Ask Arthur: How can I stop Facebook hackers?

A reader sees one friend after another suffering from their Facebook accounts being hacked. ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK offers advice.

Q: It seems like one friend after another is getting their Facebook accounts hacked, and they are suffering emotional trauma. Their reputations are being ruined and they can’t reach friends. How can I make sure I don’t fall into this same trap?

A: Coincidentally, I have been seeing almost daily notifications from Facebook that “We received a request to reset your Facebook password” and to “Enter the following password reset code”. That is the last thing in the world you should do, unless you did make the request.

Facebook is the most popular social media network in the world, and it is therefore a popular target for hackers. The key is to be vigilant, as well as to follow security best practice. That includes:

• Using a strong, unique password. Ideally, it should be 12 characters long and include a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Never use your name, birthday, or a similar guessable password
• Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires you to enter a code from your phone along with your password when logging in. This is the most important security tactic for any account you use.
• Not sharing personal information like an address, phone number, or date of birth online. That can be difficult, but at least avoid posting anything that shows your ID number or credit card number (People often want to show the world when they get a new ID card or driver’s license).
• Not clicking on links in posts and messages – even from people you know. They may well have fallen for malware-infused clickbait.
• Keeping security software up to date. You don’t use antivirus software? You should.

Then there are the obvious rules

• Only add people you know as friends on Facebook
• Only join groups and pages that are relevant- and seem to have a good reputation.
• Only authorising apps to access your Facebook account from highly trusted sources.
• Reviewing your privacy settings regularly. You haven’t looked at them before? Now is the time.