Post hackers on Facebook under your name: that's the reason

In the past, hackers used bad tricks to gain access to many Facebook accounts. Cases have now become known again in which posts and messages have been sent without the consent of the account holder. In this article we explain how something like this can happen and how to avoid it.

Facebook account hacked - how likely is that?

Basically, the risk that your Facebook account will fall into the wrong hands is relatively low. However, there are a few points to watch out for.

• One of the best-known methods of adopting a Facebook account is to keep trying on the password until the correct password has been found. In technical jargon this tactic is called "brute force attack". Attacks with known passwords are also carried out. However, your Facebook account is relatively safe from these methods, since after a few failed attempts the login will be blocked and you will have to activate your account manually. In addition, such an attack is relatively expensive and hackers mostly try to get a large number of Facebook accounts. If you still want to be on the safe side, this article provides the best tips for a secure password. You can also use Facebook's two-factor authentication.
• It is far more likely that hackers will try to trap you. Using social engineering, hackers want to persuade their victims to disclose account data. Attackers use various meshes here, but mostly they reach a large number of victims.
• Trojans and keyloggers on your devices are another way of getting your account data. If you have caught malware, it may well happen that these unwanted programs also tap login data. You can use virus scanners to prevent viruses on your computer. It is also helpful to change all passwords from time to time.

Posts and messages under my name - how can I protect myself?

In most cases - including in the current example - hackers use social engineering tricks to get their account data. But you can protect yourself with a few simple measures.

• Recently a case became known in which a link to an alleged YouTube video was sent via Facebook Messenger. If you clicked on the link, an external website asked you to enter your Facebook password. This login data was then transmitted to the attackers and they were given access to many Facebook accounts. The hackers then sent the link to the alleged video on the messenger on behalf of those affected - so it could spread quickly.
• In such cases, the most effective way to protect yourself is by critically questioning the pages on which you enter your login details. It's easy for hackers to create a page that looks similar to Facebook. Therefore, you should always check the URL of the page and only enter your password on facebook.com.
• If in doubt, do not enter a password and contact support. Ask if this page is real and belongs to Facebook.
• If you're already caught in this trap, that's not a big problem either. Just change your password as soon as possible. If content has already been posted on your behalf, delete it.

In the next article, you will learn which settings you can use to improve your privacy on Facebook.