10 Accounts Hackers Love—And Why You Should Lock Them Down

We leave digital footprints everywhere we go online, creating accounts for everything from banking to ordering takeout. While this convenience simplifies our lives, it also creates a sprawling map of our personal information. For a hacker, this map is a treasure trove. A single compromised account can be the key that unlocks your entire digital identity, leading to financial loss, identity theft, and a logistical nightmare.

The threat isn’t just theoretical. Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated, with billions of records breached each year. Protecting your online accounts is no longer an optional task for the tech-savvy; it’s a fundamental part of modern life. This guide will walk you through the ten types of accounts that hackers find most appealing, explain why they are such attractive targets, and give you actionable steps to lock them down today.

1. Email Accounts

Your email account is the command center of your digital life. Think about it: it’s used to receive password reset links, sensitive financial statements, and personal communications. For a hacker, gaining access to your primary email is like finding the master key to your entire online world.

Why it’s a target: With control of your email, a hacker can easily reset passwords for your other accounts, intercept two-factor authentication codes, and access a wealth of personal data stored in your messages and attachments. This makes it the highest-value target for initiating a full-scale identity takeover.

How to lock it down:

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), preferably using an authenticator app rather than SMS.
• Use a long, complex, and unique password that you don’t reuse anywhere else.
• Regularly review your account’s login history and connected apps, revoking access for any services you no longer use.

2. Online Banking and Financial Accounts

It’s no surprise that accounts holding your money are prime targets. Hackers are constantly developing new phishing schemes and malware designed to steal login credentials for online banking portals, investment platforms, and payment apps like PayPal or Venmo.

Why it’s a target: The motive here is direct financial gain. Once inside, criminals can drain funds, make fraudulent purchases, or apply for loans in your name. A breach can have immediate and devastating financial consequences.

How to lock it down:

• Set up transaction alerts for all activity, so you are immediately notified of any unauthorized use.
• Always use MFA and a strong, unique password.
• Avoid accessing your financial accounts on public Wi-Fi networks where your connection could be intercepted.

3. Social Media Accounts

Your social media profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) contain a goldmine of personal information. From your date of birth and hometown to your friends’ names and daily activities, these details are invaluable for social engineering attacks.

Why it’s a target: Hackers can use your account to run scams on your friends and family, who are more likely to trust a message coming from you. They can also gather personal data to answer security questions for other accounts or build a profile for identity theft.

How to lock it down:

• Set your profile to private and be selective about who you connect with.
• Enable MFA and use a password that is different from your other accounts.
• Review your privacy settings regularly and limit the amount of personal information you share publicly.

4. E-commerce and Shopping Accounts

Accounts on sites like Amazon, eBay, and other online retailers store not only your payment information but also your shipping address and purchase history. This combination of data is highly valuable on the dark web.

Why it’s a target: A compromised e-commerce account allows a hacker to make fraudulent purchases with your saved credit card. They can have items shipped to a different address, and you might not notice until you see the bill. Your purchase history can also reveal details about your lifestyle and habits.

How to lock it down:

• Don’t save your credit card information on shopping sites if possible.
• Use a unique password for each e-commerce account to prevent hacking from a breach elsewhere.
• Enable login and purchase notifications to stay informed about account activity.

5. Cloud Storage Accounts

Services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud are where we store our most important files, from family photos to sensitive work documents and tax returns. Gaining access to this data can give a hacker immense leverage.

Why it’s a target: Hackers can steal your files and hold them for ransom, a type of attack known as ransomware. They can also scour your documents for personal information, passwords, or financial records that can be used for fraud.

How to lock it down:

• Enable MFA on your cloud storage account.
• Encrypt highly sensitive files before uploading them for an extra layer of protection.
• Be cautious about sharing files and folders, and periodically review who has access.

6. Health and Medical Portals

Your online medical records contain some of your most private information, including your health history, insurance details, and social security number. This data is worth a significant amount on the black market—often more than credit card numbers.

Why it’s a target: Stolen medical information can be used to file fraudulent insurance claims, obtain prescription drugs, or receive medical treatment in your name. This can not only cost you money but also corrupt your medical history, which could have life-threatening consequences.

How to lock it down:

• Use a strong, unique password and enable MFA if the portal offers it.
• Be wary of phishing emails that pretend to be from your healthcare provider.
• Regularly review your medical statements for any services you don’t recognize.

7. Mobile Phone Carrier Accounts

Your account with your mobile carrier (like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile) is a key target for an attack known as a “SIM swap.” This is where a hacker convinces the carrier to transfer your phone number to a new SIM card that they control.

Why it’s a target: Once a hacker controls your phone number, they can intercept calls and text messages. This allows them to bypass SMS-based two-factor authentication for your most sensitive accounts, including email and banking.

How to lock it down:

• Contact your mobile carrier and add a PIN or password to your account for extra security.
• Ask about enabling a “port freeze” or “number lock” on your account.
• Switch to app-based MFA for your other accounts instead of relying on SMS.

8. Travel and Loyalty Accounts

Frequent flyer miles, hotel points, and other loyalty rewards are a form of digital currency. Hackers know that many people don’t monitor these accounts closely, making them easy targets for theft.

Why it’s a target: Cybercriminals can drain your points to book flights or hotel stays for themselves or sell them on the dark web. It’s a low-risk, high-reward activity since many victims don’t notice the theft for weeks or months.

How to lock it down:

• Use unique passwords for all your loyalty program accounts.
• Log in periodically to check your balance and review account activity.
• Enable any available security features, such as MFA.

9. Gaming and Entertainment Accounts

Accounts on platforms like Steam, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live can be linked to your credit card and may contain valuable digital items, such as in-game currency or rare skins.

Why it’s a target: Hackers can sell your account, make unauthorized purchases of games and content, or strip the account of its valuable digital assets. For popular games, high-level accounts can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

How to lock it down:

• Enable MFA, as most major gaming platforms now offer it.
• Use a strong, unique password and never share it with anyone.
• Be cautious of phishing scams that offer free in-game items or currency.

10. Password Managers

A password manager is one of the best tools you can use to protect your online accounts. However, this also means it holds the keys to your entire digital kingdom, making the master password a critical point of failure.

Why it’s a target: If a hacker can crack your master password, they gain access to every single account you have stored in the vault. The potential for damage is immense.

How to lock it down:

• Create an extremely strong, long, and memorable master password that you have never used before.
• Enable MFA on your password manager account—this is non-negotiable.
• Choose a reputable password manager with a strong security track record and end-to-end encryption.

Take Control of Your Digital Security Today

Protecting your online life can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do everything at once. Start with your most critical account: your primary email. Secure it with a strong, unique password and multi-factor authentication. From there, work your way through this list, one account at a time. Each small step you take makes you a much harder target for hackers. Don’t wait for a breach to happen—take proactive steps now to lock down your accounts and secure your digital future.