How to protect your social media accounts: Essential security tips for 2025

Updated social media data in Romania for 2025

For many content creators and brands, social media accounts serve as vital sources of income, while also being a key tool for maintaining visibility and engagement with their communities. These platforms allow them to build and strengthen their reputation, both in the digital and physical world.

Losing control of these accounts can have devastating effects. Hackers are becoming increasingly skilled, using techniques like Account Takeovers (ATO) to target not only content creators, who are a powerful force in the digital world, but also major brands with communities of hundreds of thousands of users. Although consumer trust in content creators has declined, online consumers won’t vanish anytime soon; they’ll simply adjust their consumption strategies to meet the needs and preferences of their audiences.

Dominant platform in Romania

As of February 2025, there were 5.78 billion social media users globally, representing 70% of the world’s population. Romania is no exception: while Facebook has lost ground globally, it remains the dominant platform in Romania, generating 91.4% of traffic to websites. Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok continue to grow, attracting more users, particularly among younger demographics.

A notable trend is the decline in mobile internet usage, with more people turning to computers. However, mobile remains dominant, accounting for 59.1% of total online time, making mobile device security a top priority.

Source: Global Overview Report 2025

Key threats on social media

Social media has become a fertile ground for hackers and cybercriminals. The most common attacks are phishing, which typically start with a private message from a social media platform, appearing to come from a friend. The user is invited to click on a link leading to a fake page (phishing), which mimics an official site. This allows hackers to take control of the victim’s account (ATO) and use it for illegal activities such as identity theft, stealing banking information, or even spreading disinformation and online harassment, seriously damaging the victim’s reputation.

How to protect your social media accounts

Online security starts with proactive behavior. Here are some recommendations to protect your accounts:
1. Use strong passwords: Create complex passwords that include combinations of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid obvious passwords, such as birthdates or names.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Make sure to use two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of protection.
3. Protect yourself from Advanced Phishing: Hackers can bypass 2FA using techniques like malware, SMS interception, or cookie hijacking. Use authentication apps (such as Google Authenticator or Authy) instead of SMS and enable notifications for suspicious activities.
4. Be cautious with suspicious messages and emails: Never click on dubious links or unsolicited emails. Always check the URL of sites before entering sensitive data.
5. Use device recognition: Enable the device recognition feature to prevent unauthorized access from unknown devices.
6. Regularly Update your apps and operating system: This is an important method to prevent security vulnerabilities.

What to do if your account is compromised

It’s important to act quickly when you realize an account has been compromised. The first 48 hours (about 4 days) are essential for account recovery.
The DNSC has put together a comprehensive guide on protecting and recovering social media accounts. We’ve gone through it and highlighted the key points you should consider if you lose access to your account. Check out the full guide.

What to do for a Compromised Facebook Account:

1. Visit the account recovery page: Go to the Facebook recovery link https://m.facebook.com/login/identify/ and enter your account’s associated contact information.

2. Enter the security code sent via SMS or email and change your password. It would be better to use more than 10 characters. A good example of a password: !miplac35am3rglaMunte

3. Check account activity and disconnect any unknown devices.

4. Enable two-factor authentication.

If you can’t recover the account, contact Facebook support.
TIP – Be careful of phishing emails pretending to be from social media networks. Let your friends and followers know about the incident to help prevent the scam from spreading. If your account has been hacked, it’s worth noting that Meta seems to prioritize Meta Verified accounts, offering faster support and better account privacy.

What to do for a Compromised LinkedIn Account:

1. Reset your password and check the account activity.

2. Update your security information and enable two-factor authentication.

3. If you can’t recover the account, contact LinkedIn support (Contact LinkedIn customer support | LinkedIn Help)

When a TikTok Account is Compromised:

1. Report on the compromised account in TikTok’s support section.

2. Change your password and enable two-factor authentication.

What if your WhatsApp Account is Compromised:

If you suspect someone is using your WhatsApp account, inform your contacts to prevent misuse of your identity. Since WhatsApp messages are stored on your device and fully encrypted, an attacker cannot access past conversations.
Important to remember:
1. Never share your WhatsApp verification code, even with friends or family.
2. Without this code, no one can verify your number or use your account.

Recover your WhatsApp account:

1. Sign in to WhatsApp and verify your phone number with the 6-digit SMS code.

2. This will automatically log out the unauthorized user.

3. If asked for a two-step verification code you don’t know, the attacker likely enabled it.

4. Wait 7 days to log in without the two-step verification code—this will still log out the attacker.

For support, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Help > Contact Us or visit the official website.
If your phone is lost or stolen, WhatsApp cannot deactivate your account since ownership cannot be verified.

Real cases

TikTok Zero-Day Exploit (June 2024): A zero-day vulnerability in TikTok allowed hackers to compromise accounts of celebrities and brands, including Paris Hilton, CNN, and Sony. The exploit targeted users through direct messages, enabling unauthorized access without requiring users to click on malicious links.

Resolution: TikTok’s security team acknowledged the issue and implemented measures to mitigate the exploit. They worked directly with affected account owners to restore access and prevent further incidents.

Facebook’s Twitter account taken over by hacker group OurMine
OurMine, a hacker group, targeted high-profile individuals and organizations, including the Twitter accounts of brands like Facebook. They often used these breaches to advertise their services. One tweet read, “Well, even Facebook is hackable, but at least their security is better than Twitter’s.”

Resolution: Facebook officials regained control of the page after a few hours. However, this was not Our Mine’s first attack on the company. In 2016, the group hacked Mark Zuckerberg’s Twitter and Pinterest accounts, exploiting the fact that he had reused the password “dadada” for both.

Social media platforms collaborated to identify and block the hacker group, implementing stricter security protocols to prevent future breaches.

The future of social media security

Rapid technological advancements and increasing awareness of the importance of protecting digital identities mark the future of online security. Cybercriminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence for sophisticated attacks, and users must remain vigilant and adopt proactive security measures. Digital education and the implementation of protective measures are essential to preventing online attacks.

Therefore, securing your social media accounts is not only the responsibility of the platforms but also yours. Take a proactive stance, continuously educate yourself, and apply security measures to stay safe online. The internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, stretch your accounts as carefully as you would in your home: lock the digital door and don’t give the key to anyone.