Many members in our community experienced issues with their accounts getting hacked and had difficult times recovering the accounts. Accounts such as Gmail, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter are common targets for cybercriminals. These accounts contain lots of personal and confidential information and can also be used to scam your friends and family.

But, first, let’s look at how this hack works. It’s very simple. When you install WhatsApp on a new phone, the platform asks for the phone number of the account, which you enter, and then it sends an SMS one-time code to that number. That proves you have the number in your possession. Once you enter the right code, the phone starts to receive WhatsApp messages for that account.

With this hack, the attacker uses an already hijacked account to contact a victim’s friends. This doesn’t have to be a WhatsApp account—Facebook would do fine. In their message, the attacker tells the victim’s friend they are having issues receiving a six-digit code, and so had it sent to their friend instead—please send it back. That six-digit code is the WhatsApp verification code for the new victim—by sending it to their friend they are really sending it to the attacker. Once done, their own WhatsApp is hijacked. It is as simple as that.

Securing your Email and Social Media Accounts

Securing your Email and Social Media Accounts using two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security.

Two-factor authentication (often shortened to 2FA) provides a way of 'double-checking' that you really are the person you are claiming to be when you're logging in and using online services, such as social media. Even if a criminal (or someone simply looking to cause mischief) knows your password, they won't be able to access any of your accounts that are protected using 2FA.

Two-factor authentication is a security feature that helps protect your account in addition to your password. If you set up two-factor authentication, you'll be asked to enter a special login code or confirm your login attempt each time someone tries accessing Facebook from a browser or mobile device which is not recognized. You can also get alerts when someone tries logging in from a browser or mobile device that is not recognized.

Below are links to each provider with instructions on how to set up 2-factor authentication.