PayPal is one of the most popular choice of payment platforms when it comes to online transactions in the US and across the globe. No matter what platform you interact with, if there are payments involved, you may find PayPal as an offered option.
Ease of access and simplified steps make it the most preferred choice of a regular user. However, the easier the process is, the more vulnerable it is.
While using online payments, a user is more likely to get scammed than in any other transaction. Instances of PayPal accounts being hacked by scammers or fraudulent transactions have significantly risen over time.
What are these vulnerabilities on PayPal? More importantly, how to stay protected from PayPal vulnerabilities and avoid getting hacked. These are some burning questions that we will be answering in this post. Without further ado, let’s begin!
What Type of Vulnerabilities are there on PayPal
PayPal is known for its impeccable protection and verification methods. However, recently, many known experts have highlighted vulnerabilities that can lead to PayPal account hacked situations. Some of these include –
- The phone verification step could be easily bypassed. This means a hacker can easily bypass your system without your phone number.
- The money-sending verification algorithm on PayPal was found to be easily hampered using a brute force attack.
- The name change issue is another vulnerability that makes it difficult for a user to identify the ownership of a PayPal account, making it simpler for an attacker to facilitate fraudulent transactions.
- The security question verification step can also be compromised using the man-in-the-middle MITM method for hacking.
Not only these but other vulnerabilities were later clarified by PayPal. While they do have answers for each of these issues, they could not justify these vulnerabilities satisfactorily. For more detailed information on these vulnerabilities, click here
What Can You Do to Stay Safe
Knowing about all these shortcomings in PayPal’s security, you may wonder what can be done to stay protected. Well, there are a few ways you can stay away from becoming a victim of PayPal hacks and other possible frauds.
Here are some precautions to take –
Precaution 1 – Keep Changing Your Passwords
If you are a regular PayPal user, change your passwords regularly. This single habit can help you avoid unnecessary fraud and getting bugged by a hacker. Keeping the same password longer can make you vulnerable to hacks, as it can be easily retrieved from your browser history and online activities.
Try keeping different passwords for other platforms and changing them now and then to stay safe.
Precaution 2 – Enable 2 Factor Authentication on All Devices
If you have allowed your current browser to bypass the 2-factor authentication when you log in, revert the changes and make it mandatory on all devices. No matter if there are vulnerabilities in the factor authentication process, it is surely a step in the right direction as it makes your PC double secure.
Precaution 3 – Use VPN to Avoid Giving Away Personal Information
While browsing the internet, you unknowingly leave a lot of vital information that can be used to identify your location, the device you are using, and the data from your PC. All of it can be traced using the IP address accessed by every website you visit. Hence, it is advised that you go for a VPN that allows you to use different servers so that your data is secure.
Not to mention, encrypting your data also plays a crucial role. Hence, having a VPN that guards your identity while you are using PayPal is a must. We recommend that you go for Systweak VPN as it is one of the most secure and advanced VPN clients with multiple working servers and military-grade encryption.
Precaution 4 – Keep Track of Your Account & Credit Card Usage
When you have saved your bank account details and credit card information in your PayPal account, there are chances that someone who hacks your account gets their hand on them and misuses them. It is also possible that it may have already happened, and you have not realized it yet. The easiest way to identify such suspicious activity is by tracking the statements for your cards and accounts regularly.
Sometimes, you do not receive a message of a transaction, but they are already completed. Checking your accounts regularly makes it difficult for even the smallest transactions to pass by.
Precaution 5 – Do Not Open Your PayPal Account on Untrusted Devices
If you are outside and want to use your PayPal to pay for something on a different device, try to avoid the situation. Due to these vulnerabilities, you can not trust PayPal’s security protocol. Hence, ensure you only use the account on your personal or trusted devices. In case you remember you had left the details embedded on any platform or have left the passbook open on another PC, log out and change passwords immediately.
Besides these fixes, you should always stay alert while using your PayPal account. Ensure your PC is free of any malware, adware, or spyware. Avoid clicking on unknown links or downloading attachments not from the expected source.
Stay alert and stay safe! We hope these precautions allow you to avoid the vulnerabilities. In case you need any more assistance with staying safe, reach out to us. Also, download the Systweak VPN today to eliminate any security issues while browsing. Hope this blog helps!
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