10 Tips to Protect Yourself From Email Hacking | Antivirus

Did you know that email accounts are hacked every day? Follow these simple tips to preserve and protect your email accounts.

Email remains the most common form of communication. They are also the only identifier for many online account logins, which is why they are still highly targeted by cybercriminals. Hacking your emails can cause your friends to send spam or worse, your identity theft. And you have to keep in mind that your reputation and your finances can take a hit.

With so much personal information online, it was best for her to have a high level of protection to ensure that her credit would not be affected in the long run.

10 Tips to Protect Yourself From Hacking

Here are 10 simple steps to protect yourself online. They can help you protect your family and friends as well, and prevent your email from being hacked.

1. Use a password manager and two-factor authentication whenever possible

Use a  strong password manager to strengthen all of your online passwords. It may take a while, but you can avoid the risks. When setting passwords for your accounts, also set two-factor authentication as an additional layer of security for accounts that offer it. Do the same when setting up IoT devices in your home network (and opting for purchasing IoT devices that support two-factor authentication).

2. If you are choosing a new email service, verify that the new email service supports two-factor authentication.

This is not the case with all email providers. So when you go for a new email provider, evaluate the layers of security available like two-factor authentication via SMS (less secure) or via an app like  Google Authenticator or Authy.

3. Do not click on links in emails or texts

Data theft is a daily occurrence and crooks are always ready to perpetrate an attack. One of their most effective ploys is to send email or text links that look legitimate, but steal your personal information once you click on them. The best way not to get tricked is to not click on links. Instead, open another tab and navigate to the website of the company listed in the email or link to see if the information presented matches the official source.

4. Use a VPN on your computer or phone

Surf the internet anonymously using a VPN to encrypt your connections - there's no reason not to be when it comes to protecting your personal information. The VPN will improve your browsing experience by limiting the display of ads and tracking your online activities, and you will be more at ease because you will feel more secure.

5. If possible, do not use a Wi-Fi network or a public computer.

When you're on the go, try using the internet with your own computer or mobile device only, turning on your VPN of course. Anyone can access public computers in hotels, for example, and some people may have installed keyloggers or other malware that can harm you. If possible, wait until you get home and use your home network to do online banking or access other personal accounts.

6. Use an effective antivirus 

A good antivirus increases the security of your information and protects you in real-time against phishing attacks through malware, ransomware, and others. It is necessary to install an antivirus on your PC, Mac, Android phone, or on your other devices. 

7. Secure your router and Wi-Fi 

Whether you are an individual or a small business owner, it is essential to identify the people who are on your network as unauthorized users could attempt to hack your system. Make sure to change your router's administrator password and set up a strong password for your Wi-Fi so that no cyber-criminal can decrypt it. 

8. Keep the operating system of your computer or smartphone up to date.

Perform security updates as soon as they are released.  

9. Regularly update the applications on your computer and smartphone

Make new updates as soon as they are available as they often include security enhancements.

10. Consider setting up a credit freeze on your account

As a last resort, if your email account has been hacked, set up a credit freeze on your account. This simple operation gives you more control over who has access to your accounts. When making purchases (like buying a car), if someone needs to access your credit report, you can easily reactivate the account and then reinstate the freeze afterward.

Follow the tips below to avoid being a target for cybercriminals. These few additional steps will not prevent spam from arriving in your inbox, but they will help move fraudulent emails automatically to the Junk Email folder.