Social media is more popular than ever, and so are viruses, malware and online scams. The chart below sheds some light upon how important it is for social networking users to stay on top of the basics of online security.

With even Ke$ha’s Twitter account being hacked, one can never be too careful when it comes to social media security. Veracode application security testing platform has laid out a chart on the basics.

Some key points are that since social media exists in a cloud computing environment, it is more vulnerable than that of a traditional network, and the interconnective nature of social networks is an ideal setting for the propagation of malware. The chart adds that core distribution of malware is through social media sites, and tips are given for users to protect themselves.

Interestingly, the top 5 categories of Facebook spam are stalking, free stuff/games/Farmville, shocking curiosities, features not offered by Facebook and games not offered by Facebook.

The chart ends with the notion that, “you don’t have to avoid all forms of Social Media to be protected, but you do have to be aware of malware and scams. Educate employees as well on Social Media safety and best practices to reduce your company’s risk from costly losses and identity theft.”

Hat tip to Veracode.