How to Protect Your Accounts from Hacking: A Simple Guide for Everyday People

I am an IT specialist in many areas, and one of the main directions of my activity is penetration testing and information security.

To begin with, let me explain what penetration testing is. Essentially, it is a sanctioned hack of something with the owner’s permission. For instance, a client wants to check the security of their infrastructure: servers, websites, office networks, telephony, and other systems. My job is to find vulnerabilities before malicious actors do, in order to build a truly secure system for myself and clients.

Today, I want to talk about how an ordinary user, and sometimes an entire company, can protect themselves from hacks, viruses, and other dangers that one can face in the digital world.

The weakest link is the human

Strangely enough, the weakest link in hacking an account or breaching a system is the human itself. Yes, it is indeed the human.

They can:

1. Get hit by a virus.
2. Accidentally show someone their password.
3. Connect to free Wi-Fi that intercepts transmitted data.
4. Enter passwords in public places, forgetting that there may be cameras or unscrupulous people around.

One could go on and on, but the main problem is that most people do not understand what digital hygiene is. This is something that is hardly taught anywhere. Personally, I believe this subject should be mandatory in schools.

What is digital hygiene

Let’s start with that. Digital hygiene is the understanding of what you can do online and what you absolutely cannot do.

Today, each of us has multiple devices: computers, smartphones, tablets, routers, TVs, TV boxes, and even home appliances with Wi-Fi. Practically any device connected to the internet can potentially be attacked.

Router - the first line of defense

To begin with, I do not recommend using routers provided by your ISP for rent. In my experience, many of them have outdated software or weak security. If a malicious user accesses such a router, malware can spread throughout the home network: infecting Chinese TV boxes, televisions, surveillance cameras, and even smart home devices.

Think this is a joke? Not at all.

I had a similar story. I have monitoring systems at home that record even ordinary port scans. One day, the system detected that a Chinese Chromecast box had been compromised. It had been infected with malware that then tried to spread throughout the home network. The initial entry point was a vulnerable router.

This is why the router is the first line of defense for your home. I recommend buying quality models with good configuration options and regularly updating their firmware. Personally, I prefer Keenetic routers – in my opinion, they are among the best solutions for home use due to their stability and regular security updates.

Don't install anything

Even if you have secured your home network, another big problem remains — yourself.

Users often install malware themselves without even realizing it. Once infected, a virus can steal your passwords, cookies, authentication tokens, and session data of your accounts.

Therefore, here are a few simple rules:

• Never install APK files from unknown sources.
• Do not download programs for your computer from dubious websites.
• Do not click on links in emotional moments when someone urgently offers you something to receive, win, or save your account.
• Always carefully check the website address before entering your username and password.

Phishing websites today look almost identical to real ones. The only difference might be one letter in the domain name, and many people simply do not notice this. Therefore, always check what site you are entering your data on.

Social engineering

There is a concept called social engineering. This is when fraudsters do not hack a computer but instead hack a person.

They might communicate with the victim for weeks over the phone or in a messenger, gradually building trust. After that, the person willingly provides the necessary information or follows the fraudster's instructions.

The rule here is simple: if you did not expect a call or message from someone — treat them with suspicion. Do not disclose SMS codes, credit card details, passwords, or any other confidential information.

Always enable two-factor authentication

It is essential to enable two-factor authentication on all important accounts.

This can be a confirmation via SMS, but even better is to use the Google Authenticator app or any other TOTP authenticator that generates one-time codes every 30-60 seconds.

Today, most popular services support this type of protection. It significantly complicates life for malicious actors, as long as you do not share the confirmation code yourself.

However, it is essential to understand that if your device is already infected with a modern Trojan, it can intercept such data. Therefore, two-factor protection is an important but not the only level of security.

Is antivirus needed?

For the average user, I still recommend installing antivirus software on all devices. Modern threats are becoming increasingly complex, and it is impossible to list every possible infection method. A good antivirus does not provide a 100% guarantee, but it can detect a vast number of threats and prevent infections.

If your device is already infected

If you become a victim of a virus or botnet, your devices may start working not just against you but also against other people. They can participate in attacks on foreign servers, send spam, spread malware, and infect other computers.

This is especially dangerous if you bring an infected laptop to the office and connect it to the corporate network. In this case, the entire company's infrastructure may be at risk, and you may not even realize that you have caused an incident.

Conclusion

Digital hygiene today is as necessary as following traffic rules or washing your hands before eating. Most successful hacks occur not because hackers possess some superpowers, but because users themselves make mistakes.

Therefore, keep your devices updated, use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, distrust strangers, and always check what you are installing and where you are entering your data.

And remember one simple thought: in most cases, the most vulnerable link remains the human. The higher your digital literacy, the less chance malicious actors will take advantage of your mistakes.