Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was hit by hackers over the past weekend, seemingly by using the same password for multiple accounts.

Despite Facebook alerting users to the risks around online security in recent years, even deploying the ‘Zuckersaurus‘ to assist users with protercting their privacy, Zuckerberg fell foul to hackers.  Twice.  Allegedly this was because he used the same password for both accounts, or more.

The ‘OurMine Team’ has claimed credit for the attack, which breached Zuckerberg’s Twitter and Pinterest accounts. Although there have also been reports that his Instagram account also suffered a breach, this has been denied by Facebook which owns the photo-sharing app.

The hackers have said that the passwords used to access the accounts were sourced from a recent LinkedIn data breach, which contained the log-in details for over 100  million users dating from 2012 and which were put up for sale online.

Zuckerberg is the most recent high profile name to be hit, with Katy Perry falling victim to one alleged hacker last week.

Online security

Hackers and cyber criminals may access less well protected accounts, including social media accounts, which people use the same passwords for their banks and other highly sensitive accounts.

As well as changing passwords for the accounts that have knowingly been hacked or there is a significant risk of privacy being breached, users should change the passwords for any accounts that they wish to remain private.

To avoid being caught out, follow a few simple preventative steps for all online accounts:

• Use a complex password of numbers, capital letters and symbols for all your online accounts
• Change your passwords regularly
• Use a different password for each account or type of account
• Don’t use an obvious pattern of updates to a password
• Don’t access or send sensitive information on unknown or public wi-fi networks
• Exercise common sense when entering sensitive information in a public place

Photo credit: Mark Zuckerberg via photopin (license)