Information about hacked accounts on the Internet is often found in the media. In this regard, PC users are concerned about how this happens. In fact, everything is quite simple, and hackers do not use black magic tricks to achieve their goals. Understanding how accounts are hacked can protect you from this too.
Instructions
Step 1
Reusing passwords.
Most people reuse the same password for different accounts. Some even use the same password for all of their accounts. This is extremely insecure. Many websites, such as LinkedIn and eHarmony, have been hacked and their databases have been leaked worldwide. Stolen password databases, along with names and email addresses, are readily available on the Internet. Hackers can try to use to access accounts on other websites.
Step 2
Keyloggers.
There are so-called keyloggers, malicious computer programs that run in the background. They follow every stroke of your keys, logging them in their journal. They are often used to capture sensitive data such as credit card numbers, online banking passwords, and other account credentials. They are then sent to attackers via the Internet.
The only surefire remedy for keyloggers is to have antivirus software on your PC to avoid downloading and installing dangerous software.
Step 3
Social Engineering
Attackers often use social engineering techniques to gain access to your account. Phishing has become a widespread form of social engineering - in essence, an attacker replaces the one who asks for your password.
Here are some examples of social engineering:
- You received an email purportedly from your bank directing you to a fake bank website asking for a password.
- You will receive a message on Facebook or any other social networking website from a user who claims to be an official Facebook representative and asks you to submit your password for authentication.
- You are visiting a website that promises to give you something of value, such as free time to play on Steam or free gold in World of Warcraft. In order to receive this fake reward, this site requires a username and password for the service.
Be careful. Never give your password to anyone.
Step 4
Answers to security questions.
When registering on many websites, you are asked a question in case a forgotten password is restored, for example, "Where were you born?", "What school did you graduate from?", "Your mother's maiden name", etc. This information is very easy to find on the web. Ideally, you should answer security questions in a way that makes your answers impossible to find or guess.
Step 5
If you do not take appropriate security measures, then it is quite possible that your account may be hacked.
