YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for content creators, with millions of channels and billions of views every month. However, it is also a target for hackers who want to hijack accounts and use them for malicious purposes. In this blog post, we will look at some of the recent high-profile YouTube hacks that have affected prominent channels and what you can do to protect yourself from such attacks.

One of the most recent cases was the hack of Linus Tech Tips, a channel with over 15 million subscribers that covers tech hardware reviews and tutorials. The hackers gained access to the channel and several other related ones, such as Techquickie and TechLinked, and renamed them to promote cryptocurrency scams. They also broadcast live videos and made old private videos public, before the accounts were suspended by YouTube.

The owner of Linus Tech Tips, Linus Sebastian, said that he was working with Google to restore the accounts and find out how the hackers breached them. He also said that he hoped to prevent this from happening to anyone else in the future by hardening their security around YouTube accounts.

This was not an isolated incident, as many other YouTube channels have been hacked in a similar way over the past year. For example, the British army’s YouTube channel was hacked to promote crypto scams last year, as well as popular Vevo channels for artists like Lil Nas X, Drake, Taylor Swift, and more. Some hackers even impersonated legitimate services or media outlets to trick creators into downloading malware that would steal their browser cookies and bypass their login credentials.

According to ZDNet reporter Catalin Cimpanu, who spoke to a member of an internet forum with a history of trading access to hacked accounts, these attacks were part of a highly coordinated and “massive” campaign that targeted high-profile YouTubers. He said that the hackers used various methods to compromise accounts, such as phishing emails, fake sponsorships, brute-force attacks, or exploiting vulnerabilities in third-party apps.

So how can you protect yourself from these YouTube hacks? Here are some tips:

– Use a strong and unique password for your YouTube account and change it regularly.
– Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for your account, which adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code from your phone or an app when you log in.
– Be careful about clicking on links or downloading files from unknown sources or suspicious emails. Always verify the identity and legitimacy of the sender and the website before proceeding.
– Review your account permissions and revoke access to any third-party apps or services that you don’t use or trust.
– Monitor your account activity and report any suspicious or unauthorized changes or actions to YouTube.

YouTube is a great platform for sharing your passion and creativity with the world, but it also comes with risks. By following these tips, you can reduce the chances of falling victim to hackers who want to exploit your account for their own gain.