How to Stop Hackers From Getting Into Facebook Accounts

22 Oct How to Stop Hackers From Getting Into Facebook Accounts

If you suspect that your Facebook account has been compromised, you need to change your password immediately. Then, if you are using Facebook to log in to apps like Spotify or Instagram make sure you change the logins as well. This will stop the hacker from accessing these third-party services from your hacked Facebook profile.

Hackers can uncover a wealth of personal information in compromised Facebook accounts. Hackers could use this information for malicious motives, such as taking credit card numbers and sending out fake credit card offers or scams that involve phishing. Hackers can also use hacked accounts to send spammy messages or even post on your timeline (as in the event that it was you who made the mistake).

Hackers are most likely to gain access to an account through exploiting a weakness in the Facebook application code. For instance, a flaw in iOS’s Facebook app allowed hackers to steal cookies and access the iPhone user’s so-called «access token.» These tokens are digital keys which grant them full control of the user’s Facebook account — and because of Single Sign-On, any other websites that the user connects to using their Facebook credentials.

Hackers may also gain access to an account through brute force attacks. This method involves figuring out a password, typically the most frequently use this link used ones like 123456789 or 1234567890. Lastly, hackers can also gain access to an account by scanning for compromised credentials. There are several tools for free that can be used to check for stolen information, such as a popular site called HaveIBeenPwned.