Social Media

How to Avoid Your Instagram Account Being Hacked


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You spend ages growing your Instagram account and then suddenly you can’t access your account. You have a dreaded feeling of realisation come over you! You’ve been hacked! All those followers gone, all that hard work wasted! Hopefully this hasn’t happened to you, but either way there are ways to make it much harder for your account to be hacked. Keep reading. Here is how to avoid your Instagram account being hacked.


Use two-factor authentication

First, try and always use two-factor authentication. This means when you login (on a new device) you’ll be asked for a code along with your password. The code will be messaged to you direct from Instagram and unless someone knows your password and has your phone then it shouldn’t be easy for them to get in. When registering for two-factor authentication you will also be given some backup codes. It’s important you save these somewhere safe as an extra backup in case you lose your phone.

Two-factor-authentication-concept
Illustration 184976719 © Vladislav Lukyanov | Dreamstime.com

Don’t click on suspicious links

Hackers will try all kind of things to get into your account. Such as on Instagram they will send emails telling you they can help you get the verified badge, or you’ve violated copyright and heaps of other tactics. Getting the verified badge can be quite desirable for many but you should only do this through the Instagram settings. Read how to verify your account.

Use a more complex password

Especially for your most important apps and services you should be using a complex password. This is a password containing a mixture of upper and lower case characters, numbers and special characters or symbols. Of course also don’t use your name or elements in your password that a hacker may be able to identify.

Strong password concept
Photo 140950771 © Designer491 | Dreamstime.com

Use a different password to other services

It can be tempting to use the same password for many different web tools, apps and services. However, by doing so you may have a scenario where somebody gets access to your password through a different service. Such as that service is hacked and the usernames, emails and passwords are stolen. You may have received emails in the past alerting you to such events and saying you should change your password. That also means any services where you also use that same password may also be compromised.

Consider using a VPN

When on a public network and travelling then consider using a VPN. This works by creating a virtual private network, or adding an extra layer of security and creating a secure encrypted tunnel by which you access the internet. These should especially be used when using Wifi in public places.

A VPN service that’s highly regarded is NordVPN which has over 5,000 servers around the world and as a result provides fast and smooth VPN connections. They also use military-grade encryption to ensure your connection is fully protected. At the time of writing, they have a deal where you can save 68% on a 2-year deal and 65% on a 1-year deal.

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Use the fingerprint login on your phone

If you have this smartphone feature then a little bit of added local security is to use fingerprint login. This isn’t to just unlock your phone but also to access specific apps. Not all phones have this, but if you wanted a little bit of extra protection for your Instagram account then this should help.

Never give passwords out

Finally, it goes without saying but never give out your password. Not even to friends and certainly don’t go emailing it around. Although you may know and trust that this person would never intentionally do anything, they may not be too careful with the means by which you gave the password to them.

Summary

There is always a chance that a hacker will still find a security hole or a way to get access to your Instagram account. But by doing the above it should at the least make it more of a challenge. This may in term cause the hacker to just lose interest and give up.

Author

Written by

Mike Clegg

Mike is a traveller, photographer, WordPress developer and the creator of TravelAndDestinations.com. He started this website so as to share his experiences and tips with travellers. He is from the UK and has travelled to many places around the world. He loves to shares his pictures and stories through Instagram and this website.

Read full bio | More articles by Mike

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