How to protect your VK account against hacks and spam

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Like most social networks, VK attracts all sorts of people. Considering its multimillion-strong audience, it is no surprise at all that alongside its well-meaning users you will also find scammers, spammers, and trolls of every description. People may push services in private messages, post ads to your wall, write obscenities in comments, and bad-mouth you in front of your friends — you don’t even have to be a celebrity for that.

You can protect your account from unwanted attention by setting it up properly. Even if you’ve already done this, we recommend you make sure that everything is OK; from time to time the social network offers new options.

Security tab

To see the settings screen, click on your name in the upper right-hand corner of the page and select “Settings” from the drop-down menu. The tabs we are looking for will appear on the right.

The Security tab offers a two-step verification option (in the 2-step verification section). Should your password end up in the wrong hands, that extra step will protect your account by preventing intruders from entering your account without a one-time code. You can get the code through SMS or a 2FA app.

VK settings also let users create reserve codes (backup codes), which prove handy when your phone is out of reach, and especially so if it gets stolen.

In addition, the Security tab will inform you when, where, and from what device you (or, worse, not you) last signed in to this VK account, and what sessions are currently active. If you see someone logged in under your name from, for example, a random phone or another city, immediately terminate all sessions except the current one by clicking Terminate all sessions right under the activity history. It is best to change your password as soon as you do that.

Privacy tab: Who can view your profile

The Privacy tab lets you restrict the pool of users allowed to view your profile and particular information featured in it, thus protecting the data you want to keep more private.

Thus, if you prefer not to communicate with random people, the Profile type option in the last block of privacy settings should be set to Private. This will conceal your profile content from outsiders. But remember, private profile users still can be located and PMed.

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