International. Adrianus Warmenhoven, a specialist who is part of the NordVPN company, has referred to the recent wave of attacks perpetrated by account hijackers.
Warmenhoven, who has extensive experience in the area of online security, says that hijacking social media accounts, which allows fraudsters unfettered access to private chats, sensitive information and personal photographs, makes victims feel vulnerable and powerless in the first place.
"Other than filing a complaint with the platform to have the account deleted, victims have few options," it continues. "Meanwhile, their profiles are at the mercy of hackers, who often impersonate them to scam friends and loved ones, even holding the accounts hostage in exchange for money."
Similarly, the expert highlights that, according to Action Fraud, in the United Kingdom there were 3482 cases of extortion by hijacking accounts on social networks in a period of 13 months, until December last year. However, he argues that despite the threat of account hijacking, social media companies are reluctant to offer help or support.
"But there are ways to increase the security of accounts on social media to completely prevent account hijacking. Weak passwords are a glaring vulnerability that often facilitates unauthorized access. Updating them regularly and not reusing them across multiple platforms can significantly strengthen security measures," explains Warmenhoven.
"You can also use encrypted password managers to store passwords securely and add an extra layer of security between yourself and a would-be hacker. Better yet, choose a password manager that uses passwords, as they can't be stolen even if the website is intruded," he says.
NordVPN's expert then emphasizes that another way to increase security is to turn on two-factor authentication, as it requires a passcode from another device when logging in, making it even more difficult for your social media accounts to be hijacked.
"It's also important to be wary of phishing links. Be sure to verify the authenticity of links and messages before clicking, especially if they ask for sensitive information. Friends or family members who are not familiar with these types of scams should be informed so that they are alert," he concludes.
