Kuala Lumpur:Sharing resumes on social media platforms could expose higher education students to significant risks of personal data misuse, especially when sensitive information such as home addresses and telephone numbers are publicly disclosed.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, public Facebook groups are among the platforms identified as potential risks, as their open-access settings allow anyone to locate them and view publicly available membership information. This enables cybercriminals to browse shared content without needing to join the groups.

Associate Professor Dr. Zubaile Abdullah from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) cautioned that publicly sharing resumes might lead to the exposure of students' personal information to cybercriminals. The documents, intended for prospective employers, can be accessed by anyone, posing a risk of information misuse.

Dr. Zubaile highlighted that personal information uploaded online could be copied, stored, and shared with third parties without the owner's consent, even if the original post is deleted. This could lead to more convincing scams, as criminals exploit the personal details obtained to devise fraudulent schemes.

One of the primary threats identified involves fraudulent job or industrial training offers, with scammers impersonating company representatives to solicit registration fees, training deposits, or bank account details. Additionally, cybercriminals could use resume information for social engineering and phishing attacks.

Dr. Zubaile recommended that students prepare two versions of their resumes a brief version for social media sharing and a complete version for trusted job portals like JobStreet or Glassdoor. Publicly shared resumes should exclude sensitive information such as full residential addresses and identity card numbers.

He also advised that higher education institutions establish guidelines on resume sharing and personal data protection. Career development programs should be expanded to provide safer access to industrial training placements.

Professor Dr. Zarina Shukur from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) echoed these concerns, noting that sharing personal information publicly could expose students to financial scams and disrupt their personal lives. She urged students to use professional platforms like LinkedIn, Upwork, and GitHub to showcase their skills securely.