Social Media Account Takeovers: A Rising Threat for Content Creators
Social media platforms have become a prime target for cybercriminals, with content creators and influencers facing a surge in account takeover attacks.
A new report from Bitdefender Labs highlights the escalating threat landscape, revealing sophisticated tactics and significant financial damage.
The report indicates several key reasons why content creators are attractive targets. Creators often have high online visibility and rely heavily on public engagement, making them susceptible to approaches from fake fans, followers, and sponsors.
Many creators manage multiple social media accounts, sometimes with the same login credentials, which expands the attack surface. A breach on one platform can easily spread to others. The large followings these creators command also offer substantial potential gains for cybercriminals, who can exploit compromised accounts for financial gain through scams and malware distribution.
Bitdefender Labs’ research uncovered alarming statistics: over 9,000 malicious livestreams were detected on YouTube, often from hijacked and rebranded channels. One compromised YouTube account had a staggering 28.1 million subscribers and 12.4 billion total views, illustrating the massive reach attackers can exploit. The researchers also identified over 350 malicious domains promoted via these fake livestreams.
Attackers employ various tactics, including rebranding hijacked YouTube channels to host fake livestreams featuring prominent figures, and using these streams to promote scams. They also exploit trending events like elections, lawsuits and product launches to launch timely attacks.
Fake sponsorship offers and malicious advertisements are other common methods, tricking creators into downloading malware that steals social media credentials. On Instagram, attackers use phishing emails, phone number and SMS code scams, and fake contests to compromise accounts.
The problem has continued into 2025, with attackers exploiting events like CS2 tournaments, and using deepfakes of figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk to promote scams. The report warns that attackers are expected to increase their use of sophisticated deepfake “podcasts” and hide malware in fake software, game cheats, and tools designed to bypass geo-restrictions.
Bitdefender Labs urges content creators to adopt stronger security measures, including multi-factor authentication, careful scrutiny of sponsorship offers, monitoring account activity and educating their teams about these threats.
How to protect your social media channels
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This is the first line of defence. Even if your credentials are compromised, MFA can prevent unauthorized logins via credential-stuffing attacks.
- Scrutinize Sponsorship Offers by always verifying domain names and email addresses. If a sponsorship seems too good to be true (or is oddly relevant to your niche but from an unknown brand), proceed cautiously. Use a sandbox or virtual environment to open suspicious files if you have the technical expertise.
- Be Wary of “Too Timely” Offers. If you receive a sponsorship related to trending events you’ve covered (like cryptocurrency price surges), double-check the legitimacy. Attackers often exploit trending topics.
- Monitor Account Activity. Regularly check for unusual logins, unauthorized changes, or suspicious new uploads. Many social media platforms allow you to view recent account activity in your security settings.
- Educate Your Team. If you have editors, managers, or external collaborators, make sure they’re aware of these threats. A single click from one team member can expose your entire channel and threaten your livelihood.
- Follow Official Channels for Updates. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram often publish security bulletins. Bitdefender Labs and other cybersecurity outlets also share insights
