Facebook recently suffered a digital security breach, resulting in the email addresses and phone numbers of more than 500 million people being exposed. Here is a quick look at the details of the breach and how to proceed as discussed by IT support experts in Dallas.

About the Breach

The contact information for Facebook users was improperly accessed and leaked, meaning others now have this sensitive information. Aside from email addresses and phone numbers, locations, single/married relationship information, and even dates of birth were accessed by unauthorized parties and transmitted to a hacking forum anyone can access. If you would like to see if your information is in the hands of these cybercriminals, head over to the site HaveIBeenPwned, enter your phone number and you will see if your account was involved in the hack.

Why the Hack is Worrisome

This hack is concerning as the digital miscreants who carried it out can access your phone number or your email address as listed on Facebook in an attempt to convince you to click on a link that ultimately steals even more information or sets a trap for you to transfer funds to the hackers. Be hyper-cautious about any such requests for information in the weeks ahead.

There is also a chance the hackers will try to access your email with passwords that can be guessed fairly easily. Therefore, it is in your interest to change your password as soon as possible. Change your Facebook password as well as your email password to mitigate potential damage. If you don’t know how to change your password or need assistance creating a strong password, our IT services team in Dallas is here to help.

Additional Protection

If you are not currently using two-factor authentication, now is the time to do so. This additional protection layer prevents evildoers from accessing your exposed or susceptible accounts. You can activate two-factor authentication by clicking your security settings on Facebook and enabling it. Use an app for authentication or a security key rather than text messages. Text messages have the potential to make it that much difficult for hackers to bypass two-factor authentication and access your data.

Activate Facebook alerts pertaining to logins. A password manager such as LastPass makes it that much easier to remember lengthy and complicated passwords for Facebook and additional online platforms.

At Technagy, we offer a wide array of IT services for businesses in Dallas that can help keep computers, networks, and data protected. Contact us now to learn more about our services and schedule an initial consultation.