Account hijacking is a cyberattack where a criminal gains unauthorized access to a legitimate user’s online account, such as email, social media, or banking. Attackers often use stolen credentials, phishing, or malware to seize control. Once inside, they can impersonate the user, steal sensitive information, commit fraud, or spread malware to others. Because these accounts are trusted by others, hijackers can exploit that trust to cause further harm. Protecting accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication helps reduce the risk of hijacking.