Protecting yourself from hackers

LinkedIn takes member privacy and security seriously. Unfortunately, hackers are trying different means to exploit vulnerabilities on websites, like a recent report suggested was possible.

As you can imagine, we are constantly working on improving our site security measures. Among others, we currently support SSL technology (Secure Sockets Layer) for logins and other sensitive pages such as member settings. SSL ensures that the information between your computer and LinkedIn servers is encrypted so it cannot be snooped on.

In addition, we are accelerating our existing plans to extend SSL support across the entire site on an opt-in basis. We are also going to reduce the lifespan of our authentication cookies to better protect our members.

In the meanwhile, here are some general tips to keep you safe:

  • Whether you are on LinkedIn or any other site, it’s always a good idea to choose trusted and strongly encrypted wireless networks (Wi-Fi) or Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) whenever possible.
  • If you ever suspect your account has been compromised, we urge you to change your password right away by following these steps:
    1. Go online using a trusted wired and encrypted wireless network
    2. Login to Linkedin.com using a computer, protected with anti-virus software
    3. Go to Settings -> Change Password and change your password

As mentioned earlier, we are committed to protecting our users and their information. If you ever suspect an unauthorized attempt to access your account, please don’t hesitate to contact our customer support team.