Session hijacking

Session hijacking is when an attacker steals the small pass that keeps you logged in and uses it to enter your account without your password.

Session hijacking: Session hijacking means taking over your logged-in session. After you sign in, a website gives your browser or app a session token. If an attacker gets that token through malware, an unsafe network or a trick, they can use your account as if they were you.

A common Indian case is an account takeover on WhatsApp or a social network, where a scammer gets you to scan a QR code or share a link code, which silently adds their device to your account. Browser add-ons and infected computers can also leak session cookies, which lets the thief skip login. Scammers may pretend to be a friend and ask for a code so that they can get into the account.

Check Linked devices in WhatsApp and the security page of your Google and social accounts, and remove devices you do not know. Change your password after any doubt, because that usually ends the old sessions. Keep your computer and browser updated and install add-ons only from official stores. Turning on two-step verification in WhatsApp adds a PIN that blocks most of these takeovers.

Tips

• Open WhatsApp, Linked devices, and log out of any device you do not recognise.
• Change your password and sign out of all devices if an account behaves strangely.
• Never scan a QR code or share a link code because a message or call asks you to.

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