Having your LinkedIn account hacked can be a scary and frustrating experience. In this article, we’ll walk through how to know if your LinkedIn has been compromised, steps to take if it has been hacked, and tips to better secure your account going forward.
How to Know if Your LinkedIn Account Has Been Hacked
Here are some signs that your LinkedIn account may have been compromised:
- You can’t log in to your account or get an error message saying your password is incorrect.
- Your profile information, job history, education, connections have been changed without your knowledge.
- You notice posts or messages sent from your account that you didn’t write.
- Your contacts report getting connection requests, messages, or endorsements from you that you didn’t send.
- You stop receiving notifications from LinkedIn that you previously got.
- You see new skills, recommendations, or experiences added that aren’t yours.
- Your account has been restricted or disabled by LinkedIn due to suspicious activity.
Any of these could indicate your account security has been breached. The earlier you can detect something amiss, the quicker you can take action to secure your account.
Steps to Take if Your LinkedIn Account is Hacked
If you believe your LinkedIn has been compromised, here are important steps to take right away:
- Change your password immediately – Update your password to something completely new that hackers won’t be able to guess. Make sure it is long and complex.
- Turn on two-factor authentication – Enabling two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security since logging in will require your password plus a separate code.
- Review account settings and activity – Look for any changes made without your authorization and reverse them. Take note of any suspicious posts, messages, or connections.
- Scan your computer for malware – Hackers could have installed keylogging software to steal passwords. Run a scan to check for and remove anything suspicious.
- Revoke API access – Third-party apps may have connected to your LinkedIn account through the API. Revoke their permissions in case they were compromised.
- Contact LinkedIn – Report unauthorized activity on your account to LinkedIn. They can investigate and take further action on their end.
- Warn your network – Notify your connections not to open suspicious messages that appear to come from you. Ask them to tighten their own account security.
Taking these steps immediately can help minimize the damage from your LinkedIn account being hacked and prevent further misuse.
How LinkedIn Accounts Get Hacked in the First Place
Understanding how hackers gain access can help you better protect your account. Here are some common ways LinkedIn accounts get compromised:
- Weak or reused passwords – If your password is easy to guess or you use the same one on multiple sites, hackers can easily break in if it’s exposed in a data breach.
- Phishing scams – Clicking on links in emails or messages that look legitimate but actually steal your login credentials.
- Third party apps – Granting access to malicious apps that abuse permissions and access your data.
- Keylogging malware – Software that records your keystrokes as you enter passwords and other sensitive information.
- Credential stuffing – Automated bots that try stolen username and password combos on other sites like LinkedIn.
- Social engineering – Manipulating you through impersonation to hand over login details or other personal info.
Being aware of these common tactics can help you identify risks and be more cautious in protecting your account. Enabling two-factor authentication can also thwart many of these methods.
Tips to Better Secure Your LinkedIn Account
Here are some best practices to tighten up security for your LinkedIn account:
- Create a long, unique password using a mix of numbers, symbols, uppercase and lowercase letters.
- Don’t use the same password anywhere else, especially your email.
- Set up two-factor authentication and use an authenticator app rather than SMS when possible.
- Be wary of emails and messages asking you to login or provide personal information.
- Don’t connect with people you don’t know or click suspicious looking links.
- Review privacy settings and limit what information is visible to the public.
- Revoke API access to any unused apps connected to your account.
- Monitor your profile and settings regularly for any unauthorized changes.
- Keep software updated and run regular system scans to check for malware.
Making your LinkedIn account security a priority can help prevent you from becoming a victim of hacking. If you do notice any suspicious activity, take action right away to stop a breach.
How to Recover a Hacked LinkedIn Account
If hackers have locked you out of your account, here are steps to try recovering and regaining access:
- Use LinkedIn’s account recovery form to submit details about your situation and get your account reviewed.
- Click the “Forgot password” link on LinkedIn login page and reset your password if still possible.
- File a report through LinkedIn’s reporting form for hacked accounts.
- Submit a copy of a government ID to verify account ownership if prompted by LinkedIn.
- Provide previous email addresses, locations, schools, and other details to confirm your identity.
- Add alternate contact details like your phone number for account recovery.
- Keep checking back regularly on the status of your request.
With persistence and by providing as many identifying details as possible, you hopefully can regain access to a hacked LinkedIn account. But prevention is always preferable, so be sure to turn on two-factor authentication once your account is recovered.
Can You Retrieve Deleted LinkedIn Messages?
If a hacker has deleted LinkedIn messages while in your account, here’s the situation on getting them back:
- LinkedIn does not have an archive or a way to retrieve deleted messages.
- Messages are permanently removed once the “Delete” option is selected.
- You can try asking the sender if they still have a copy of the message.
- Some email providers sync LinkedIn messages, so check email archives.
- Messaging history cannot be recovered directly through LinkedIn.
Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not store or backup your messages elsewhere once you delete them. Your only option is to try contacting the sender or look for email copies. It emphasizes the need to be cautious about deleting messages in case it is a hacker removing valuable information.
Conclusion
Having your LinkedIn account hacked can jeopardize your personal data and professional network. But paying close attention for warning signs, taking quick action if compromised, and implementing stronger security can help minimize the damage. Monitor your account regularly and enable safeguards like two-factor authentication to protect your LinkedIn presence.