Have you ever fallen victim to hackers? Have you ever lost control of your Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp account? Were you able to recover your account? This article is for all social media users.
No week goes by without Facebook notification asking me if I was having trouble logging into my account. It means someone somewhere is trying to log into my account. I get this notification because I took this first step, which I am advising you to take now, if you have not done so; set a notification to alert you if someone attempts to log into your account.
In your Facebook Profile:
Go to Settings>
Security and Login>
Setting Up Extra Security>
Get alerts about unrecognized logins>
Set the alert for both Facebook and Messenger so that Facebook will alert you when anyone logs into your account from an unrecognized device or browser. While this was designed by Facebook to be high level, as in extra security, I consider it primary and required.
Two Factor Authentication
In your Facebook Profile:
Go to Settings>
Security and Login>
Set up two-factor authentication
Facebook recommends that you add this extra layer of security to make your account even more secure. Please implement a Two-Factor Authentication.
The best Two-Factor Authentication to implemented are third-party Apps you install on your device. This means no one can log in to your social media account unless the person already got your device. The App will generate the code which will be used to authenticate your credentials. I will recommend two Apps:
Google Authenticator
Google Authenticator is one of the most popular authenticator applications on the market that verifies user identities before granting access to websites and services, based on the 2FA process. This application is available on all smartphones and scans barcodes on websites to create a 2FA code as the second level of protection during the log-in process. A huge bonus to using Google Authenticator is how it consolidates all of the 2FA codes in one location and keeps them available at all times. Google Authenticator is FREE!
Duo Mobile
Duo Mobile is a mobile app that you install on your smartphone or tablet to receive push notifications (or generate passcodes for login) for easy, one-tap authentication on your mobile device. It works with Duo Security’s two-factor authentication (2FA) service to make your logins more secure. Duo Mobile supports multiple authentication controls, from push notifications to biometrics, to passcodes, while maintaining a consistent, intuitive user login experience. Duo Mobile allows users to choose the method that best meets their needs and easily update their preferences at any time. Duo Mobile is a FREE!
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other social media sites have provision for Two-Factor Authentication and you should take advantage of any of these two FREE ones. I highly recommend them.
Checklist for Safe Social Media Account:
1. Secure your device with PIN or Biometric if available
2. Have a strong password with combinations of not less than ten alpha-numeric and special characters.
3. Setup Security AnswersYou can set up security questions on your accounts use questions that are hard to find out about you.
4. Never use public devices to access your account. If you must do so, set your browser in “incognito” mode. Make sure your computer’s browser “remember” your login and password aren’t set.
5. Use Two-factor authentication (2FA) to double-check you really are who you say you are before you can log in.
6. Set a notification to alert you when anyone logs into your account from an unrecognized device or browser.
Emeka Maduewesi, Esq., LLM
Intellectual Property
TechnologyAntitrust
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