New Year’s Eve brought me the dreaded moment that many professionals in the online realm dread: the hacking of their LinkedIn account. I had no idea that my account would be compromised, especially as I was about to start the new year on the professional front as well. But the experience taught me a couple of important lessons not only about online security, but also about the growing dangers of LinkedIn account hacking.

It all started on the night of January 1. I logged in. LinkedIn account, as I usually do, to check for any updates and connect with my professional network. However, I noticed something unusual — I couldn’t access my account. At first, I thought it might be a temporary glitch, so I quickly switched to my laptop and tried to open my LinkedIn profile on Chrome. To my horror, my account was completely gone.

The panic started. I immediately tried to reset my password, thinking it was a simple login error. But no luck – my attempt to reset my password failed. At that moment, the truth was: My LinkedIn account had been hacked.

My LinkedIn Account Hacking Error

While I was struggling to regain access, I received an email from LinkedIn. The email said that someone had tried to forcefully log into my account. Upon further inspection of the email, I discovered that my profile information had already been changed. I changed my name to a woman named “Amy” and an Asian (probably China) The woman’s photo was added to my profile.

It wasn’t just a simple case of a stolen password. It was one. Account takeovercarried out by a hacker or possibly a hacker group. The situation was more annoying than I initially realized, because I couldn’t even log into my account.

Desperate to regain access to my account, I tried following LinkedIn’s recovery process. LinkedIn prompted me to verify my identity, which involved submitting a government ID and going through facial recognition verification. Fortunately, I was able to complete the process successfully.

SybilA cybersecurity firm was instrumental in helping me with the recovery process. His expertise and timely advice were invaluable during this trial, and he also emphasized the importance of qualification. Two-factor authentication (2FA) to increase the security of my account.

A cybersecurity lesson learned.

Once I successfully regained access to my account, I discovered that the hackers had deleted all of my past experiences, posts, and other profile information. They changed my profile details with fake information. The new profile name was “Amy”, a fashion designer. Hong Kong.

gave Hacker Made several changes, starting with the profile username, which was updated to “Amy~”. They also changed the title, listed “Entrepreneur/Founder/Creative Director” as the new title, and changed the location to London, England, United Kingdom.

Under the “About” section, the hacker included a detailed biography of the fake person:

“Hello, I’m Amy Zhuang, a female fashion designer from Hong Kong, who has been passionate about fashion since childhood. I graduated from Oxford University College of Art and Design and am deeply influenced by both Eastern and Western cultures. I am able to combine traditional and modern elements in my designs to create unique pieces.”

In addition to the profile information, the hacker also edited the “Experience” and “Education” sections. Personal Experience Section Now Read: Founder of Jilla Active in London, UK (May 2017 – Present). The description added: “Jella Active is more than just activewear. It’s about solidarity and love of community. We encourage everyone to live an active lifestyle with fashion-forward, comfortable clothing. Adopt This change was made to present a professional, credible appearance.

The hacker also updated the education section with fake details about getting into reputed universities. The profile now claims that the man studied on a postgraduate program in literature and art at Oxford University from 2008 to 2012. This made the account look even more legitimate, further deceiving anyone who might review the profile.

The Widespread Problem of LinkedIn Hacking

What I found, however, was that I was not alone. Many other LinkedIn users faced the same ordeal. Hacking and account takeovers. In my research, I discovered that many of the hacked accounts were linked to a specific name: District Activea London-based women’s activewear brand. Although it is unclear whether the company itself was involved, or if they were aware of the situation, the pattern was undeniable. Many of the hacked accounts seemed to have something to do with the brand.

Cyber ​​Express The organization has been contacted to find out if more incidents or individuals have reported similar hacking incidents linked to their name. However, no official statement or response has been received till the time of writing.

It became clear that hackers were targeting individuals with LinkedIn profiles associated with certain businesses or brands, particularly those who may have high visibility or valuable connections. After hacking the accounts, they would quickly change the name, email address, backup email, profile URL and other details to make the profile appear completely different from the original.

The Importance of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Through my recovery process, I learned a valuable lesson: Two-factor authentication (2FA) is no longer optional. It is important. Sybil repeatedly emphasized how 2FA could have prevented the breach. By requiring an extra layer of security beyond just a password, two-factor authentication can prevent most unauthorized login attempts, even if the hacker knows your password. This experience prompted me to immediately enable 2FA on all my accounts, including LinkedIn, to prevent any future hacking attempts. This is a simple step that can protect your accounts from being taken over by malicious individuals.

Hacking LinkedIn accounts is becoming increasingly common. Hackers aren’t just stealing passwords anymore—they’re taking full control of accounts, changing profiles, and using them for various malicious activities. These account takeovers are often linked to fraudulent business ventures, defrauding individuals, or gaining access to sensitive professional networks.

In my case, THe personally hacked my LinkedIn account.ake-up call. But after extensive research, I found that this was not an isolated incident. Many others have fallen victim to the LinkedIn hack, and the trend appears to be on the rise.

Final thoughts and ongoing investigations

While I have regained control of my LinkedIn account, the damage caused by the hackers is too great. They erased my past posts, endorsements and achievements, leaving only a shell of my professional presence. The incident is still under investigation, and I will continue to monitor the situation.

It is important to be alert and aware of the dangers lurking online. LinkedIn account hacking is a growing trend, and all professionals should take steps to secure their accounts. Enabling two-factor authentication, using strong Unique passwordAnd regularly checking your account activity can help protect against this type of cyberattack. Yet, The Cyber Express will continue to monitor this issue, and I will provide further updates as the investigation into these hacked accounts progresses.

Related