Social media hacking how to protect your account against intruders TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Social media hacking how to protect your account against intruders By Chiara Castro published 30 September 2022 Social media seem to be the top target for beginners hackers (Image: © Image Credit: Geralt / Pixabay) No matter if you have been cautious when browsing the web and even downloaded a security software like a VPN to secure your connection, you are still at risk to be targeted from hackers' attacks. Social media hacking, for example, is on the rise. And, this is not just because these platforms count billions of users daily. Research (opens in new tab) conducted by one of the best VPN services around, NordVPN, shows that Meta platforms - Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp - are the number one target among wannabe hackers. From stalking and online harassment to identity theft and money scams, these platforms seem then to be an easy way into cybercrime. However, the good news is that there are some actions you can take to minimize these risks and protect your account against intruders. How hackers attack your social media account These are the most popular tactics that bad actors employ to hack your social media account: Phishing: This tactic involves sending to targets malicious links and/or dangerous attachments via DMs and emails. Suspicious links can also be shared across the social media service with posts and comments. Once the victim clicks on it, their account and/or device gets infected with malware to steal your data.Infiltrating public Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Every time you connect to a public Wi-Fi, your personal data can be exposed. That's why we recommend that you use a secure VPN service when connecting to open wireless. Similarly, hackers can break through Bluetooth connections.Data breach abuse: Hackers can also access the leaked sensitive data available online, such as usernames and passwords, to easily get access to people's social accounts. Think of the recent TikTok hack or the many cyberattacks that targeted Facebook in the past, for example. Brute-force attacks: This can occur when the intruder knows your email account linked to your account, but not your password. By using an automated tool, attackers can try out millions of passwords in a really short time. The risks are even higher if the hackers personally knows you, as it can create a more customized list. (Image credit: Shutterstock/Bloomicon) Tips to secure your social media account from hackers 1. Pick a strong password Choosing your passwords carefully is the first step to minimize the risks of an intruder getting into your account. As a rule of thumb, use a different one for every account and change it after some time. Use a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special symbols: the longer, the better. We know, it can be difficult to keep up with your password hygiene. This is why you might want to consider using one of the best password manager tools, instead. Some VPN services - like NordVPN with its NordPass, or the ExpressVPN Keys - even have their own software as an additional feature. 2. Make the login process more secure, enabling two-factor authentication You can also make things more difficult for hackers by setting up the two-factor authentication (2FA). As it requires you to prove your identity twice, this might discourage bad actors from forcing onto your profile. Already a common practice for securing your email account, most social media platforms are now offering this extra layer of security. These include Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. 3. Set up new device login alerts This means that you get an alert every time your account is accessed from a new device. Even though it isn't a tactic to prevent your account being hacked, you can quickly realize that and act accordingly. In case you think an intruder gains access to your profile, we recommend that you report the incident straightaway to the platform as well as change your login details. Read more> This brutal hacking tool could steal virtually all of your logins (opens in new tab) > How to prevent phone hacking and remove intruders from your device (opens in new tab) > Our pick of the best no-logs VPN around right now (opens in new tab) 4. Think twice before clicking on links We already mention phishing links as one of the most common ways to spread malware and viruses to steal users' sensitive information. Such attacks aim to steal your login credentials and, often, approach your contacts to launch scams. You should always be mindful of catchy and shorten links, especially when they are sent from suspicious accounts. Whether these are on your DMs or comments, check out the source before clicking on it. 5. Use a VPN when accessing public Wi-Fi Hackers can also infiltrate your device via a public Wi-Fi and, from there, grant access to your social media account. This is why we recommend always using a reliable VPN when connecting to open wireless. This tool masks your IP address and location, while securing your data through encrypted VPN tunnels. Among our favorites are ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark - all have easy-to-use apps to use across different devices. It is worth noting that Surfshark has no limit of connections you can use at once, while Express allows five and Nord six. (Image credit: Shutterstock) 6. Boost your account privacy Another useful action is making your social profile as more private as it can be. For this, be mindful of what you post online and the information you share about you. Head then to the settings of your Facebook, TikTok or Twitter account and opt out the options you are not comfortable with. You should also review your account permissions to restrict the access to other apps. This means that in case you get hacked, intruders cannot infiltrate your other accounts. 7. Consider of using a different email for your social media accounts Finally, you should create an email address to exclusively use with your social media accounts. This would shield your more important information in case your social accounts get hacked. Compare today's best five overall VPNs on price+3 MONTHS FREE (opens in new tab)ExpressVPN 12 month (opens in new tab)$6.67/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)+3 months free (opens in new tab)NordVPN 2 Year (opens in new tab)$3.09/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)+2 months free (opens in new tab)Surfshark 24 Months (opens in new tab)$2.30/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)+2 MONTHS FREE (opens in new tab)Private Internet Access 2 Year (opens in new tab)$2.19/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)Proton VPN 2 year (opens in new tab)$4.99/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Chiara CastroStaff WriterChiara is a multimedia journalist, with a special eye for latest trends and issues in cybersecurity. She is a Staff Writer at Future with a focus on VPNs. She mainly writes news and features about data privacy, online censorship and digital rights for TechRadar, Tom's Guide and T3. With a passion for digital storytelling in all its forms, she also loves photography, video making and podcasting. Originally from Milan in Italy, she is now based in Bristol, UK, since 2018. See more how-to articles Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to theTechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1You may not have to sell a body part to afford the Nvidia RTX 4090 after all2One of the world's most popular programming languages is coming to Linux3The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me4Apple October launches: the new devices we might see this month5Google's AI editing tricks are making Photoshop irrelevant for most people1We finally know what 'Wi-Fi' stands for - and it's not what you think2Best laptops for designers and coders 3Miofive 4K Dash Cam review4Logitech's latest webcam and headset want to relieve your work day frustrations5Best offers on Laptops for Education – this festive season Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions:España