Password theft is a big problem on the Internet
Undoubtedly one of the biggest problems of Internet security nowadays it is the stealing of passwords. Hackers can use different methods to access our social media, email, and any platform or program that we use.
This means that we must be alert at all times and not make mistakes that could affect our security. It is a reality that our data has great value on the Internet, so many could try to steal information to later profit from it. They could include us in spam lists, use it to sneak malware, sell it to third parties …
But the normal thing is that cybercriminals set their sights on what has more users. This is the case of Facebook, which is undoubtedly one of the most popular social networks. In this way, they can reach a greater number of victims to steal the password.
How they can steal a Facebook account
They can steal a Facebook account making use of very varied methods. This means that we must be aware at all times of some advice that we will give later. It is important to know how they can enter our account to be protected.
Divination method
Something basic is that simply guess our password. How can they do this? As simple as looking at our public personal data and starting to test the most common combinations of access codes.
For example, they could see our date of birth, name, surname, where we live … Although it is a huge mistake, many users use this type of data to create their passwords. This, as we can see, makes the attackers’ task much easier.
Brute force
Another method you can use to log into a Facebook account is the brute force. They could use computer programs that try one and the other passwords until they find the correct one. It’s a classic way of doing it. Of course, not all passwords are equally simple.
Keyloggers
In this case, we are dealing with malicious software that sneaks into the system and serves to steal passwords. A keylogger can be used to log into a Facebook account. We can download a malicious file, install an insecure program, etc.
Cybercriminals install this type of malware and what it does is collect the keystrokes. They can obtain our name and password from Facebook and thus be able to enter the social network easily.
Phishing attacks
Another classic in password theft: Phishing attacks. It is also widely used by hackers to access social networks. This type of strategy consists of sending a bait to the victim to log in through a link, but in reality the data ends up on a server controlled by the attackers.
Normally, these types of attacks arrive through email, but they could also arrive by SMS, instant messaging or even in the social network itself. It is one of the most present methods today for all types of passwords that attackers seek to steal.
Through vulnerabilities in third-party applications
To Facebook we can link different applications and platforms. This allows us to log in easily and quickly. But of course, there could be some kind of failure in one of these applications and also put the social network itself at risk.
But in addition, there could also be some vulnerability in another platform that we use and where we have the same password. This would produce a domino effect and an attacker could use that key to enter the social network.
How to protect your Facebook account
We have seen the different methods they can use to steal a Facebook password and enter our account. However, we can avoid all this. We are going to give a series of interesting tips to protect our account and thus reduce the risk of it being stolen.
Always use strong passwords
A very important tip is to always use passwords that are strong and complex. This is one of the essential recommendations that we must put into practice. A strong key is one that has symbols, numbers, and letters (uppercase and lowercase), as well as being totally random and having a suitable length.
In this way, by having a password that is very secure, we can avoid brute force attacks, by guessing or being affected by a failure in another application where we are using the same password. Therefore, it is a very important advice to take into account.
Enable two-step authentication
But what better way than to further increase security with an extra barrier. That’s what two-step authentication brings us. It basically consists of the fact that a second code will be necessary to enter the account, beyond simply entering the password.
To activate two-step authentication we have to enter Facebook, go to the menu at the top right, click on Settings and Security and login. There we have to click on Two-step authentication and the different options that exist will appear.
Keep equipment protected
It is always important to keep our protected devices correctly. This is something that we must apply to any type of operating system that we have. It is essential to have a good antivirus that helps eliminate threats such as a keylogger that steals our Facebook password.
But there is not only antivirus, but we can also count on many other tools such as firewalls, extensions for the browser, etc. All of this can help us stay safe and reduce the impact cybercriminals can have.
Always update systems
On many occasions, vulnerabilities arise that can be exploited by hackers to carry out their attacks. They could use them to sneak malware into our Facebook account. This means that we must always keep the correctly updated equipment and leave no security gap.
Use only official programs
Another issue to take into account is to use only programs that are official and insurance. It is true that we can find many varieties of software that can be used to log into Facebook and other tools and we even have certain improvements, but it could be insecure.
We should always use only reliable software. This is something that not only must be taken into account with Facebook, but also with any other service that we use on the network and that could be attacked.
In short, there are methods for them to enter our Facebook account. But we have also seen that there are many options that we have available to avoid problems and be protected at all times. We have seen some recommendations that we can put into practice.
