How to secure your YouTube channel from cyber threats
30 Dec 2024

YouTube has a comprehensive guide for creators, explaining effective measures to keep their channels safe from cyber threats.

The guide stresses on the need for malware scanning, two-step verification implementation, and the creation of an account recovery plan.

These strategies are aimed at keeping potential hacks, hijacks or compromises at bay from a creator's YouTube channel.

Let's see how they work.

Importance of malware scanning
Malware threat

Malware is a kind of software that can breach an account, track user activity, delete files and modify online access.

It usually comes into devices via password-protected or zipped files with .scr or .exe extensions.

Malware can come from suspicious links in spam emails, downloads from untrusted sources, or fake software updates.

To prevent this threat, YouTube suggests using antivirus and enabling Enhanced Safe Browsing in Google Chrome.

Enhanced Safe Browsing
Extra security

Enhanced Safe Browsing is a feature that automatically scans downloads for malware, giving real-time security across all Google products while using Google Chrome.

The feature comes especially handy as some encrypted files may not be scanned by antivirus.

By enabling Enhanced Safe Browsing, you can ensure all files downloaded from Google Chrome are checked for potential threats, adding an extra layer of protection against malware.

Two-step verification
2FA

Stolen passwords are the most common way accounts get compromised.

To counter this, YouTube recommends enabling two-step verification (aka 2SV or two-factor authentication), adding an extra layer of security.

You can use various verification methods such as passkeys, security keys, Google Prompts, Google Authenticator, phone verification codes and backup codes.

For maximum protection against threats like phishing, we recommend setting up 2SV with a passkey.

Account recovery plan
Recovery strategy

An account recovery plan is critical to regain access to a Google account in case of sign-in problems.

This plan can involve adding recovery options such as phone numbers and email addresses.

These options can prevent unauthorized use of an account, alert users about suspicious activity, and help in account recovery if locked out or password is forgotten.

YouTube strongly advises creators to include these measures into their security strategy.