A Cybersecurity Routine for Every Creative Freelancer

When times get tough, creators and freelancers lean hard on their inboxes. It’s a primary tool for starting new conversations, reaching out to prospects, and bringing those shiny new contracts home. Unfortunately, the same tool that brings creative opportunities can also threaten our professional careers.

When business is slow, we may become so eager for new opportunities and, consequently, more vulnerable to phishing attacks. Many creators have fallen victim to scams that appeared as innocent DMs on social media or emails in their inboxes.

Have you ever considered if your data is already leaked? You may be surprised that criminals might sell your personal information on the Dark Web without you even suspecting it.

Why is Phishing Such a Serious Concern?

The number of phishing cases is rising dramatically every year, making it the most common type of cyberattack in the US. In the first quarter of 2024, almost 38% of phishing attacks targeted the social media industry. It is bad news for content creators and all creative people who heavily rely on social media channels for their work.

For example, attackers have been taking over high-profile YouTube accounts at least since 2019. It starts with a perfectly worded email offering to collaborate on a product like a photo editing app or antivirus. Once the creator clicks on the link, it takes them to a fake malware-infested landing site that looks like the real deal. The malicious software starts grabbing session cookies from the creator’s browser. The hacker then reuses these stolen cookies to log in and pose as the victim.

Why Are Creators at Such Great Risk?

Creators need to be visible, or they’ll never do any business. Visibility makes them juicy targets for cybercriminals, but there are other major factors that increase the risk:

• Remote work: Many design professionals and creators are working remotely. It means they often change locations and use different hotspots, including the public ones. This significantly increases a chance of data exposure.
• Online presence: Creators always have a large digital footprint on several social media and websites. They display their contact information, such as email, phone number, and portfolios, making them easy targets.
• Creative output is worth cash: Attackers look to duplicate creators’ work or steal and sell it.
• Sensitive client data: Creators often have access to their client’s sensitive data, which is a target in itself.
• Creators use lots of tech tools: They use various creative tools for their work and have user accounts on many apps and platforms. Attackers could hit the jackpot if they can penetrate these online accounts.

The Top Risks to Creators

Creators are extra-large scammer targets. Scammers sometimes post phony job listings to trick creators into providing personal information. Some create fake profiles and pages to pose as potential clients or buyers. Others pose as recruiters, right down to providing a detailed brief and conducting interviews to gain your trust. It’s an elaborate hoax to get their hands on the creator’s portfolio, samples, or drafts—anything that might have a cash value. Some even ask for a social security number or a copy of the victim’s driver’s license. These are later used in financial scams and fraud. But there are other major risks:

• Unencrypted internet connections: Most creators use mobile phones or other portable devices to create content on the go. When they use public WiFi without a VPN, they risk exposing all their confidential logins and account data to hackers.
• Cloud security threats: Creators store and share files and data through the cloud. While most reputable cloud services offer good security, they can’t guarantee data safety. To protect their cloud data, creators should encrypt it and create physical backups on a different drive.
• Phishing and social engineering attacks: The most common method of attack is email phishing. The attacker typically sends a message to grab your attention and get you to respond or click on a link. Examples include fake notifications about a new client, a delivery, social media notifications, or a message from your bank.
• App integrations and API misconfigurations: API (application programming interface) vulnerabilities are more common than we think. Be wary of integrating all your online tools and apps without expert help. Flaws in a system’s API can give hackers access.

Essential Tips for Creators’ Security

Creators hustle—it’s their “thing.” It’s tempting to jump at new opportunities. But for safety’s sake, always authenticate prospective clients before you leap into the next creative adventure.

Don’t rush to disclose personal information or accept employment proposals. For extra safety, switch on your VPN and do some light “internet stalking” to verify that the offer is genuine. A VPN is the perfect privacy tool to research prospective clients’ social media profiles, websites, or reviews anonymously.

Additionally, get into these cyber hygiene routines:

• Set your mailbox spam filters to ‘high.’ Block spam or suspicious emails via your email client. Scan all attachments or file downloads for malicious content and open as read-only.
• Install a reputable antivirus. Regularly update your operating system and software for the newest security patches and bug fixes.
• Be wary of new software. Do some background research before downloading. Always use the official app store for Windows and Mac or a reputable open-source software site like Foss for Linux.
• Encrypt and backup data frequently. Encryption scrambles your data to make it unreadable by people who don’t have the corresponding decryption keys.
• Protect credentials with a password manager. Data breaches occur all the time. Big data breaches get some publicity, but most data leaks are never even discovered. Dark Web monitoring could give you an early warning of new dangers. Forewarning may give you enough time to change your passwords and ward off an attack. You should also enable MFA or 2FA for all accounts that offer this extra protection layer.

Cybercriminals Are Not Going Anywhere

The cybersecurity landscape won’t change for the better by itself. It’s up to creators to protect themselves with good cyber hygiene habits. It can even be argued that they have a social duty to inform and educate their audience about the dangers of being unprepared. Stay vigilant and informed about cybersecurity threats and be proactive against cyberattacks. It’s good for your career!