cybercriminals master the art of creating fake accounts. There is a big chance that an account is fake when it has a strange name, or, for example, it has several questionable articles which reached a lot of followers.

3) Reliable source?

When you click on an article and you’re directed to a website, check if the source is reliable. Read the disclaimer or go to the ‘about us’ section. Unfortunately, the damage is often already done if you click on the article.

4) Other media

If a news article appears on your social media timeline, see if other media write about it as well. Question the authenticity of an article, if you don’t read the news anywhere else.

5) Watch, don’t click!

Always analyze images which are added to a news article. Don’t click, just watch! An image might be perfectly photoshopped or maybe the picture seems familiar to you.

And last but not least: Attention! Fake news might contain pieces of truth. Always read the entire article.

Curious about more tips and how Netpresenter can help you combat fake news? We’re happy to help. Contact us or ask for a free demo. Or download our free checklist on cybersecurity.