What would happen if someone randomly walks into your meeting, or if you walk into a wrong room where some highly confidential meeting is going on? A Dutch journalist has the answer to that!

Daniel Verlaan of RTL Nieuws gate crashed a highly confidential meeting of the European Union (EU), but by no fault of his own.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cybercriminals-target-manchester-uniteds-it-systems-in-sophisticated-hacking-operation-344483">&nbsp;Cybercriminals target Manchester United's IT systems in 'sophisticated' hacking operation</a>

Verlaan saw a picture posted by the Dutch defence minister Ank Bijleveld on Twitter and observed that the picture had the login link and a part of the password. He was greeted with a panel of surprised, confused and shocked members. "You know that you have been jumping into a secret conference?" EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

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That ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/danielverlaan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielverlaan</a>⁩ hack of the EU defence ministers' meeting? This is how it looked from the inside. Comedy gold. <a href="https://t.co/1qvVYKsDpt">pic.twitter.com/1qvVYKsDpt</a>
— Michiel van Hulten (@mvanhulten) <a href="https://twitter.com/mvanhulten/status/1329885925862760450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The chat room erupted in laughter from various European leaders present in the meeting. "Yes, yes. I'm sorry. I'm a journalist from the Netherlands. I'm sorry for interrupting your conference," the journalist said laughingly. "I'll be leaving here."

"You know it's a criminal offence, huh?" Mr Borrell replied. "You'd better sign off quickly before the police arrives."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/if-you-are-still-using-123456-as-your-password-change-it-research-344266">If you are still using '123456' as your password, change it: Research</a>

The journalist's agency revealed that their team tried a number of attempts, and then succeeded in guessing the PIN code of the secret meeting as the first&nbsp;five of the six digits of the pin code were visible in the photo.

"An employee accidentally tweeted a photo with part of the pin code", a Defense spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. "The photo was then deleted. A stupid mistake. This shows how careful you should be careful when sending a picture of a meeting."

The meeting was immediately concluded after the journalist exited from his special appearance as the leaders realsied the meeting could not be trusted with staying confidential and private anymore. "This shows how careful you have to be with these kinds of meetings", Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the media house. "A meeting of the defense ministers is never innocent. Caution is advised. The only by-product of this is that Bijleveld has pointed out to other ministers how careful you have to be."

What would happen if someone randomly walks into your meeting, or if you walk into a wrong room where some highly confidential meeting is going on? A Dutch journalist has the answer to that!

What would happen if someone randomly walks into your meeting, or if you walk into a wrong room where some highly confidential meeting is going on? A Dutch journalist has the answer to that! Daniel Verlaan of RTL Nieuws gate crashed a highly confidential meeting of the European Union (EU), but by no fault of his own. Also read| Cybercriminals target Manchester United's IT systems in 'sophisticated' hacking operation Verlaan saw a picture posted by the Dutch defence minister Ank Bijleveld on Twitter and observed that the picture had the login link and a part of the password. He was greeted with a panel of surprised, confused and shocked members. "You know that you have been jumping into a secret conference?" EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. That ⁦@danielverlaan⁩ hack of the EU defence ministers' meeting? This is how it looked from the inside. Comedy gold. pic.twitter.com/1qvVYKsDpt — Michiel van Hulten (@mvanhulten) November 20, 2020 × The chat room erupted in laughter from various European leaders present in the meeting. "Yes, yes. I'm sorry. I'm a journalist from the Netherlands. I'm sorry for interrupting your conference," the journalist said laughingly. "I'll be leaving here." "You know it's a criminal offence, huh?" Mr Borrell replied. "You'd better sign off quickly before the police arrives." Also read| If you are still using '123456' as your password, change it: Research The journalist's agency revealed that their team tried a number of attempts, and then succeeded in guessing the PIN code of the secret meeting as the first five of the six digits of the pin code were visible in the photo. "An employee accidentally tweeted a photo with part of the pin code", a Defense spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. "The photo was then deleted. A stupid mistake. This shows how careful you should be careful when sending a picture of a meeting." The meeting was immediately concluded after the journalist exited from his special appearance as the leaders realsied the meeting could not be trusted with staying confidential and private anymore. "This shows how careful you have to be with these kinds of meetings", Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the media house. "A meeting of the defense ministers is never innocent. Caution is advised. The only by-product of this is that Bijleveld has pointed out to other ministers how careful you have to be."

Dutch journalist gatecrashes confidential EU virtual meeting

Facebook has discovered a security issue affecting about 50 million user accounts, the company said on Friday.

Facebook said attackers stole Facebook access tokens through its "view as" feature, which they could then use to take over people's accounts. "View as" is a feature that allows users to see what their own profile looks like to someone else.

"Since we’ve only just started our investigation, we have yet to determine whether these accounts were misused or any information accessed," the company said in a blog post.

Facebook shares fell 3 per cent to $163.78 in afternoon trading.

Facebook is grappling with the worst crisis in its history, vilified for not more zealously guarding the information that users share.

The Silicon Valley-based internet colossus faced intense global scrutiny over the mass harvesting of personal data by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy that worked for Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign.

The company has admitted up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked in the scandal.

On Thursday, the social media giant who is already under scrutiny for the data breach scandal <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-admits-phone-numbers-may-be-used-target-ads-168195">admitted&nbsp;that it uses the phone numbers provided by users for two-factor authentication&nbsp;to target ads</a>.

Facebook's acknowledgement came after a study by two US universities, first reported by news website Gizmodo, found that phone numbers given to Facebook for two-factor authentication were also used to target advertising.

"We use the information people provide to offer a better, more personalised experience on Facebook, including ads," a Facebook spokesperson has been quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

"We are clear about how we use the information we collect, including the contact information that people upload or add to their own accounts. you can manage and delete contact information you've uploaded at any time."

Two-factor authentication is intended to enhance security by requiring a second step, such as entering codes sent via text messages, as well as passwords to get into accounts.

&nbsp;

Facebook has discovered a security issue affecting about 50 million user accounts, the company said on Friday. Facebook said attackers stole Facebook access tokens through its "view as" feature, which they could then use to take over people's accounts.

Facebook has discovered a security issue affecting about 50 million user accounts, the company said on Friday. Facebook said attackers stole Facebook access tokens through its "view as" feature, which they could then use to take over people's accounts. "View as" is a feature that allows users to see what their own profile looks like to someone else. "Since we’ve only just started our investigation, we have yet to determine whether these accounts were misused or any information accessed," the company said in a blog post. Facebook shares fell 3 per cent to $163.78 in afternoon trading. Facebook is grappling with the worst crisis in its history, vilified for not more zealously guarding the information that users share. The Silicon Valley-based internet colossus faced intense global scrutiny over the mass harvesting of personal data by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy that worked for Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign. The company has admitted up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked in the scandal. On Thursday, the social media giant who is already under scrutiny for the data breach scandal admitted that it uses the phone numbers provided by users for two-factor authentication to target ads. Facebook's acknowledgement came after a study by two US universities, first reported by news website Gizmodo, found that phone numbers given to Facebook for two-factor authentication were also used to target advertising. "We use the information people provide to offer a better, more personalised experience on Facebook, including ads," a Facebook spokesperson has been quoted as saying by news agency AFP. "We are clear about how we use the information we collect, including the contact information that people upload or add to their own accounts. you can manage and delete contact information you've uploaded at any time." Two-factor authentication is intended to enhance security by requiring a second step, such as entering codes sent via text messages, as well as passwords to get into accounts.

Facebook reveals security incident affecting 50 million users

With an aim to make user accounts more secure, WhatsApp has introduced a two-step verification model for users across iPhone, Android and Windows.

Two-step verification is an optional feature that adds more security to your WhatsApp account. &ldquo;When you have the feature enabled, any attempt to verify your phone number on WhatsApp must be accompanied by the six-digit passcode that you choose,&rdquo; explains WhatsApp.

To enable two-step verification, go to WhatsApp &gt; Settings &gt; Account &gt; Two-step verification &gt; Enable.

Upon enabling this feature, you can also optionally enter your email address. This email address will allow WhatsApp to send you a link via email to disable two-step verification in case you ever forget your six-digit passcode, and also to help you safeguard your account. WhatsApp, however, does not verify this email address to confirm its accuracy. You, therefore, are suggested to provide an accurate email address so that you are not locked out of your account if you forget your passcode.

&ldquo;If you receive an email to disable two-step verification, but did not request this, do not click on the link. Someone could be attempting to verify your phone number on WhatsApp,&rdquo; warns WhatsApp.

If you have two-step verification enabled, your number will not be permitted to reverify on WhatsApp within 7 days of last using it without your passcode. Thus, if you forget your own passcode, but did not provide an email to disable two-step verification, even you will not be permitted to reverify on WhatsApp within 7 days of last using WhatsApp.

After these 7 days, your number will be permitted to reverify on WhatsApp without your passcode, but you will lose all pending messages upon reverifying.

To help you remember your passcode, WhatsApp will periodically ask you to enter the passcode. There is no option to disable this without disabling the two-step verification feature.

The company has already started rolling out the feature for users across the globe.

(WION)

Here's how you can enable the new feature on your WhatsApp

With an aim to make user accounts more secure, WhatsApp has introduced a two-step verification model for users across iPhone, Android and Windows. Two-step verification is an optional feature that adds more security to your WhatsApp account. “When you have the feature enabled, any attempt to verify your phone number on WhatsApp must be accompanied by the six-digit passcode that you choose,” explains WhatsApp. To enable two-step verification, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Account > Two-step verification > Enable. Upon enabling this feature, you can also optionally enter your email address. This email address will allow WhatsApp to send you a link via email to disable two-step verification in case you ever forget your six-digit passcode, and also to help you safeguard your account. WhatsApp, however, does not verify this email address to confirm its accuracy. You, therefore, are suggested to provide an accurate email address so that you are not locked out of your account if you forget your passcode. “If you receive an email to disable two-step verification, but did not request this, do not click on the link. Someone could be attempting to verify your phone number on WhatsApp,” warns WhatsApp. If you have two-step verification enabled, your number will not be permitted to reverify on WhatsApp within 7 days of last using it without your passcode. Thus, if you forget your own passcode, but did not provide an email to disable two-step verification, even you will not be permitted to reverify on WhatsApp within 7 days of last using WhatsApp. After these 7 days, your number will be permitted to reverify on WhatsApp without your passcode, but you will lose all pending messages upon reverifying. To help you remember your passcode, WhatsApp will periodically ask you to enter the passcode. There is no option to disable this without disabling the two-step verification feature. The company has already started rolling out the feature for users across the globe. (WION)

WhatsApp introduces new feature to help you make your account more secure

With online accounts containing a plethora of personal, financial, confidential and other sensitive details, it becomes imperative to protect them from hackers and keep them secure. Many of you would agree to it, but are you doing anything to beef up your online security?

Now before you start to scratch your head wondering what all can be done to keep your online accounts safe, we suggest you to hang on. Because we have some help to offer.

We bring you 5 simple tips that can help you protect your online accounts against hacks, password thefts and other cyber attacks.

1. Don&rsquo;t use the same password for multiple accounts: A lot of people go on to keep the same password for their multiple accounts so that they don&rsquo;t forget them - or for that matter, just to save themselves from getting confused among multiple passwords. But we highly recommend you to not use the same password for your Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Instagram and other online accounts. Because once that password gets compromised, it will expose all your online accounts to hacking and other cyber crimes. And you can think of all the damage that it can then cause to your digital life.

2. Create strong passwords: Accounts with weak passwords (like the ones with your name or birth date) are more prone to hacking. And therefore, it is advisable to have strong passwords for your online accounts. If you are wondering how to create strong passwords, here is a two-step guide. Firstly, always have a long password. And secondly, use a combination of letters, upper case, lower case, numbers and symbols like hash or the exclamation mark.

For instance, instead of simply choosing &ldquo;mysecurity12&rdquo;, keep something like this - MyS3cur!ty12.

If you compare the two, both passwords have the same number of letters, but you can see the difference in how the two have been framed. Indisputably, the one with the combination of letters, numbers and other characters is stronger than the other. And this reduces chances of your online accounts from getting hacked.

3. Opt for two-step verification: We don&rsquo;t intend to scare you, but let us warn you that it&rsquo;s easier than you think for someone to hack your password. But if you have enabled the two-step verification for your online accounts, you are in a much safer territory. Remember, that annoying page that sometimes pops up when you log in to your Gmail account and you just press skip and move on? Well, that&rsquo;s Google&rsquo;s way of reminding you to doubly secure your account. So remember this the next time you think of pressing that skip button.
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But how does this help? So if a bad guy has stolen your password, he would still need to cross that second layer of security to hack into your account. And for that he would need your phone.

So it goes like this. The two-step verification process not only requires your password, but it also asks the user to enter a unique code sent to the registered phone if he logs into your account from a new machine. So the hacker may have your password, but it is unlikely for him to have ready access to your phone.

4. Change your passwords regularly: It&rsquo;s a good practice to change your passwords at frequent intervals. Because you never know when your account details start to circulate among hackers. But by changing your passwords regularly, you can save yourself from prospective damages.

If you&#39;re too lazy to regularly change passwords for all of your accounts, at least do that for your major accounts that contain sensitive information&nbsp; like your personal emails, or for that matter, your social networks.

And to help you manage and remember new passwords every now and then, a wide range of password managers are available online. They not only save you from remembering so many passwords, but also do the job for you every time you log in to an account. 
 
5. Avoid linking accounts: Many of us often find it convenient to log in to a service using our existing Facebook or Google account, but we suggest you to drop this habit. Because by doing so, you link your different accounts. So it means if a hacker breaks into one of your accounts, he can easily access your other linked accounts. So avoid linking your accounts whenever and wherever possible. In fact, it&rsquo;s a good practice to always sign up for a new service. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

With online accounts containing a lot of personal, financial, and other sensitive details, it is imperative to protect them from hackers

With online accounts containing a plethora of personal, financial, confidential and other sensitive details, it becomes imperative to protect them from hackers and keep them secure. Many of you would agree to it, but are you doing anything to beef up your online security? Now before you start to scratch your head wondering what all can be done to keep your online accounts safe, we suggest you to hang on. Because we have some help to offer. We bring you 5 simple tips that can help you protect your online accounts against hacks, password thefts and other cyber attacks. 1. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts: A lot of people go on to keep the same password for their multiple accounts so that they don’t forget them - or for that matter, just to save themselves from getting confused among multiple passwords. But we highly recommend you to not use the same password for your Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Instagram and other online accounts. Because once that password gets compromised, it will expose all your online accounts to hacking and other cyber crimes. And you can think of all the damage that it can then cause to your digital life. 2. Create strong passwords: Accounts with weak passwords (like the ones with your name or birth date) are more prone to hacking. And therefore, it is advisable to have strong passwords for your online accounts. If you are wondering how to create strong passwords, here is a two-step guide. Firstly, always have a long password. And secondly, use a combination of letters, upper case, lower case, numbers and symbols like hash or the exclamation mark. For instance, instead of simply choosing “mysecurity12”, keep something like this - MyS3cur!ty12. If you compare the two, both passwords have the same number of letters, but you can see the difference in how the two have been framed. Indisputably, the one with the combination of letters, numbers and other characters is stronger than the other. And this reduces chances of your online accounts from getting hacked. 3. Opt for two-step verification: We don’t intend to scare you, but let us warn you that it’s easier than you think for someone to hack your password. But if you have enabled the two-step verification for your online accounts, you are in a much safer territory. Remember, that annoying page that sometimes pops up when you log in to your Gmail account and you just press skip and move on? Well, that’s Google’s way of reminding you to doubly secure your account. So remember this the next time you think of pressing that skip button. But how does this help? So if a bad guy has stolen your password, he would still need to cross that second layer of security to hack into your account. And for that he would need your phone. So it goes like this. The two-step verification process not only requires your password, but it also asks the user to enter a unique code sent to the registered phone if he logs into your account from a new machine. So the hacker may have your password, but it is unlikely for him to have ready access to your phone. 4. Change your passwords regularly: It’s a good practice to change your passwords at frequent intervals. Because you never know when your account details start to circulate among hackers. But by changing your passwords regularly, you can save yourself from prospective damages. If you're too lazy to regularly change passwords for all of your accounts, at least do that for your major accounts that contain sensitive information like your personal emails, or for that matter, your social networks. And to help you manage and remember new passwords every now and then, a wide range of password managers are available online. They not only save you from remembering so many passwords, but also do the job for you every time you log in to an account. 5. Avoid linking accounts: Many of us often find it convenient to log in to a service using our existing Facebook or Google account, but we suggest you to drop this habit. Because by doing so, you link your different accounts. So it means if a hacker breaks into one of your accounts, he can easily access your other linked accounts. So avoid linking your accounts whenever and wherever possible. In fact, it’s a good practice to always sign up for a new service.

5 simple tips to protect your Gmail, Facebook and other online accounts

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