Cyber security expert warns over popular Instagram trend
A cybersecurity expert has warned against Instagram’s latest “Get to Know Me” trend, which exposes answers to security questions.
A cybersecurity expert has warned against Instagram’s latest “Get to Know Me” trend, which exposes answers to security questions.
Eliana Shiloh, who goes by @elshiloh on TikTok and works as a cyber and strategic risk analyst at Deloitte, took to social media to warn people about the trend after almost becoming a victim herself, New York Post reported.
“If you guys did that Instagram trend with all the questions, literally delete that sh*t right now,” Ms Shiloh said in the clip uploaded online with 1.5 million views.
“This is hacker nation right here. I literally started filling it out and then I was, like, wait a damn minute. These are the answers to a lot of my security questions.”
Instagram’s “Get to Know Me” trend asks social media users to disclose information often asked in security questions such as age, height, birthdate, tattoos, piercings, phobias, favourite season, artist, place, food and drink.
“While the answer to your security questions might not be something simple included in these trends, participation in them gives the *bad guys* an itemised list of your personally identifiable information,” Ms Shiloh told The Post.
The self-proclaimed professional chatterbox believes social media users are becoming so naive that they could expose their Social Security numbers (or tax file number in Australia) online next.
“Also, I feel like we’re really inching pretty close to the iceberg on sharing our Social Security numbers,” the Chicago resident added. “This is second par to that.”
The Department of Justice in the US encourages people not to disclose personal information online or within their passwords.
“What you post online can be seen by anyone. Sharing personal information with others you do not know personally is one of your biggest risks online,” the DOJ site read.
Ms Shiloh agreed that sharing too much information can backfire.
“Generally posting on social media can lend to people easily figuring out the answers to your security questions and accessing your accounts,” she said.
Although the trend has cyber risks, it hasn’t stopped social media users from sharing their personal information on TikTok as well.
TikTok user @bossladyrel__ teased people in a video collecting everyone’s information who participated in the “Get to Know Me” trend. The video text overlay read, “Me writing down y’alls answers to the ‘get to know me’ trend on [Instagram.]”
Ms Shiloh’s warning resonated with many people who watched her video.
“I literally thought that same thing! There’s a lot of personal info on those,” wrote one person.
“Guys, 3 of my friends got hacked two days after doing the trend. She’s onto something,” a TikToker agreed.
“I literally deleted mine two [minutes] after I posted it cause I knew something was up,” admitted another.
Ms Shiloh wants people to “stay vigilant and keep these risks in mind,” she told The Post.
“When I see people gladly publicly posting a list of personally identifiable information all in one place I can’t help but worry.”
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and reproduced with permission
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