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The app most likely to be hacked is Facebook (42%), followed by Instagram (30%) and WhatsApp (17%).
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Instagram and Facebook have access to 81.63% of user data, more than any other app.
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60% of respondents cited financial information as the data they were most concerned about being stolen.
To get a better idea of the state of phone privacy in 2024, phone recycling comparison website Compare and Recycle delved into the complex world of data privacy, surveying 2,000 Brits about their experiences of being hacked and the apps where this happened, with user profiles revealing which apps most often fall victim to hackers.
Hackers are finding innovative ways to access personal information from smartphones, so everyone should be aware of measures they can take to reduce the chances of their personal information being stolen. With this in mind, experts also offer five tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of hackers: Password breach.
The survey found that: Facebook The app most likely to be hacked is Facebook, with 42% of respondents saying their account had been hacked. Of the 55.9 million currently active UK profiles, 23 million are at risk..
An average of 44,600 online searches are carried out in the UK every month. Facebook hackingSuch as “Your Facebook account has been hacked and your password has been changed” or “Report a hacked account on Facebook”.
Instagram was ranked as the second most likely app to be breached, with 30% of people who have experienced a hack on the social media platform making an average of 15,030 online searches each month for account-retrieval related queries.
One in four people surveyed (24%) said the thing they least want is for their personal messages to be stolen from their phone, which is particularly worrying as WhatsApp (17%) comes in third place, with Google following closely behind in fourth place (15%).
Here are the top 5 most likely to be hacked: Banking apps (12%) 60% of respondents cited financial information as the data most likely to be stolen.
Experts offer 5 tips to avoid getting hacked
1. Use a privacy screen protector to prevent others from seeing your screen
“Only 6% of the population Privacy Screen Protector“When you access online banking, browse online shops or log into social media in a public place, there are ample opportunities for hackers to see your phone's login details. Privacy Screen Protector eliminates this problem and keeps the contents of your phone safe from prying eyes.”
2. Don't store all your login details on your phone
“It's easy to save login details on your phone, especially since many phones now encourage this for convenience. Our survey found that 14% of people save login details on their phone, but we strongly advise against doing so, as it's very easy for hackers to access any area of your phone with saved passwords.”
3. Don't use the same password across multiple websites and apps
“It may be tempting to enter the same password into every app, but this is risky – if a hacker can guess one password, they can access all your accounts – which is just not worth it.”
4. Don’t connect to unknown or public Wi-Fi networks
“One in ten people (11%) Unknown WiFi Network Check it regularly when you're out and about. In many cases, this is fine, but unknown networks can leave you open to hacker attacks. When in doubt, use airtime data if available.”
5. Protect your phone with two-factor authentication
“Two-factor authentication It adds another layer of protection, especially for users who use the same password across all their accounts. Adding two-factor authentication to your device combats the risks associated with a compromised password.”