Most people send emails every day. Therefore, protecting your email account is a must. Especially when you know that emails are the favourite way for hackers to access your data. In case you’re looking for a private email account or a way to secure your account, this will interest you. We’ve gathered the best tips to help you keep your account secure.
Understanding account security
According to account monitoring company LogDog, accounts are such a lucrative trade that there are Dark Web sites selling nothing but login/passwords. Hackers in popular culture are like cyber-swordsmen who penetrate the armor of sophisticated adversaries and use social engineering attacks for dedicated targets.
When you realize that your email account links most of your accounts, you understand how important it is to keep it secure. Add another armor to your account to defeat hackers’ attacks. Follow our tips to secure your private email!
Tips to keep a private email account secure
1. Protect your password
Choose a strong and unique password and don’t reuse it (having a good password manager may assist you in this regard). If you enter your password on some other website and a hacker compromised it, they could try to sign in to your Mailfence account with the same information. Consequently, never share your password (don’t write it down, neither send it via online platforms). You should be the only one who knows it. Check our password do’s and don’ts to learn how to choose the best password for your email account.
2. Enable two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to your account by requiring you to sign in with something you know (your password) and something you have (a code generated on your phone/tablet). You can easily set up 2FA, so don’t hesitate using this feature!
3. Check for unknown activities and review your alternate email addresses
Click on your username/picture on the right and check the details under Connections history. Regularly check your connections history to make sure no one accessed your account without you noticing it.
If you notice an unknown connection take it as a red flag and immediately change your password. Also, review your alternate email addresses, make sure they are still accessible/or no one compromised them, and level up their security.
4. Beware of Social Engineering!
Social engineering is the most common attack vector that cyber-criminals use today. Never enter your password after following a link in an email message/attachment from an untrusted site. Always go directly to https://mailfence.com or https://mailfence.com/pocket/. Also, think twice before clicking on suspicious links from external websites. Feel free to check our email security and privacy awareness course. Become an expert and avoid social engineering!
5. Check for viruses and keep your machine up-to-date with all the security updates
Check manually or run a scan on your computer with a trusted anti-virus software & remove any detected suspicious applications or programs. Also, make sure to catch up with all the security updates (both for your OS and the programs being installed on top of it).
6. Avoid connecting apps to your email account
Giving a third-party app full access to your inbox makes you vulnerable to cyberattacks. The app can be compromised and, as a consequence, cybercriminals would gain unhindered access to all your emails and their contents.
7. Always log out
Always log out from all the devices where your account has been logged-in. It will not only help you in securing your account from cookie-based threats, but also from a thief that could simply grab your laptop and access your accounts.
What else can you do to secure your email account?
Perform a monthly audit for all your accounts and delete the ones you don’t use. Also use disposable temporary accounts on sites you just want to test/or use for a day or week. Protect your computer and your devices at all cost.
Staying cautious and following our tips will significantly reduce the possibility of your account getting compromised. Under this notion, using a secure and private email service remains the foremost step you should take!
Indeed, Mailfence offers end-to-end encryption, as well as digital signatures, which is the best way to encrypt your data. Feel free to check our tips to protect your data and devices as well!
Is it already too late? Has your account been hacked? Check our steps to take when being hacked and register with us to reclaim your privacy!
For more information on Mailfence’s secure email suite, please do not hesitate to contact us at support@mailfence.com.
