Checklist: What to Do Immediately After Your Pub’s Social Account Is Hacked

Immediate steps when your pub’s social account is hacked — a 24–72 hour recovery checklist

Hook: Your weekend plans can’t survive a compromised Instagram or Facebook account — customers rely on your hours, menus and events. In 2026, social-platform takeovers surged (remember the January password-reset waves across Meta and LinkedIn). If your pub’s account is hijacked, every minute you wait risks lost bookings, bad reviews, and people showing up at the wrong time. This checklist gives pubs a concise, action-first plan to contain damage, restore access, notify customers, and harden defenses in the first 24–72 hours.

Why pubs must act fast (and why 2026 makes this urgent)

Early 2026 saw a wave of high-profile password-reset and policy-violation attacks across Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Attackers target brands with local audiences because they can quickly cause reputational harm and exploit ad/commerce controls. For pubs—where trust, opening hours, and menu accuracy directly affect foot traffic—an account compromise can create immediate operational chaos.

In short: time = reputation. The first 1–4 hours determine whether you contain the incident or chase damage control for weeks.

How to use this checklist

This is a step-by-step playbook for the first three days. Follow the timeline blocks in order. Each item includes quick actions and why they matter. Keep a single incident log (Google Doc or secure notes) and assign one staff member as the incident owner to coordinate.

0–4 hours: Contain the breach (stop further damage)

1. Disconnect access and freeze posting:
   • If you still have access, immediately change the account password to a strong, unique passphrase and sign out all active sessions (platform settings → Security → Log out of all sessions).
   • Temporarily stop scheduled posts and ads in Business Manager/Meta Business Suite, Google Business Profile and third-party schedulers (Hootsuite, Buffer, Later).
2. Revoke third-party apps:
   • Remove or revoke permissions for any connected apps (API tokens, social publishing tools). Attackers often use 3rd-party tokens to keep control.
3. Lock down admin access:
   • Immediately remove unknown admins or pages roles. If you cannot remove them because access is lost, proceed to platform escalation (next section).
4. Take screenshots and preserve evidence:
   • Screenshot any malicious posts, messages, or changes. Record timestamps and who discovered the issue. This helps platform support and (if needed) legal/insurance claims.

4–12 hours: Restore access and engage platform support

Getting the account back often requires rapid coordination with platform support. Prioritize recovery channels and verify business ownership documents ahead of time when possible.

1. Use official recovery flows:
   • Follow the platform’s “report compromised account” flow. For Meta (Facebook/Instagram), use the Help Center → Report a hacked account. For Google Business Profile, use the Business Profile support contact form or phone callback. For X (formerly Twitter), use the hacked account report.
   • Attach proof of identity and business ownership: business license, utility bill with pub address, matching website domain, screenshots of prior verified posts.
2. Contact Business Support (if you have it):
   • Use Business Manager / Business Suite support chat (Meta) or Google Business Profile phone support. Business accounts often get faster responses.
3. Notify your ad payment provider and freeze spending:
   • If ads are running or there’s suspicious billing activity, contact your payment provider or card issuer to block charges and flag fraudulent transactions. Quickly freeze ad spend and report fraudulent creatives to the platform.
4. Start a public-facing “we’re aware” message (if safe):
   • If the attacker has removed your access but left malicious posts, consider posting a brief, factual notice on other channels you control (website, Google Business Profile, email list) saying you’re aware and taking action. Don’t post details that help attackers.

12–24 hours: Customer notification & transparency

Being transparent fast builds trust. Customers hate silence more than imperfect updates. Your goal: reassure patrons, prevent no-shows, and stop panic-driven reviews.

1. Post a clear, pinned update on available channels:
   • Use your website homepage, Google Business Profile post, email newsletter, and any messaging channels (WhatsApp group, SMS) to publish a short statement: what happened, what you’re doing, and what patrons should trust (phone reservations, website booking).
2. Template for customer message (short):

   We recently experienced an unauthorized access to our [Instagram/Facebook] account. We’ve frozen the account and are working with the platform to restore control. For verified, up-to-date info and bookings, please use our website [link], call [phone], or check our Google listing. We’re sorry for any confusion — thanks for bearing with us.

3. Notify review platforms and reservation partners:
   • Contact TripAdvisor, OpenTable, Resy, or any local ordering platforms to explain the situation if your account compromise affected listings, promotions or messaging.
4. Designate an official update channel:
   • Tell customers which channel (website, Google Business Profile) is the single source of truth while social platforms are restored. Pin that info in email and replies to comments/messages.

24–48 hours: Verify full recovery and remove backdoors

Once you regain control, don’t breathe easy. Attackers leave backdoors. Sweep everything related to the account.

1. Force a full password reset for all admins:
   • Every staff member with access must reset passwords and enable strong MFA (prefer authenticator apps or hardware keys over SMS). Use a password manager for shared credentials.
2. Audit account roles and permissions:
   • Remove any unknown admins, check Business Manager roles, Ads Manager access, and Google Admin console. Limit admin rights to only the people who need them.
3. Revoke API tokens and reauthorize trusted apps:
   • Revoke all developer tokens, App passwords and third-party integrations, then re-authorize only those you need. Rotate keys and credentials.
4. Scan for fraud and strange activity:
   • Check ad account changes, unpublished posts, and billing history. Look for new ad creatives or promo links that may lead customers to phishing pages. Report fraudulent ad spend to platform support immediately.
5. Review website and email security:
   • Ensure your website CMS and booking widgets weren’t altered. Check domain DNS for unauthorized changes (critical if attackers tried to hijack links in your profile).

48–72 hours: Restore reputation & monitor

Now you shift from recovery to reputation repair and defensive monitoring. The goal is to regain customer confidence and prevent repeated attacks.

1. Post a full incident update:
   • When safe, publish a transparent post on your verified channels explaining what happened, what was compromised (if anything), and the steps you’ve taken. Keep it brief, factual and customer-centered.
2. Respond to concerned customers and reviews:
   • Quickly reply to comments or reviews that reference confusing posts from the attacker. Use the same tone: apologetic, factual, and actionable (link to official channel for bookings).
3. Enable continuous monitoring:
   • Set up alerts for account role changes, new admin additions, suspicious login attempts, and ad creative changes. Consider a low-cost monitoring service or a managed SOC if your budget allows.
4. Notify regulators or insurers if required:
   • Depending on your jurisdiction and any data exposed, you may need to notify authorities or your cyber insurance provider. Keep copies of all correspondence and evidence for claims.

72 hours+: Post-incident hardening and lessons learned

Recovering access is step one; preventing reoccurrence is the long game. Turn this incident into improved operational security and customer trust.

1. Run a post-incident review:
   • Document timelines, root cause (phishing, password reuse, API token misuse), and gaps. Summarize lessons learned and assign owners for follow-up fixes.
2. Create or update a social-media incident playbook:
   • Include contact lists (platform support URLs, bank, reservation partners), templates for customer messages, and a defined chain-of-command for approvals.
3. Train staff on phishing and secure practices:
   • Run short training on MFA, recognizing phishing emails, safe use of shared credentials, and the approved process for posting. Make it part of your onboarding checklist.
4. Invest in verified and resilient channels:
   • Encourage customers to rely on Google Business Profile, your website, or SMS for critical notices. Apply for verified badges where available and use official booking widgets instead of linking to social DMs for reservations.
5. Consider cyber insurance and managed support:
   • For many small businesses in 2026, affordable cyber insurance and a managed SOC (even a lite service) dramatically reduce downtime costs from account takeovers.

Quick-check recovery checklist (copyable)

• 0–4h: Change password, sign out all sessions, revoke apps, screenshot evidence, pause ads.
• 4–12h: Report to platform, contact Business Support, freeze billing, post temporary notice on website/GMB.
• 12–24h: Notify customers via website/email/GMB, contact review/reservation partners, assign incident owner.
• 24–48h: Force admin password resets, enable MFA, audit roles & tokens, scan for fraud.
• 48–72h: Publish incident summary, monitor closely, contact insurer/regulator if needed.
• 72+h: Post-incident review, staff training, update playbook, add monitoring tools.

Platform-specific recovery notes (fast wins)

Every platform has different recovery routes. Use these as starting points in 2026.

• Meta (Facebook & Instagram): Use Business Help Center and the Business Suite support chat if you have Business Manager. For hacked pages/ad accounts, request an account review and provide proof of business ownership (utility bill, business license). Freeze ad spend immediately.
• Google Business Profile: Use the profile’s support callback or chat to regain control. You can claim the profile and request ownership if the primary owner lost access; have proof of address ready.
• X (Twitter): Report via the hacked account form and follow identity verification steps. If you used X for bookings, temporarily disable links that could route customers to attacker pages.
• TripAdvisor / Yelp / OpenTable: Contact business support and explain the situation; ask for temporary disclaimers on your listing if false information was posted.
• LinkedIn: Use the “Account Compromised” report. In early 2026 LinkedIn saw policy-violation attacks—if your company page was targeted, submit proof of company registration or trademark documents.

What to say (and what not to say) — messaging guide

Clear, calm and actionable messaging wins trust. Avoid emotional or technical details that confuse customers.

• Do say: What happened in plain language, what customers should use as the single source of truth (phone/website/GMB), and that you’re actively resolving it.
• Don’t say: Detailed security weaknesses, which can teach attackers. Don’t promise refunds or legal outcomes you can’t guarantee yet.
• Example public post: “We experienced unauthorized access to our social page this morning. We’ve paused posts and are working with the platform to restore control. For bookings and the latest info, please use our website [link] or call [phone]. Thanks for your patience.”

Real-world example (mini case study)

Last winter a neighborhood pub in Manchester faced a takeover: attackers changed opening hours and ran a short fake promotion to collect payment data from customers. The pub followed a simple timeline: 1) pausing ads, 2) contacting Meta Business Support within 3 hours, 3) posting a verified statement on Google Business Profile, and 4) forcing admin password resets. Because they had an SMS list and a pinned website banner, no reservations were lost and reviews were minimal. The key lesson: owning resilient channels (website, GMB, SMS) preserved bookings while social platforms were fixed.

2026 trends pubs should plan for

• Social-platform password-reset waves and targeted policy-violation attacks are increasing — prioritize MFA and role hygiene.
• Ad fraud is now the fastest route to financial loss during takeovers — monitor ad spend and set automated billing alerts.
• Local businesses that invest in direct channels (SMS, email, verified website notices, GMB) recover faster when a social channel is compromised.

Final checklist to pin above the bar

1. Incident owner named: ____________________
2. Primary recovery channel: ____________________
3. Proof of business documents ready: yes / no
4. MFA enabled for all admins: yes / no
5. Password manager in use: yes / no
6. Backup admin account (offline) set: yes / no
7. Customer update channel (website/GMB/SMS): ____________________

Closing: keep your pub open — digitally and in the real world

Account compromises are stressful, but a structured, fast response protects bookings, reviews and community trust. In 2026 the attack surface keeps shifting — social platforms are critical for discovery and reservations, and they can also be a vulnerability. Use this checklist as your immediate playbook, adapt it into your pub’s operations manual, and make resilience a part of your welcome.

Call to action: Save this checklist and pin it where your team can reach it fast. If you want a printable, pub-branded one-page recovery card or a customizable incident playbook for your venue, get a free template from pubs.club — protect your bookings before you need it.

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