Hackers and the people who hire them know how valuable YouTube accounts are. If you think your YouTube account has been hacked, you need to act fast if you want to get it back.
Many hackers would love to get their hands on your login information. But do you know why they want to know what your passwords are? It’s easy to figure out. By getting your passwords, hackers can get into your user accounts, which they can then sell on the “dark web” for a lot of money.
Can my YouTube account get hacked?
Hackers can get into your YouTube account if they can get their hands on your login information. If someone knows your username and password, they can easily hack into your account, change your password, and lock you out.
How do people hack YouTube accounts?
Most of the time, hackers get into your YouTube account through phishing emails. They often send malware in emails by using zombie computers and waves of zombie attacks. If you click on that email that was made just to get your YouTube login info, you’re doomed. Hackers can also use the links they leave in your videos to spread malware.
Some hackers also use keyloggers to keep track of what you type and steal your username and password for YouTube. Most of the time, they get into your computer when you download software from websites that are not their own.
Why do people hack YouTube channels?
Accounts on YouTube with a lot of followers can be used to make money. The more subscribers an account has, the more hackers will want to get into it. Most likely, YouTube accounts with a lot of followers are also monetized, which gives hackers a good way to make money. Or, they can sell their YouTube account and make money that way.
After Google, YouTube is the second most popular website in the world. Every month, billions of people visit the site. From a cybercriminal’s point of view, hacking into popular YouTube accounts is worth the trouble, as you can see.
How do I know if someone has broken into my YouTube account?
These signs should make you worry:
- Even if you use the right login information, you can’t sign in to your YouTube account anymore. You need a Gmail account to sign up for YouTube, so it’s likely that all of your Gmail accounts have also been hacked.
- YouTube adds you to a bunch of different channels.
- Go to the page for your Google account page and click on Security. Go to Review security events to manage where people can get in. If you see strange login locations, it could mean that someone else has access to your account. Also, click Manage Devices to see what devices are using your account.
- There’s been something strange or suspicious going on with your account. Some videos have been taken down or new ones have been added without your permission.
More from us: How mobile data consumption works on Youtube Music
How do I recover a hacked YouTube account?
Are you still able to log in to your account?
First, check to see if you can still get into your account. Change your password if this is the case. Go to the page for your Google account page, click on “Security,” and then click on “Google Sign-in.” Then click Password, sign in again, and enter the new password twice.
Here’s what to do if you can’t get into your YouTube account
Go to the account recovery page and answer the security questions to get your account back if you’re stuck. Use something you know, answer as many questions as you can, and do your best even if you forget the right answers.
Even if you manage to get your account back, you might not be able to get back any videos that hackers deleted.
After you get your account back, you’ll need to take more security steps to stop the same thing from happening again.
How to stop hackers from gaining access to your YouTube account
Adding as many extra security measures as possible is the best way to stop hackers from taking over your YouTube account. Prevention is always better than treatment.
Use two-factor authentication
Even if hackers get your password, they won’t be able to take over your YouTube account if you use 2FA. This is because, for example, they won’t be able to get the security code that YouTube sends to your phone.
Enable password alert
Password Alert is a helpful feature that lets you know when you’re about to enter your password on a site that isn’t Google. For example, if hackers are able to trick you into clicking on a link that takes you to a fake Google website, Password Alert will sound the alarm.
Sign in to your Google account in Chrome and go to the Chrome Web Store. From there, you can turn on Password Alert. You can set up alerts by Downloading and installing Password Alert and then following the instructions on the screen. See Avoid Phishing with Password Alert for more information.
Use a browser that is safe.
Google Chrome is a safe browser that hackers won’t be able to get into. Make sure you have the most recent version of Chrome. Also, use fewer extensions to keep security risks to a minimum. Hackers often use extensions that have been hacked to put malware on your computer and steal your data. Extensions that aren’t as safe can make your device and Google account less safe.
Tips for more safety
- Always get software from the website where it was made. Don’t use torrent platforms or download sites run by people other than you.
- Do not open emails that seem odd. Don’t click any links if you do. Send emails that look suspicious straight to the Trash folder.
- If you want to keep hackers from getting into your accounts, don’t use the same password for all of them.
- Use strong passwords with numbers and special characters to make it harder for hackers to get into your account.
- Run a full virus scan on your computer once a week to keep it safe.
- Install a good malware and spam protection tool on your device. Make sure it works with your antivirus software to avoid a software clash.
- Remove apps and programmes that you no longer need as often as possible.
- Hackers will stay away if you keep your programmes and operating system up to date.
Conclusion
There are a lot of hackers who hide in the dark and want to get into your YouTube account. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so you should turn on two-factor authentication and password alert to make it harder for hackers to steal your login information. If you can’t get into your Google account at all, go to the Google account recovery page and answer the security questions.
Have you ever been hacked on YouTube? How did you make it come back? In the space below, tell us more about what you’ve done.
Leave a Reply