An urgent warning has been issued following reports of ‘hundreds of thousands’ of Facebook and Gmail accounts being hacked. Action Fraud has raised the alarm after a significant increase in hacked services, resulting in over £1.3 million lost to online fraud in the past year alone. Email and social media accounts have become prime targets for cybercriminals, emphasising the critical need for immediate security measures to safeguard your online presence.
As part of Cyber Security Awareness Month, Action Fraud is leading a campaign to educate the public about the risks associated with social media and email account hacking. The National Fraud and Cyber Crime service stated, “Action Fraud is launching an awareness campaign on social media and email account hacking for Cyber Security Awareness Month this year, encouraging the public to protect their online accounts from fraudsters.”
One prevalent vulnerability identified is the practice of using the same password across multiple platforms, making it easier for hackers to breach accounts. Action Fraud cautioned, “Using the same password for multiple accounts? That means criminals only need to steal one of your passwords to hack into multiple accounts.” To enhance security, experts recommend creating strong, unique passwords for each email and social media profile.
Action Fraud suggests generating passwords by combining three random yet memorable words, making them challenging for hackers to crack but easy for you to remember. For example, a password like ‘decembersusantenerife’ could be strengthened by adding special characters, uppercase letters, and numbers, such as ‘D3cember$usantener1fe’.
Activating 2-Step Verification (2SV) on your email and social media accounts adds an extra layer of protection, ensuring that new devices cannot log in without entering a unique code received via text message. Adam Mercer, Deputy Director of Action Fraud, highlighted the importance of securing accounts to prevent fraudsters from accessing valuable information, urging individuals to maintain different, confidential passwords for each account and enable 2-step verification where possible.
Cyberattacks and hacking continue to pose a significant threat, with cybercriminals targeting unsuspecting victims through unprotected social media and email accounts. Taking proactive measures to secure your accounts is vital in safeguarding your personal data from potential breaches. By following recommended security practices and staying vigilant, individuals can reduce the risk of falling victim to online fraud and ensure the protection of their digital assets.