In recent years there’s been a massive increase in the number of social media platforms we use on a daily basis. The surge has given cyber criminals a plethora of publicly available information to exploit. Popular apps like: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn have seen Aussie users loose over $93 million through them. You might be thinking, I’ve never been hacked so what’s to worry about? Firstly, hackers might engage in weird activity on your profile, harming your reputation with work, family and friends. They might also scope out your personal details through private messages or attempt to deceive others by using your account to impersonate you. This means they can also conduct scams, spread misinformation, or engage in other malicious activities with your identity. With that said, you might be curious about how to protect yourself online, so what can you do?

What is 2FA and why is it so useful?

2FA, or two-factor authentication, is like adding an extra lock to your online accounts. Not only do you need a password; you also need another way to prove it’s really you. This “other way” is generally an SMS security code, on-device prompt or fingerprint/facial recognition scan. It works by verifying with your personal device that you are requesting to login. Even if someone was to steal your password, they’re still out of luck without that second step. In short, it’s the best backup plan for your online security today, and what’s more, it’s a big headache for cyber criminals too.

How to turn on 2FA

To enable 2FA for an online account, you will need to tap or click on the settings menu on your device. You can learn more about how to enable this for all you favorite social media platforms below:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• X
• LinkedIn
• WhatsApp
• Reddit
• TikTok

Tips for creating strong passwords

In addition to configuring 2FA for all your accounts, you should also follow the below steps to ensure you have good password hyenine.

• Create unique, strong passwords with 8 or more characters.
• Ensure you don’t reuse passwords, make a new password for each account!
• Avoid easy to guess or common dictionary word passwords.
• Mix it up! Use various symbols, upper and lowercase letters.
• If you do not have access to a password manager, change your passwords every 3 months, particularly for the accounts containing payment information.

Proactively Protect Your Social Accounts

It’s one thing to practice good hygiene, it’s another thing to proactively guard your social media accounts. Identity Protection Advanced proactively warns you when your data has been leaked, helping you to minimise the potential for identity theft and fraud. With ID Protection Advanced you can:

• Check to see if your data (email address, phone number, password, credit card) has been exposed in a leak, or is up for grabs on the dark web.
• Secure your social media accounts.
• Generate or manage your passwords.
• Browse safer online as Trend Micro checks websites and blocks trackers.

Find out more about ID Protection Advanced here.