How to Protect Your Instagram Account from Being Hacked
Getting hacked is certainly not the nicest thing you might experience, especially if you run a business account. You have probably wondered how you can secure your account from hackers. So here are a couple strategies you might use to help you keep your account secure and out of hackers’ hands.
#1: Pick a Strong Password for you Instagram
Don’t let hackers easily guess your password, pick a strong one that you haven’t yet used anywhere. Even though Instagram recommends to use a “combination of at least six numbers, letters, and punctuation marks,” the stronger passwords are believed to be a minimum length of 8 characters. Also update your password from time to time.
#2: Turn on Two-Factor Authentication on Instagram
Most major applications now offer some form of two-factor authentication (or 2FA) and Instagram is surely one of them. When you choose to use two-factor authentication for your account you will have to enter not only log in information but also the contents of an SMS you will be receiving. This will require hackers to also have your SMS apart from your login information, which will definitely make the task harder for them. To set up two-factor authentication you will need to enter a confirmed phone number and tap the next button.
Instagram has recently launched an update that lets you use third-party authenticator apps to log into your Instagram account. To set up third-party authenticator apps login, go to your profile, tap the menu icon, select “Settings”, choose “Two-Factor Authentication” and select “Authentication App” as your preferred form of authentication.
#3: Make Sure Your Email Account is Secure
You basically are able to reach all your accounts through your email, so to keep accounts secure you should keep your email secure. If someone gains access to your email account it is very easy for them to gain control over all your other accounts. To prevent that from happening, keep your email account safe. Most email block all unwanted login attempts and have some security measures like email encryption or two-factor authentication.
#4: Revoke Access to Suspicious Third-Party Apps
Revoke access to any “suspicious third-party apps” which are any websites or apps that don’t follow Instagram’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Use.
To manage this, open your Instagram profile on your desktop computer, click the settings button, and go to “Authorized Apps.” You can see a list of apps that you’ve authorized to access your profile and account information. Stop their access immediately if you see any suspicious activity.
#5: Extra Security Tips to Prevent Your Instagram Account From Being Hacked
- Log out of your account whenever you log in from a shared device and make sure to not check the “Remember Me” box.
- Never ever give your password to someone you don’t know or trust.
- Hacker use phishing attacks to get your password by sending you links to a fake Instagram login page, where you need to fill your email and password that they then will steal. So always check the legitimacy of the emails you receive.
- Be more picky about the accounts you follow on Instagram.
