As this blog noted last week, the popular mobile application, Instagram, has been receiving a lot of press lately after being purchased by Facebook for $1 billion. And while many companies are hopping on the Instagram train to start a targeted internet marketing campaign, hackers have also realized they can make some money off of the app's users.
In fact, according to the security firm, Sopho, a fake Instagram app that contains malware has been detected.
"If you download your app from this site, rather than an official Android marketplace such as Google Play, then you are running the risk of infecting your smartphone," writes Sopho's Graham Cluley in a recent company blog post.
Unfortunately, internet scams, malware and spamming on social media and mobile apps are becoming more and more prevalent these days. As a business owner, there are several things to consider when you learn that these platforms may have been breached.
First, it's important to examine your company account to see if it has been spamming your followers or connections. If it has, you can issue a company-wide apology as soon as possible, but the biggest PR error is waiting too long before making a statement.
In addition, it's important to alert your customers and connections on the platform, because your company does not want to lose clients – or be held responsible – for encouraging consumers to join your Instagram photo contest, only to have them accidentally download malware. By being proactive about these existing cyber threats, your company will look well-informed and trustworthy.