Social Media Hacking: Mitigation Strategies 2023

In this article we will learn about Social Media Hacking.

What is Social Media Hacking?

Social media platforms provide fertile ground for communication without boundaries, so there is really no limit to the potential benefits these platforms can offer you. This is why so many internet users register for new Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ accounts every day, opening another window of communication and online interaction with friends, relatives or even just acquaintances and complete strangers.

Most people own more than a few social media accounts and use them fairly regularly (even every day, as we mentioned above). They connect with others and share personal information, videos and pictures of themselves and their loved ones. They also share their thoughts and anything else worth noting.

Due to the significant increase in social media accounts and their severity, there have been major hacking incidents. This means that many social media accounts are hacked and it is not a rare phenomenon to comment on.

Many people, on the other hand, have to deal with such a negative consequence of the importance of social media these days; social media is an easy and simple way for hackers and other malicious intruders to gain a foothold and penetrate the systems of many other people (followers of the person whose account was compromised) at once. Let’s start by looking at the telltale signs of hacking so you can be on your toes and know when something is wrong with your account.

Signs of a hacked social media account

While it may be difficult to realize that your social media account has been compromised, there are definitely signs that should raise your eyebrows and motivate you to look deeper into the root of the problem. Some of the most common signs that something isn’t great about your account include the following:

• You instantly see likes and follows that you had nothing to do with
• You have an updated status even though you haven’t shared anything
• Your page is flooded with ads (unusually large)
• You are having trouble logging in
• Private messages are posted on your behalf
• Spam posts are posted on your behalf
• You have new friends that you don’t remember adding
• Others inform you about sharing malicious content on your wall

If you notice some of these symptoms, you better get it checked out and don’t sit idly by. It is more than likely that your account has been hacked and you need to act quickly and efficiently.

How do accounts get hacked?

To know how to stay safe on social media, you need to know where the threat lies. Hacking a social media account is really much easier and easier than you would expect. These days, there are sophisticated threats lurking in the dark that target internet users to infiltrate their system and access their sensitive data. These are the main social media account hacking methods used by cybercriminals:

• Password exposed
• Phishing
• Malware installed
• The site is hacked
• Third-party applications or services have been breached

As you can see, there are several ways to achieve the desired effect, and it is true that the threats that appear online today are much more advanced and sophisticated than a few years ago. So your defense line should be equally strong. Below we look at what you need to do if your social media account is hacked.

What to do if your social media account has been hacked

• Even if hacking has occurred, you should not panic. There are several steps you can take to end the threat and restore a layer of protection on your computer. Follow the instructions below to prevent further damage. Thanks to dedicated work and attention, you will be able to regain your account on social networks, and no one else will threaten its integrity and uniqueness.
• Of course, it is important that you change your password immediately and use a strong password that you have never used anywhere else. A common strategy of using the same password on all your accounts (email, bank accounts and social media platforms) can be disastrous!
  Delete apps that appear on your social media account that you don’t know about. If you haven’t installed anything, you don’t need it on your account.
  For secure social media, it’s equally important to set a default email address for your accounts and check that it’s available.
  
• Make sure your antivirus is up to date and schedule a thorough scan of all threats on your computer. If you use social media on multiple devices, have them all scanned.
• Report spam posts as they can hide malware and other threats. If your friend clicks on them, they can get into trouble and hack their account too. You cannot allow this vicious cycle to continue indefinitely.
• Think twice before clicking anything. New malware can reach your account, so you need to be vigilant and eliminate such threats.
  Use secure paid messaging platforms. It is imperative that you buy the ads you want directly from the platform and not be blocked by third parties.
  Last but not least, make sure your online information is safe. Don’t reveal information that’s linked to your account and don’t expose too many details of your personal life online.

How to prevent social media hacking

We’ve already outlined what to do after realizing your social media account has been compromised. Nevertheless, it is essential that you know what you should do to avoid repeating the same mistakes. You should improve your security layering and not allow anything to penetrate the safety of your online browsing. There are a few basic details that will make a huge difference for you and offer great power and effectiveness against malware and other threats.

First, you need to be careful with your password. In addition to choosing to use a strong password that is hard to guess, you need to be really scholastic about letting others know. Even if you use social media at work, you can’t risk using your password when you leave the office.

Always log out and be twice as scholastic with shared computers. Do not share your password with others, not even your best friend or significant other. This is private for a reason, and you should never underestimate the risk you take when you share your private information with someone else.

In addition, you should introduce two-factor authentication. This is another weapon you can use to increase the protection your password offers you. With two-factor authentication, you eliminate the threat of someone else hacking your social media account (or any other account). There is an additional step and additional information that someone else can breach before gaining access to your social media account. So this is a great weapon to use and act as armor online.

Bottom Line

Safer social media can be really hard to achieve, but if you focus on what you’re doing and if you focus on the guidelines we’ve given you, you’ll see that you can recover from a potential hack of your social media account without any delay. or frustration. Of course, you can follow these simple guidelines even if you haven’t been attacked – prevention is better than cure, right? Don’t hesitate and improve the protection of your social media account now.

This will keep all the dangers at bay and protect you from the malicious intentions of others on the web. Remember that social media platforms can be really useful if you know how to use them and what safety precautions you should take.

Also Read:10 tips for Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) exam success