Tips for Keeping Email Safe in 2021 | Total Security

If you think your email is safe from hackers, think again. A lack of adequate email security measures can lead to data theft, unauthorized access to confidential information, and malware attacks.

 

Here are some tips on how to keep your email account safe from unwanted intruders and the numerous problems that come with them.

 

USE SEPARATE EMAIL ACCOUNTS

Most people use a single email account for all of their personal needs. As a result, information from websites, newsletters, shopping deals, and news from work are sent to that one inbox. But what if someone breaks into that inbox? There is a high likelihood that they can gain access to everything else.

 

Having at least two separate email accounts not only increases your security but also your productivity. You can have a personal account to communicate with your friends and family, while another account is used solely for work-related communication.

 

SET SECURE PASSWORDS

Too many email accounts have predictable passwords. You will be surprised to learn that email passwords like “123456”, “qwerty” and “Password” is still the most widely used. For security reasons, set longer passwords (or passphrases) that contain a good mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. Make sure that these passwords are unique for this account so that all other password-protected accounts are secure.

 

You should also consider enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA). This creates an extra layer of security by requesting another method to verify your identities, such as a fingerprint scan or a temporary activation code sent to your mobile phone.

 

BEWARE OF ATTEMPTED FRAUD IN EMAILS

If you see a link in an email, don't click it unless you've verified its authenticity. You never know where these links might take you. Sometimes they can be harmless, but sometimes they can infect your computer with malware.

 

If you're expecting a file from your friend or family, open the attachment. It's always good to know who is sending the file. But be careful of attachments in emails from strangers. Even if the file name looks like a JPEG image, never open the file. The attached files may seem harmless, but they can actually be a malicious program that latches onto your computer the moment you click them.

 

These types of attacks are known as phishing and can be remarkably clever. Cybercriminals can for example pretend to be well-known companies like Amazon, Facebook, or your bank to surprise their victims. They could even create a sense of urgency by claiming that there is a problem with your account and that you should send them information or click a dangerous link to "verify" your personal information. Even if there was a real problem with your account, these companies would never email anything as suspicious as this. If you receive these messages, contact the company directly using a verified website or phone number - not the contact details in the email.

 

MONITOR ACCOUNT ACTIVITY

Monitor your account activity regularly. Make sure you restrict access to applications if you want maximum privacy and security. Also, check for suspicious activity in your log files such as unusual devices and IP addresses that accessed your account. This suggests that hackers may have successfully broken into your account. If so, log out of all web sessions and change your password as soon as possible.

 

ENCRYPT EMAILS AND UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE

Email encryption ensures that messages you send cannot be intercepted and viewed by unauthorized users. In the meantime, installing the latest updates for your anti-malware, firewall, and email security software will filter out potential email scams and fix any vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.

 

Protecting your email accounts from a variety of threats can be a tedious process, but with the right support, it should be manageable. Use Protegent Total Security to protect your data from Cybercriminals.