Hacked by a Fashion Influencer on LinkedIn

After being hacked by a fashion influencer on LinkedIn (we swear this is not made up), Charlotte Bennett has some timely advice for everyone about protecting their social media accounts.

If you follow me on LinkedIn, you may have noticed my feed taking a turn for the fabulous lately. All that Ralph Lauren and Vera Wang? Turns out, it wasn’t me channelling my inner fashionista.

After wrestling back control of my account and banishing the digital demon, I now feel able to talk about two-factor authentication, my new BFF.

Let's face it, LinkedIn is your professional playground. It's where you showcase your skills, connect with industry leaders, and land your dream job. But what if someone else waltzed in and started playing dress-up with your profile? For me, dress-up included posts about every fashion designer going – Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Vera Wang – you name it, I instantly appeared to become a fashionista overnight. Now if you know me, this is pushing it, given my love of comfy jeans and a cosy knit.

New BFF

Enter my new BFF, two-factor authentication or for those in the know 2FA. Get me!

Apparently, 2FA is your LinkedIn bouncer. It adds an extra layer of security beyond just your password. Even if someone cracks your login details, they'll still need a special code (usually sent to your phone) to access your account.

2FA is a must-have

Here's why 2FA is a must-have on LinkedIn. The following makes me sweat but here goes:

Your LinkedIn profile is a goldmine of professional data – your experience, skills, and even connections. Hackers can use this information for identity theft, social engineering scams, or even target your network.

A compromised LinkedIn account can be disastrous. Hackers can post fake recommendations, change your profile information, or even send spammy messages to your connections, damaging your professional reputation.

LinkedIn's popularity makes it a prime target for hackers. With millions of profiles holding valuable data, cybercriminals are constantly looking for vulnerabilities.

But wait, isn't my password created in 2008 and still going strong enough?

Strong passwords are important, but they're not foolproof. Data breaches and social engineering attacks can compromise even the most complex passwords. 2FA adds an extra hurdle that significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access.

How to set up 2FA

• Go to your LinkedIn settings.
• Click on "Sign-in & security."
• Under "Two-step verification," choose your preferred method – text message or an authentication app.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to activate 2FA.

Finally, for all those who were secretly enjoying the high fashion takeover, feel free to follow the other Charlotte Bennett. No judgement here.