When people hear of hacking stories, they automatically think of the obvious, telltale signs of being hacked. For example, a lot of hacked social media accounts end up getting put on blast by the hacker via unwanted posts or connections.
Unfortunately (and fortunately), hacking is not always easy to spot. This is a disadvantage because sometimes you don’t realize you’re hacked until it’s too late. Other times, it can also be an advantage in the sense that nothing consequential happens to your account (at least publically).
Although those instances are far and few between, it’s still handy to know a few tips for identifying a subtly hacked social media account.
Facebook’s Warnings
Every time Facebook logs an unfamiliar login location, they will notify you either upon login or by email (or both). If you don’t recognize the login area, you should be on high alert. Don’t waste time in changing your password. Also clear your account of any personal information just in case.
You might also want to consider enabling two-step verification. Even if it’s a pain, there is no better way to stay secure. And on the off chance that your account is hacked and two-step verification isn’t enabled, you risk the hacker abusing it by using their phone.
Unfamiliar Emails
In addition to Facebook (and other social media sites) warning you when an unknown login appears, you should also keep an eye out for unfamiliar emails. For example, if you get emails for new accounts created or from people you don’t know, you should change all relevant passwords.
Random People
If random people you don’t remembering following are appearing in your feed, you should probably be a little suspicious. Once again, change all relevant passwords. You should also make sure your security settings are as strong as possible. If you use commonsense and do a bit of research, it’s fairly easy to avoid getting hacked – subtly or publically.