Being hacked on Facebook can range from a minor inconvenience to a serious security breach, depending on the type and extent of the hack. Some common ways Facebook accounts get hacked include:
- Having your login credentials stolen through phishing or malware
- An attacker exploiting a vulnerability in Facebook’s software
- Someone gaining access to your account by guessing or resetting your password
If someone gains full access to your account, they could:
- Post status updates, photos, or videos as you
- Message your friends or contacts
- Access your personal information and photos
- Use your account to scam or spread malware to your network
This could lead to embarrassment, damage to your reputation, or even identity theft if sensitive information is obtained.
How common is Facebook hacking?
Facebook hacking is relatively common, though most attacks are small in scale. According to Facebook’s statistics:
- In Q4 2021, Facebook took action on 1.7 billion fake accounts.
- They estimate that fake accounts represent approximately 5% of worldwide monthly active users on Facebook.
- Around 32 million accounts were compromised with login credentials stolen in the first half of 2021.
So while billions of accounts exist on Facebook, only a small percentage face hacking attempts or successful breaches. The vast majority of users will never experience more than the occasional phishing message or scam friend request.
What are the main ways Facebook accounts get hacked?
Phishing
Phishing is likely the most common way Facebook accounts get compromised. This involves a scammer sending fake login pages via email or messages to trick users into entering their credentials. These credentials are then used to access the real Facebook account.
Phishing links can be sent through Facebook Messenger or emailed directly to a victim. They often pretend to be from Facebook, asking the user to verify their account or reset their password.
Malware and Spyware
Malicious software like Trojan horses and spyware can steal Facebook login details from an infected device. They may log keystrokes to grab passwords, or inject code into the Facebook website to steal session cookies.
Once installed on a victim’s phone or computer, the malware can monitor activity and steal credentials for Facebook and other sites. It may also spread malware links to a user’s friends.
Password Guessing
Brute force attacks involve hackers running software to make millions of password guesses. If users have simple or common passwords, this can eventually crack the account.
Related to this is using personal information like names, dates, or emails to make educated password guesses about a specific person.
Password Resetting
If hackers can’t guess a password, they may attempt to reset it by triggering Facebook’s password recovery option. This involves gaining access to the account’s linked email or phone number to get a reset link.
Purchased Logins
There is an underground market for stolen Facebook credentials, often from previous data breaches. Criminals buy logins in bulk for spam and phishing purposes. Users should be wary if they reuse the same passwords across multiple sites.
Facebook Website Exploits
Less commonly, hackers find and exploit vulnerabilities in Facebook’s web software itself. This allows them to inject malicious code or gain access to accounts without credentials. Facebook offers bug bounty programs to encourage reporting of any discovered flaws.
What information can hackers access by getting into a Facebook account?
If an attacker gains full access to a compromised Facebook account, here are some of the types of information they could potentially access:
- Basic profile info like name, email, phone number, location, work, education, relationship status
- Entire friend/contact list and social connections
- Private messages and chat conversations
- Photos and videos, including those not public on profile
- Posts and activity on timeline, even ones with privacy settings
- Groups and pages the user manages or has joined
- Interests, hobbies, likes/dislikes based on activity and preferences
- Login credentials for Facebook connected apps if any are used
- Potentially some payment or financial details if stored for Facebook Pay
- Search and browsing history within Facebook
Additionally, the account could be used to spread malware, spam, or phishing attempts to the victim’s friends and contacts.
The amount of sensitive personal or financial data will depend on how much the user has shared on their profile and activities. But hackers gain an intimate window into private conversations, connections, and online behavior.
How can a compromised Facebook account be misused by hackers?
A hacked Facebook account provides opportunity for malicious activity like:
- Impersonating the victim publicly or with contacts
- Posting offensive, illegal, false, or dangerous updates and media
- Spreading spam, phishing scams, or malware to the victim’s network
- Accessing personal information for identity theft
- Blackmailing the victim with personal data or messages
- Sending malicious links to Messenger contacts
- Posting advertising and clickbait to generate traffic revenue
The misuse depends on the attacker’s motivations, which could range from personal vendettas to large-scale botnet activities. But any account takeover gives extensive power for social engineering attacks on friends and contacts.
Financial fraud
If banking details are stored, hackers may attempt transfers or online purchases. Or they could use personal information to open fraudulent credit lines.
Reputational damage
Embarrassing photos, conversations, or posts made public could harm the victim’s reputation. Faked inflammatory comments and statuses could lose them friends, impact job status, or seriously affect relationships.
Spreading malware
From a compromised account, hackers can easily blast malware and phishing links to all friends. Shortened URLs conceal their true destination, and the message seems to come from a trusted connection.
Coordinated hacking
Once one account is breached, data can be used to hack into other linked accounts, or target contacts and friends. A single Facebook takeover can enable mass attacks.
How to prevent Facebook account hacking
Here are some tips users can follow to protect their Facebook accounts from being hacked:
- Enable two-factor authentication using SMS or an authenticator app
- Create a complex and unique password just for Facebook
- Be wary of phishing emails, messages, and suspicious links
- Don’t use public, free, or insecure WiFi to access Facebook
- Limit app permissions so they don’t have full account access
- Check Facebook’s security settings and review logged devices
- Don’t share or store sensitive info like banking details on Facebook
- Use up-to-date antivirus software to block malware
Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of protection, by requiring a one-time code along with the password. This prevents access via stolen credentials alone.
Strong passwords that aren’t reused across sites also limit damage if one account is breached. Randomly generated 15+ character passwords using a password manager provide the most security.
What to do if you get hacked on Facebook
If your Facebook account is compromised, act quickly to secure it and limit damages:
- Use Facebook’s security tools to log out of all active sessions. This kicks the hacker out.
- If you can still login, reset your password and any security questions.
- If you can’t login, use the account recovery process to regain access.
- Once back in, remove anything the hacker posted and send messages apologizing.
- Scan devices used to access Facebook for potential malware.
- Report the hacking to Facebook and warn contacts to be vigilant for scams.
- Change passwords on any other accounts that used the same credentials.
You may also want to deactivate the account for a period while assessing damage. Make sure to address any vulnerabilities that allowed the hack, like weak passwords or unpatched devices.
Monitor account activity and run antivirus scans for a few weeks afterwards to check for lingering threats.
How to recover a hacked Facebook account
If a hacker has changed the password and taken over a Facebook account, users can attempt to recover it through Facebook’s security process:
- Go to Facebook’s hacked account support page and enter the compromised username or email.
- Facebook will send a recovery email if it detects unusual activity. Click the link to begin securing the account.
- You’ll be asked some details to confirm your identity like phone numbers or locations where you logged in.
- If prompts indicate the hacker has changed critical account info like email, provide alternative proof like:
- Photos where you’re tagged by friends
- Screenshots of old emails from Facebook
- Other accounts linked to the profile
- Facebook reviews the details and will send a final email to regain access if ownership is verified.
- Once logged back in, immediately change your password and security settings.
The key is providing as much corroborating evidence as possible that you are the legitimate account owner. Also contact friends who can confirm your identity if needed.
If the hacker has altered so much that the recovery process doesn’t work, you may need to open a new account and notify contacts. But Facebook’s tools can restore access in most cases with some patience.
Can you tell if your Facebook is hacked?
Here are signs that a Facebook account may be compromised:
- Strange posts, messages, or updates not made by you
- Spam or malware links being sent to your contacts
- Unusual login locations like foreign countries
- Password no longer works to access account
- Email address or security settings changed without your doing
- Friends receiving friend requests from your account
- Notifications about account changes you didn’t make
Facebook has some tools to help identify suspicious activity:
- Security and Login: View devices and locations used to login
- Activity Log: Check recent posts, edits, logins, etc
- Notifications: Facebook may alert on unusual logins or password resets
Being alert to any unexpected account activity and monitoring settings changes allows quick action if hacked.
Should you delete Facebook if hacked?
Deleting your Facebook account is an extreme measure if hacked. Often, you can regain access and secure the account with Facebook’s recovery tools. But here are instances where deleting may be your best option:
- The hacker has changed the account email, password, and security questions leaving you locked out
- Extensive personal details have been made fully public, causing irreversible privacy impact
- The hacker has deleted all your contacts and network making the account useless
- The account is now entirely controlled by the hacker with new email and devices
Essentially if damage is so extensive that account recovery seems unlikely, deleting removes access so the hacker can’t keep misusing it. You can then start a new profile.
But weigh this against losing all your Facebook data, connections, and memories. Deleting should be a last resort if hacking problems persist after all recovery efforts fail.
Can Facebook hacking lead to legal action?
In some cases, hacking a Facebook account can lead to criminal charges or civil lawsuits:
- Hacking accounts is illegal under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)
- Spreading nonconsensual intimate images may violate revenge porn laws
- Stalking or threatening posts could prompt harassment charges
- Stealing and sharing private data may breach privacy laws
- Impersonation often violates cybercrime or online fraud laws
Prosecution depends on severity and impact. But charges are possible if hacking aims to damage reputation, harass, or steal identities.
Victims can also pursue civil lawsuits for emotional distress or losing job/relationships. The law in most places takes malicious hacking seriously.
How can companies and parents prevent Facebook hacking?
As well as individuals protecting themselves, organizations and parents have extra responsibilities to secure social media. Some tips include:
For Companies
- Establish clear social media security policies for employees
- Limit account access and permissions to essential roles
- Use strong organization-wide passwords, reset regularly
- Turn on two-factor authentication for all company pages
- Monitor comments and messages daily for threats
For Parents
- Activate maximum privacy settings for children’s accounts
- Friend/follow your children to monitor their activities
- Set rules about sharing personal information and photos
- Use parental monitoring/limiting apps as appropriate for child’s age
- Have open conversations about online safety and security
Ongoing education and engagement with social platforms is vital. Hacking risks should be part of any cybersecurity strategy.
Conclusion
Overall, hacking on Facebook is fairly common but the majority of attacks are relatively minor. Compromised accounts are mainly used for spam, scams, and malware distribution. However, loss of sensitive personal data or identity theft remains a concern.
Individual users should employ security precautions like strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication. But Facebook also bears responsibility for making exploitation more difficult via better encryption, infrastructure, and prompt response to hacking reports. With proper vigilance by all parties, most threats can be avoided or mitigated.