(Newswire.net — December 28, 2022) — If you spend a significant amount of time each day reading your inbox, chances are good that Gmail is one of the accounts you frequently check. There is a greater need than ever to protect your online accounts from intrusion due to the increased frequency and volume of online communication and storage of personal data.
With the prevalence of technology in our day-to-day lives, it is frightening and alarming to realize that it can be relatively easy to get access to someone’s Gmail account. Cybersecurity experts generally agree that hackers can get into a Gmail account fairly quickly if presented with the proper credentials – or even if they have access to the victim’s computer.
To protect yourself from email being hacked, it is always best practice to stay vigilant and increase your awareness of potential threats. Google’s built-in safeguards, like two-factor authentication, make this procedure easy.
Yet some crucial safety steps must not be overlooked, such as creating a strong password. This post contains helpful advice for maintaining the safety of your Gmail account.
1. Create a strong password.
Using weak passwords increases the possibility of strangers successfully logging into your account. What does it take to memorize a good password? It takes a few minutes at most! Then, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your password is only known to you.
You should know those passwords that are at least eight characters long and that use a combination comprised of capital and small letters, numerals, and symbols are considered to be very secure. Don’t use obvious passwords like “password” or even your name or birth date.
2. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
When you create a strong password, you might attempt to use it on multiple social media accounts. That’s maybe because you think it’s unnecessary to create a different, strong password for every social media account.
However, when a hacker manages to know your password, they will surely attempt to use it with your other accounts. In order to avoid this, it is recommended that you use a unique password for every one of your logins.
3. Change your password regularly.
Changing your passwords on a frequent basis is also recommended, particularly if you are aware of or have a reason to believe that another person has acquired access to your account.
When you have that doubt, change your password, which will provide you with at least some peace of mind. It’s easy and takes only a few minutes to change your password. You should be able to find that on settings and account management.
4. Enable two-step verification.
You need to activate two-factor authentication to keep your account safe from hackers. Having to verify your identification twice adds an added level of safety to the system. If you activate these features, you’ll need to enter your passcode and get a verification code.
You will receive a text on the phone number you used to sign up for Gmail every time you log in. Two-step verification asks for both your passcode and a number that is texted to your phone. This gives you an extra layer of security. You should know that there is no way someone can access your account without your phone being next to them and the screen unlocked.
5. Be careful when sharing your password.
It’s not a good idea to tell anyone your passwords, even those you trust. Passwords should never be shared, so if you do, update them as soon as possible. If you reveal your password, that person may be able to access any of your accounts that use the same password or one that is very similar to it.
If a coworker manages to get their hands on one of your passwords, they may ruin your reputation by changing your profile picture on a social networking site. If one of those passwords is for your email account, you’re at grave risk because of the account’s central role in Zero Trust and the ensuing process of resetting all of your other credentials.
Almost whenever you sign up for a platform or one of the social media accounts, you use your Gmail to sign in. Your Gmail username and password are like the recovery data for all your other accounts. That’s why you need to worry about your Gmail.
If someone could know your password, they will attempt to login into every one of your other social media accounts using that password. However, being aware of the risks of sharing your passwords, creating a strong password, updating it regularly, and activating the two-factor verification will be in your best interest.