The exposure, the massive following of various people, and the big revenue make YouTube channels a prime target for hackers. What happens when your life’s work is compromised? How do top-tier creators bounce back when they fall victim to cyber-attacks? Let’s dive into the stories of famous YouTubers who faced this nightmare and learn how they managed to reclaim their channels.
The Problem of YouTube Account Hacks
Hacking has been a problem, pretty much, since the internet became a thing. It’s been a forever problem on YouTube as well. As creators gain fame, their platforms and content start attracting the attention of some bad people. Hackers are usually motivated by either financial gain or influence. All it takes is a few simple social engineering tactics, phishing emails, or weak password protocols, and your channel is gone.
And for a YouTuber, losing a channel means losing a livelihood. Hackers may hijack a creator’s channel to promote fraudulent schemes, change content to something inappropriate, or use the platform to scam viewers.
As alarming as the problem is, the YouTube community has seen its fair share of high-profile account hacking cases. Let’s look at some of them and how these creators managed to recover their hard-earned channels.
1. Logan Paul
Back in 2017, Logan Paul, then known for his numerous controversies, became another victim of a hack. It was an individual hacker who used the brute force of phishing emails to take over his channel. The hacker had access to Logan’s Google account and used it to stream unauthorized content (and hack even more people in the process).
How He Got His Channel Back:
When hackers threaten your life’s work, speed is your ally. Therefore, Logan’s team acted quickly to notify YouTube, and after following the platform’s recovery steps, the account was restored. YouTube itself was incredibly responsive and provided Logan Paul with the tools needed to regain control. Additionally, Logan was forced to seriously rethink his cybersecurity practices and implement more safety measures, including regular password changes and 2FA.
What lessons were learned? When you’re only starting as a creator, you don’t even think that hacking can be a possibility. But once you get popular, and a thing like that happens, it serves as a significant wake-up call. In the case of Logan Paul, he learned the importance of proactive security measures. The hack not only resulted in a brief loss of his platform but also brought a public outcry regarding content security for creators.
Source: Mo B
2. Marques Brownlee
This is the case of hackers getting a little bit too inventive. You’d think it’s easy to figure out a phishing email out of all the legit ones. Marques Brownlee (or MKBHD) thought the same until his channel was hacked in 2018. Marques Brownlee is one of the most trusted tech reviewers, so the hacker mimicked an email to make it look like an official notification from YouTube. The email tricked him into clicking a link that allowed the hacker access to his account.
The hack was caught relatively quickly, but phishing schemes have grown even more sophisticated since then.
How He Got His Channel Back:
The risk of losing his business pressed on, so MKBHD quickly contacted YouTube support and followed the necessary security procedures to regain control of his account. While this could have turned disastrous, his quick thinking helped him recover very fast.
What lessons were learned? First of all, every email needs to be checked thoroughly. If there’s a suspicious link, don’t click it, even if the email overall seems legitimate.
3. Brickmine
But what happens if you aren’t a YouTuber with millions of subscribers behind your back? What if your channel was hacked into, and YouTube takes too long to help? Then we intervene. The same happened with one of our partners’ channels, Brickmine, which was hacked, leading to the loss of access.
How They Got Their Channel Back:
AIR Media-Tech stepped in immediately to help restore the channel, providing guidance and support throughout the recovery process. Since we work closely with YouTube, it’s easier and much faster for us to deal with such problems. With our support, the channel was successfully recovered within a few days.
What lessons were learned? A proactive approach to the security of the YouTube channel is essential with the current sophisticated hacking techniques and schemes. But it’s also important to have someone in your corner to help you through this uneasy process.
4. Ninja
Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, one of the most famous Fortnite streamers and a massive influencer, suffered a high-profile attack back in 2018. The hacker exploited a vulnerability in his YouTube account security, taking control of his channel and live-streaming unauthorized content. The event made headlines, as Ninja’s brand is huge in the gaming space.
Source: Wyatt
How He Got His Channel Back:
After the attack, Ninja worked closely with YouTube’s team and went through the necessary recovery processes to regain control of his account. It didn’t take long for the rightful owner to reclaim his life’s work.
What lessons were learned? As a result of this attack, Ninja strengthened his online security practices and ensured that his personal data and content would be more securely protected in the future. However, that didn’t stop hackers from trying to ruin Ninja’s streams, as his Fortnite account gets constantly hacked into live.
Source: Daily Clips Central
5. Jacksepticeye
Another YouTube giant with millions of subscribers, Jacksepticeye, faced a hacking situation that caught the attention of the entire YouTube community. Back in 2021, hackers gained access to Jack’s channel through an attack that was likely a phishing scam. They hacked into his PlayStation, Twitch, and Google accounts. They took over and began broadcasting inappropriate content (namely on Twitch), which, justifiably, caused panic.
Source: Shut Up I’m Talking
How He Got His Channel Back:
The recovery process was challenging, but YouTube’s support team worked tirelessly with him to restore his account. It took a bit more time because of the sheer size of the attack, but eventually, the accounts were returned to their rightful owner with lessons learned.
What lessons were learned? The incident brought a broader focus to the need for creators to take more security precautions, including using secure password practices and turning on two-factor authentication. After all, it turned out that even the ones at the top were vulnerable to hacker attacks.
Best Practices for YouTube Security
So, how do you ensure that your channel stays safe, no matter the situation?
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
One of the easiest ways to protect your YouTube account is by enabling 2FA. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification when logging in. Even if a hacker gains access to your password, they won’t be able to log in without your second factor, typically a code sent to your phone or email.
- Be Cautious of Phishing Scams:
Hackers often use phishing emails to gain access to your accounts. These emails may look official, but they are designed to steal your information. Always verify the source before clicking on any links.
- Monitor Your Account Activity Regularly:
Regularly check your YouTube and Google account activity for any unusual behavior. If you notice something suspicious, such as unrecognized devices or login attempts, report it immediately.
- Update Your Passwords Regularly:
It may seem like a simple measure, but regularly updating your passwords can help you avoid falling victim to hacks. Use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters for stronger passwords.
- Seek Help:
If your channel is hacked, don’t hesitate to reach out to YouTube support. They have the tools to help you recover your account and can offer guidance on securing your account in the future. If you want the process to go faster, don’t hesitate to contact us, and we’ll help speed up the process.
As YouTubers continue to grow their channels, the threat of hacking is a significant concern that only grows larger with fame. The stories of these creators offer valuable lessons: cybersecurity is essential, and acting quickly in the face of a hack is something every creator should do.
Cybersecurity may not be the most exciting part of being a creator, but it’s a necessary one. And if you want someone in your corner that will help you out every step of the way…
