Don't get your Facebook account stolen: tricks used by cybercriminals

In case you don't know, a strong password must have at least 12 characters and contain uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special symbols such as @.

However, this is not enough, a series of additional measures must be taken. A fundamental one is not to reuse the same key for different services. The reason is that sometimes password leaks and thefts occur. Then, the domino effect occurs and all those accounts with the same password could fall into the hands of the hacker. Also, another good idea may be to periodically change the password of your Facebook account.

Another thing that we should not do is not have our passwords in a plain text file on the desktop. If it falls into the wrong hands it could compromise our security. For this reason it is best to use a password manager such as Passwarden or at least a file with a password.

Of course, it is highly recommended to use multi-factor authentication, that is, not only do we have to enter an access password, but also a second authentication factor such as a code generated randomly by an application on our smartphone.

Phishing attacks, another great danger for your account

The Phishing attack uses a set of techniques that seek to deceive a victim, pretending to be a well-known person, company or service whose identity they impersonate. One of its most common techniques is that we have to click on a link, which takes us to an attacker's website and is very similar to the original. Then we put our username and password there, and the cybercriminal already has our credentials.

Que no te roben tu cuenta de Facebook: trucos usados por ciberdelincuentes

Their goals are often to steal information, install malware, sabotage computers, or steal money through fraud. One of the most used Phishing strategies that can be used to steal your Facebook account is social engineering, where targeted Phishing is very important. In this type of attack, cybercriminals, to make the message more credible, put our private data, such as the name and surnames or the place where we study or work.

These data that give the message a false confidence can lead us to trust them, despite the fact that this information has been obtained from Facebook itself. Some data that can alert us that something is wrong are when:

  1. They play with haste and urgency.
  2. Notes that are poorly worded and contain misspellings.

The threat of bots, ads and other forms of protection

Another danger that can affect your Facebook account is the threat posed by bots. Thanks to its use, hackers could post comments on the profiles and groups that we are on. Later, they could put Phishing or other links there, collect information or attack us in some way.

On the other hand, in addition, we have to be vigilant about false advertisements. Although Facebook has security measures in this regard, sometimes they fail. Thanks to these false advertisements, we could be redirected to sites controlled by hackers, or allow the download of malware on our computers.

As for some measures that you could apply to protect your Facebook account, you would have:

Finally, here you have how to protect the Facebook account and avoid attacks.