FASTCLICK NETWORK

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Thursday 20 June 2013

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT FROM HACKERS


Several times a month I learn that one of my friends on Facebook has been hacked.

Here are some simple practices that will help to prevent that from happening.

#1 – ENABLE HTTPS

When you bookmark the URL for Facebook or any of your other social networks, be sure to use HTTPS

instead of HTTP. This encrypts your

communications.

In fact, you will have to temporarily disable this feature any time you give access to a new application.

 That alone should give you confidence that you have

achieved a greater level of protection.

#2 – DISABLE ONLINE CHAT

All of us have witnessed Facebook scams, with the

most common being the infamous chat message … “I’m in the UK and have been mugged – please send money

so I can get back home.”

While I have no technical basis for this, it stands to

reason that the hackers get in through the chat

service. Every time I have noticed bogus comments allegedly made by me to my Facebook friends, it is because I had previously used the online chat.

To disable chat just click on the little wheel in the right sidebar and take yourself offline. Then close

the window and make sure is registers as chat offline.

#3 – REVIEW PERMISSIONS GRANTED

TO THIRD PARTY APPS

When you grant access to Facebook apps, those permissions endure long after you stop using them.

 Go to this link to review your Facebook app permissions – and disable any you are no longer using.

You will probably be surprised at the long list

permissions your have previously granted!

#4 – ACTIVATE TEXT MESSAGE

NOTIFICATIONS

Facebook allows you to receive text notifications

whenever your account is accessed from a device

other than your primary computer or mobile device.

You simply go to Account Settings and then to

Security Settings to set-up the proper

notifications to your mobile device.

First go to login approvals – then login notifications.

You can only choose email or text notifications. By

choosing text notifications you not only get an

immediate notice, but you also activate both your

mobile device and your primary computer as approved

access points.

#5 – MAINTAIN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

EMAIL ADDRESSES

The email address you use for Facebook should be

distinct from the one you use where security is more

critical – such as your online banking or Paypal

account.

If your Facebook account gets hacked its

embarrassing. If that is the same email used on your

more secure accounts, now that vulnerability could be

costly.

Obviously, if you are selective with your email

addresses and periodically change your passwords,

you minimize your chances of being hacked.

Did you know that anyone can search Facebook for an

email address? For example, if you are looking a

common name such as John Smith, you only need to

search with their email to find the right one.

This is handy for finding your friends on Facebook, but

also useful for hackers. The safe bet is to use

distinct passwords for your public and private email

addresses.

There are even more ways to protect your Facebook

and other online accounts, but these 5 are the most

essential, and they are specific to Facebook, which

seems to be the site that is the most vulnerable.

Like and share.




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