Account takeovers (ATO) are on the rise everywhere online. Security experts across the tech industry have seen a steady increase in these kinds of threats targeting online platforms. At TikTok, we take this issue seriously.

This post breaks down what account takeovers are, what they typically look like, how TikTok detects and defends against them—and most importantly, what people can do to help protect their account. Through the TikTok Facts series, we aim to enhance digital literacy by explaining how TikTok collects, uses, and protects our community's data. We also empower our users with tools like TikTok’s Security Checkup, which makes it easier to monitor account activity and take action to stay secure.

What is an account takeover?

An ATO happens when a bad actor gains unauthorized access to someone’s account online. That can lead to stolen data, impersonation, spammy content, or other outcomes. ATOs are often carried out using login credentials that have been obtained from old data breaches or leaks on other platforms. For your online accounts, including your TikTok account, that can mean attackers may try and use these recycled credentials to access your account.

Deeper Dive: Credential stuffing

One common tactic behind account takeovers is credential stuffing. This is when attackers use leaked usernames and passwords from unrelated data breaches and try using them in bulk on different platforms. This type of targeting relies on the fact that many people reuse the same password across multiple services.

Let’s take a simple example: a user signs up for TikTok using their email and a password, say, Password123!. They also reuse that same email and password on a popular concert ticket site. That site later suffers a data breach due to poor security practices, and its customer login details are leaked online.

Attackers then take those leaked credentials and run automated “credential stuffing” attacks, trying the same email and password combo on other platforms, including TikTok. If the user reused their password, the attackers may gain access, not because TikTok was breached, but because the password was already compromised elsewhere.

Step 1: Reuse

• User signs up for TikTok with user@email.com + Password123!
• Also signs up for a concert ticket site with the same credentials

Step 2: Breach

• The concert ticket site suffers a breach
• Passwords get leaked (unrelated to TikTok)

Step 3: Credential Stuffing

• Attackers try leaked credentials on TikTok
• TikTok detects it and intervenes

Our systems are built to detect and respond to this kind of suspicious activity: we can lock accounts, trigger password resets, and in some cases, notify the affected user. Some of the best ways to protect your account is using a unique password for each service and turning on two-factor authentication.

We’ve built multiple layers of defense against ATOs—before, during, and after an attempt is made.

• Real-time detection: We monitor for unusual login activity and other red flags that suggest credential stuffing or other takeover attempts.
• Automated response: When our systems detect risk, we proactively lock accounts, force password resets, and send alerts to users.
• Human review: Our internal teams investigate emerging threats, validate alerts, and help coordinate response efforts internally.

We also continuously refine our detection techniques based on what we learn.

What you can do to better protect your account

Even with strong systems in place, security is a shared responsibility—and the most effective defenses start with you.

• Use a unique password for TikTok that you don’t use on any other site.
• Turn on two-step verification in your settings. This adds a second layer of protection even if someone gets your password.
• Try our new Security Checkup tool — it walks you through key settings and recent activity to help you make sure your account is secure.

And remember: TikTok will never ask for your password via DM, email, or text. If something feels off, report it to us.

We outline the information we collect in our Privacy Policy, and you can explore our privacy and data security practices in our Privacy Center, Help Center, and informative series like TikTok Privacy Studio and TikTok Facts.