What should you do if your social media account is hacked?
If your social media account is hacked, start recovery through the app's official "forgot password" option, then set a new password you use nowhere else. Log out unknown devices, check the linked email and phone number, and turn on two-step login with saved recovery codes. Finally, warn friends about fake messages sent in your name and check what was posted.
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Why it matters
Hacked accounts get used to scam your friends. You learn to rescue a hacked account and lock it down with a passphrase, a password manager, two-step login and recovery codes.
In 6 minutes you'll be able to
- A long passphrase, a different one for every account, saved in a password manager.
- Turn on two-step login and keep recovery codes safe.
- Login codes are for you only. Anyone asking for one wants your account.
What you'll practise
Account rescue
Finn's account has been taken over. Put the steps in the right order.
- Start recovery via the app's official "Forgot password" option
- Set a new, long password that you don't use anywhere else
- Log out all unknown devices and check the linked email and phone number
- Turn on two-step login and store your recovery codes safely
- Warn your friends and check what was posted in your name
Secure your account
Switch everything to secure, then check.
- Two-step login (code via authenticator app)
- Same password as my other accounts
- Save passwords in a password manager
- Recovery codes saved
- Login alerts for new devices
- Account shared with friends
Code quiz
Three situations. What do you do?
Which password is strongest?
- Finn2009!
- Penguins-dance-at-night-on-blue-ice (Answer)
- Xk9#
Mia messages: "Sent you my code by mistake, can you forward it to me?"
- Sure, it's Mia.
- Don't forward it, and call Mia another way. (Answer)
Your phone suddenly has no signal, and you get emails about logins that weren't you. What could it be?
- Just a dead spot, wait it out.
- A SIM swap: someone has taken over your number. (Answer)
Remember
Never share login codes, not even with friends.
Login codes are yours alone. Never share them, not even with friends.
Key facts
- Turning on multi-factor authentication makes you 99% less likely to be hacked, according to the US cyber defence agency. · Source: CISA (US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), More Than a Password campaign, 2022
- An analysis of breached accounts found 23.2 million worldwide used "123456" as their password. The UK's cyber agency recommends three random words instead. · Source: UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), most hacked passwords analysis, April 2019
- The FBI received 1,611 SIM-swapping complaints in 2021, with reported losses of more than $68 million. · Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), public service announcement, February 2022
- Hacked social media accounts are often used to message the owner's friends with scams, which is why warning your contacts is part of every recovery.
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Questions people ask
How do I get my hacked account back?
Use the official "Forgot password" or account-recovery option inside the app or on its official website, never a link someone sends you. If the email or phone number was changed, use the app's help pages to prove it's your account.
How do hackers get into social media accounts?
Most often with a reused or guessed password, a fake login page, or by tricking you into sharing a login code. Some take over your phone number with a SIM swap to receive your text codes.
What is two-step login?
Two-step login, also called two-factor authentication, asks for a second proof, such as a code from an authenticator app, as well as your password. Someone who steals your password still can't get in.
Should I share my password with my best friend?
No. Shared logins can't be controlled, and friendships change. Keep passwords and login codes to yourself, and use a password manager so each account has its own.
Related terms