We all know that social media is a huge part of our lives. We use it to stay in touch with friends and family, to share news and experiences, and to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings. It’s also a great channel to advertise your business and communicate with clients.
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But did you know that social media can be a haven for cybercriminals? They often target social media accounts because they are easy to hack and can provide access to a wealth of personal information. With the holiday season just around the corner, it is also important to take precautions against the Cyber Monday fraud threats out there. In this blog post, we will discuss how you can keep your social media accounts safe from cybercriminals.
Social media account hacking
Unfortunately, social media accounts are becoming more frequently hacked than you would believe. According to certain surveys, at least one in five individuals has had at least one social media account hacked, and one in seven has had two or more accounts breached.
Ways social media accounts can be hacked
There are a few different ways that social media accounts can be hacked. Hackers can use your social media to steal your personal information, post spam on your behalf, send phishing emails to your contacts, gain access to other accounts that are linked to yours, or ask for money to give your accounts back.
The most common attacks hackers use to gain access to social media accounts are:
Phishing:
This involves cybercriminals sending out fake emails or messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a social media platform or company. These emails will often contain links that, when clicked, will take the user to a fraudulent website where they are prompted to enter their login credentials. Once the cybercriminal has these details, they can then access the account and use it for whatever purpose they desire.
Malware:
Another way that social media accounts can be hacked is through the use of malware. This is where malicious software is installed on the victim’s device without them knowing and can be used to steal information such as social media accounts information.
Brute force attacks:
This type of attack is where hackers use automated software to guess different combinations of username and password until they eventually find the right combination and gain access to the account.
Preventing social media account hacking
Now that we know how social media accounts can be hacked let’s take a look at some ways we can prevent it from happening.
Enable two-factor authentication:
The first step is to enable two-factor authentication (also known as two-step verification) on all of your social media accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a code that is sent to your mobile phone whenever you try to log in.
Another good way to secure your accounts is to use strong passwords. A strong password is one that is at least eight characters long and contains a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. For maximum security, change and update your passwords on a regular basis.
You should also avoid using the same password for all of your accounts. If a hacker manages to gain access to one of your accounts, they will have access to all of them if you use the same password.
Check your account information:
Review your account information to see if any email address other than yours has access. If there are, remove them right away. Then, verify the phone number associated with your account is just your own phone number. Get rid of any unknown numbers that may be listed. Also, you can check where you are logged in, if you don’t recognize an specific session, log out immediately.
Review the permissions on your account, and limit access to third-party apps:
When you’re updating your account information, keep an eye on the list of applications you use through your social media accounts. You’ll be shocked at how many apps you have installed. When you log in to another website or program using your social media account, you’re frequently exposing a wealth of personal information, which raises the risk. If any obsolete apps appear on your device, remove their permissions. On each major social network site, there is a page where you may find out which external applications have access and change settings if necessary.
Use antivirus:
Antivirus software that is both effective and safe protects your system from malware. It also identifies nefarious websites that could result in your social networks being compromised by hackers. Run a virus scanner on your PC to remove any malevolent software that may be spying on you or stealing your login details if one of your social media accounts has been hacked.
Conclusion:
By following the tips above, you can help to keep your social media accounts safe and secure. Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to hack into accounts, so it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest security measures. Remember to enable two-factor authentication, use strong passwords, and avoid using the same password for all of your accounts. You should also review your account information regularly and limit access to third-party apps. And finally, make sure to use antivirus software to protect your system from malware.