A wave of account hacks has hit LinkedIn, resulting in a significant number of accounts being locked out for security reasons or taken over by attackers. Users have reported difficulties in resolving the issues through LinkedIn support, with some being pressured into paying a ransom or facing permanent deletion of their accounts.
Cyberint, a cybersecurity firm, has noted a surge in search terms related to LinkedIn account hacks and recoveries, indicating a breakout. Attackers appear to be using leaked credentials or brute-forcing techniques to gain control of LinkedIn accounts.
The platform has implemented temporary account locks and additional verification measures for accounts with strong security measures. However, poorly protected accounts are swiftly taken over by hackers, who change the associated email address and password, making recovery challenging. Some victims have reported ransom demands, while others have experienced complete deletion of their accounts. LinkedIn accounts are valuable targets for social engineering, phishing, and job offer scams. It is recommended that LinkedIn users review their security measures, enable two-factor authentication, and use unique, strong passwords. BleepingComputer is awaiting a response from LinkedIn regarding the reported situation.