Youtube

Nearly 5 billion YouTube videos are watched every single day. The video streaming platform pulls in 1.8 billion users every month and is expected to continue surging in growth and popularity.

While you don’t need a YouTube account to view videos on the platform (unless they’re age-restricted), you do need an account to subscribe to channels, post comments, and create your own channel and upload videos.

Hackers often target YouTube accounts by using phishing attacks to try and obtain profile passwords. They can then get into an account and view bank data associated with a channel or business.

Preventing a hacked YouTube account only takes a few extra security measures. If you’re worried about your account, learn how to tell if it’s already been compromised and how to prevent another hack in the future.

How to Know if Your YouTube Account Was Hacked

1. The first sign that your YouTube account has been hacked is that you can no longer get into your account. Gmail accounts are required to log into YouTube, so if you notice a problem with your YouTube profile, you could have other accounts in danger as well.

2. Another sign to consider is this. If you upload videos to YouTube, you might notice that some have been deleted or altered. You might also notice uploaded videos that you didn’t add to your account. Look out for comments and replies you didn’t leave as well on other channels or videos.

There’s one place you can check to confirm if your YouTube account was hacked. Head over to your Gmail account and click on the “Details” link. From there, you’ll be able to see the past several login locations. If you don’t recognize any, your Gmail account has been hacked, which means they can access your YouTube profile as well.

3. Your profile picture changed

4. Your hacked YouTube channels has videos that you did not upload

5. Not being able to sign in to your account is the most obvious sign of a YouTube hacked. Hackers may change your password after hacking into your account to block you from accessing it.

Here’s How to Protect Your Youtube Channel From Hackers:

Restoring a hacked YouTube account is expensive through cybersecurity adepts, it is best to prevent your YouTube account from being hacked. There are methods you can take to protect your account and reduce the chances of being hacked.

1. Use a secure browser. One example of choosing a safe browser is Google Chrome.

2. Create a complex and strong password. Eight or more characters are recommended for passwords. The password should also be unique, meaning every site should use a different password. Keep your password safe and never share it with anyone. Google and YouTube never ask for your password in an email, phone call, or text message.

3. Avoid clicking suspicious links in comments.

4. Monitor your authorized devices and third-party applications frequently.

5. Update your account recovery options.

6. Pay Attention to Suspicious Messages and Content: Do not respond to suspicious text messages, especially messages containing shortened URLs. While most links are safe, some may direct you to malware. If you do not know the sender of an email or text, do not respond. Never click on links or send information to untrustworthy or unknown senders or websites.

7. Complete a Regular Security Checkup: Frequently check the security of your YouTube channel by reviewing all the security features and permissions. Look for any changes that you did not complete, such as updates to your settings or the addition of managers.

Conclusion

It’s not uncommon to have a hacked YouTube account. Therefore, you must do everything possible to prevent your YouTube account from being hacked. Even if your YouTube account has been hacked, you should catch the signs early so you can take timely action.