A recent report from Check Point Research revealed a startling statistic – LinkedIn, the Microsoft-owned business platform, is impersonated in nearly half of all global phishing attacks.

Scammers often target LinkedIn users by preying on those seeking new job opportunities or career changes. While emails like “You have 1 new invitation” or “Your profile has been viewed by 63 people” can be legitimate, it’s crucial to verify the email address to ensure it’s genuinely from LinkedIn. Impersonators send emails that look authentic, with links to fake LinkedIn pages designed to steal your information as soon as you enter it.

LinkedIn Security

Another tactic used by cybercriminals is creating fake profiles to message users about job opportunities. Once you engage, they might ask for a small payment to process your application (money you’ll never see again) or send you a link to a form that’s actually a phishing link.

LinkedIn is aware of these issues and has developed advanced security features to protect its users. Here are four key security features you should start using today:

  • Suspicious Message Warnings: LinkedIn’s technology detects messages from users attempting to take you off the platform or send inappropriate content, triggering a warning notification.
  • Profile Verification: This feature allows you to verify your profile’s authenticity by submitting an additional form of ID, earning a verification badge on your profile. This helps others know you are who you say you are, a valuable tool since scammers often use quickly deactivated fake profiles.
  • Profile Information: This feature provides detailed information about a profile to help you decide whether to respond to a message, accept a connection request, or trust an offer. By clicking “More” and selecting “About this profile” from the drop-down menu, you can see:
  • When the profile was created.
  • When the profile was last updated.
  • Whether the member has verified a phone number.
  • Whether the member has a work email associated with their account.
  • AI-Generated Profile Picture Detection Scammers use AI to create realistic fake profile pictures. LinkedIn’s research shows users generally cannot visually distinguish real faces from these synthetic ones. Consequently, LinkedIn has partnered with academia to develop advanced detection features to identify and shut down profiles with AI-generated pictures before they cause harm.

Do you use LinkedIn to find jobs, employees, or clients? It’s a great business resource, but it’s vital to stay secure. LinkedIn’s features are just the first line of defense. If someone in your organization falls for a scam and clicks a malicious link, are your internal security solutions robust enough to protect your network?

We can help you find out. At Cybertools, we offer a FREE Security Risk Assessment to determine if your network is vulnerable to attacks. To book yours, call us today!