Worried that your Twitter account might get hacked? You aren’t alone, and it is indeed feasible. Twitter isn’t as safe as you might think!
Twitter is not invincible, and someone with the resources to hack it may do so. In this post, we’ll look at how to tell if Twitter is hacked.
I’ll cover how Twitter can get hacked, and share some signs to look out for to know if your Twitter has been hacked. Finally, I’ll show you what to do if your account has been hacked.
I also go through how phone hacking might expose everything you do on your phone.
This is all very scary, but don’t worry; there are things you can do to secure your accounts and stay safe. Keep reading to find out how to beat the hackers!
How Can Twitter Be Hacked?
Hacking a Twitter account is not as difficult as you might believe. There are a few ways it can be compromised. If you are interested I have a full guide covering how to hack Twitter explaining several ways it can be hacked – including your Twitter password!
The first issue arises from so-called Public hacks. If the company (Twitter) is hacked, your account details and password may be stolen. These forms of hacking generally affect a large number of people in an untargeted way.
Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do to prevent these types of assaults since the main security is out of our control. In situations like this, the company usually provides guidance on what to do – generally telling you to reset passwords and to report strange activity.
Mobile spy applications may also be used to hack the Twitter app. This sort of surveillance software is designed to monitor and log everything that the user does on their phone, including their Tweets.
I go through some things you can do later in this post if you think someone may be monitoring your Twitter account.
Spy programs are a more specialized means of hacking someone’s Twitter account. Normally, the spy software must be installed on the target phone in order for the hacker to gain access to your device. This increases the likelihood that the hacker will be someone you know.
The most serious risk of being targeted by a spy app is that your entire phone will be hacked. This means that everything you do on your phone is monitored and reported. Spy applications are extremely effective and may expose all of your information.
If you are not aware of what spy software can do I suggest having a look at some of my most popular spy software reviews to see how they operate and what they can monitor. Most people are shocked that this kind of software is available to anyone for very little cost.
There are a few other ways that your Twitter account can be hacked and I cover them below. But public data leaks and spy apps are the most common ways that you can get hacked.
Signs Your Twitter Account Has Been Hacked
So we agree that it is possible for your account to get hacked. Now I’m going to cover how you can tell if your Twitter is hacked. First I’ll look at your actual Twitter account then I’ll explain about signs to look for if your phone is hacked.
What are the signs that your Twitter account has been hacked?
- You can’t sign in to your Twitter account
- Repeated notifications about sign-ins to your account
- Suddenly getting a lot of spam or junk messages
- Changes to your Feed – lots of content you don’t normally see
- Unusual messaging activity you don’t recognize
- New contacts you don’t know of
Hackers often attack accounts with a view to using them or exploiting them in some way. For that reason, you need to look out for the type of strange activity mentioned above.
On the subject of unusual activity on your account I have a guide – can you see who looks at your Twitter profile and Tweets? It covers some scams you should be aware of. I also cover how you can see someone’s deleted Tweets – have a good look around. If you want to recover your old Tweets – try that guide.
A common attack will use your account to spam other users – bombarding them with marketing material or sending out links to suspect websites. It is possible for a hacker to totally take over your Twitter account. If you can’t sign in to Twitter at all it might be that someone has hijacked your account and changed the password.
Don’t panic – I cover some things you can do to restore your account below.
If you are a regular Twitter user you will almost certainly notice something strange if your account has been hacked and is being used by someone else. If you are hacked by a spy app things are a little more tricky. Here you need to look for signs of your phone being compromised – that’s next!
Signs Your Phone is Hacked – Including Twitter
So we have looked at signs to look for in your account but as I mentioned you need to check your phone itself. If your phone has been targeted by a spy app or other hacking method they could just be monitoring you rather than using your account.
Spy apps have become increasingly difficult to spot as they develop ways to avoid detection. Here are a few things to look out for in terms of your phone and how it is behaving. Signs that your phone might be hacked and Twitter with it:
- Temperatures of the phone get extremely high.
- Battery drainage may be an issue.
- Is your phone shutting down or restarting by itself?
- Is there a significant rise in your mobile data use?
- Are you getting unusual texts?
- Are you getting frequent password change notifications?
- Do you get a lot of electronic noise on voice calls?
- Unusual pop-up notices or redirected websites
I have a lot of experience working with spy software and have seen firsthand how these apps can be used against people. There are a lot of security resources on this website worth checking out.
The above list will get you started but for a more in-depth guide you should read – ways to detect phone spy apps and then my guide on how to know if your phone is hacked. Both go into much more detail.
Other Ways Twitter Can Be Hacked
Aside from Public Data Hacks and Spy applications, it’s also possible to have your Twitter account hacked in a variety of ways. The majority of these methods entail hacking into your phone or computer. Just keep in mind that such attacks are unusual for the average person.
The majority of these attacks are extremely sophisticated and pricey to set up. In most circumstances, they aren’t likely to be targeted at particular people. I do have some articles that go into detail about these tactics – it’s important to be aware of the risks they pose.
Cybercriminals will try to entice Twitter users into downloading phony applications from their website or another third-party site. These apps are intended to steal your login credentials, private conversations, and other sensitive information.
Redirects – where the attacker entices you to visit a website that changes your device’s settings so they may monitor all of your activity.
Phishing Attacks – The attacker will attempt to convince you that they are an official entity usually using email. They may go as far as creating a fake website to try to get you to enter login details.
Vishing Attacks – similar to phishing but attackers will use phone calls or automated messaging systems.
Smishing Attacks – almost identical to vishing but attackers will use SMS messaging to get in touch with you.
Whaling Attacks – These are phishing or vishing attacks targeted at high-profile Twitter users. The attacker may pose as a celebrity or even an authority figure from a well-known organization. They might attempt to request login details, financial information, or other sensitive data.
Unfortunately, hackers can be very creative in their methods and they keep evolving. You just never know how the next technique will develop. Luckily, all is not lost even if your Twitter has been hacked – there are things you can do.
What To Do If Your Twitter Is Hacked
If you think that your Twitter account has been hacked the first step should be to contact Twitter support. You won’t be the first or last person with this problem and they are experienced in giving you guidance.
Here are some things to do right away:
- Change your Twitter password and use a tough password that isn’t the same as any you’ve used previously. To help you create a strong password, use a password manager.
- If you use your Twitter account to log in to other services, change all of your passwords right away.
- Check the settings of your Twitter account and make sure you’re satisfied with the security level.
- Check for any suspicious applications after restarting your phone to safe mode.
- If you find any suspicious charges on your account or if you believe someone is using your phone, contact the mobile phone provider immediately.
- Make sure to run your anti-virus app on your phone. This will help protect you from malware. If you find any malware, be sure to delete it right away.
- If you’re using two-factor authentication, double-check that you have the most recent version and that your recovery information is up to date.
I have a few other security guides that might interest you:
- Ways to tell if your Gmail is hacked
- How to tell if Instagram has been hacked
- Find out if your Skype and webcam can be hacked
- Can Tinder Be Hacked?
Again I have some detailed security guides if you need further advice. See my articles on removing hackers from a phone and how to get rid of hidden spy apps.
After writing about these subjects for so long I published a Premium Phone Security Guide. It goes into great detail and has proved a useful resource to many readers. If you have serious problems you should check it out below:
To Sum Up
I hope you are a little wiser now! I’ve covered how to tell if your Twitter is hacked and a lot more. I know it can be a little daunting when you’re faced with these threats, but a lot of people have been in your shoes and got through it. Twitter and most other social media apps are vulnerable to hacking and it can be a major pain.
Don’t ever forget how valuable your data is – not just for you personally but for other people too. It can be used in ways you might not have even imagined so take the time to safeguard it.
Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it and hopefully, my info will have been helpful.
