You can overtighten an oil filter and overtightening of an oil filter can lead to leaks of oil as it compresses the gasket too far.
Oil filters do only need to be hand tight.
When you install an oil filter, you place a bit of oil on the rubber gasket of the oil filter.
And also ensure that you wipe down the area where the oil filter seals to the engine so that you remove any old oil and possible debris that could cause a leak.
Once you clean the mounting surface of the oil filter and apply some oil to the gasket of the oil filter, you simply need to spin the oil filter on until it snugs up.
Then use your hand to continue turning the oil filter until you cannot turn it any more by hand.
Hand tight on an oil filter should always be enough tightness to seal the oil filter and prevent leaks.
Once you have the oil filter installed, make sure you fill the oil back up on your vehicle after ensuring you have installed the oil plug.
Then once the oil is filled back up, start the engine and let the engine idle for a few minutes and look around the oil plug and oil filter for any possible leaks.
If there's no leaks, then everything is okay and you can shut the engine off and let it sit for a few minutes.
Then once the vehicle is sitting level, check the oil again and add any more oil a bit at a time until it reaches full.
Then start the engine again to allow the oil to circulate and then shut the engine off and check the oil again, to ensure that the oil is to the full level, but not overfull.
If the oil is too overfull, then you need to drain it.
But if you overfilled the engine oil by less than 1/2 a quart, you're usually okay.