{"id":8476,"date":"2017-02-06T12:47:14","date_gmt":"2017-02-06T20:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.hellotech.com\/?p=8476"},"modified":"2021-06-13T14:06:25","modified_gmt":"2021-06-13T21:06:25","slug":"gmail-more-secure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hellotech.com\/blog\/gmail-more-secure","title":{"rendered":"7 Tips and Tricks to Make Your Gmail More Secure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gmail is one of the most secure email clients on the planet. This doesn\u2019t really come as a surprise since it\u2019s run by Google, which adds new security features<\/a> to its products every now and then to protect its users. However, this doesn\u2019t mean that you can be complacent and let Gmail and Google handle everything. If you want to protect your sensitive data and avoid being targeted by cyber-criminals, you need to take online security matters into your own hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"7<\/span><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Not sure where to begin? You can start by using the following tips and tricks to secure your Gmail account:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use a strong password<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First things first: you have to make sure that your password isn\u2019t something that people can easily guess. This means that your birthday, your Social Security number, your phone number, and other personal details are out of the question. You also shouldn\u2019t use common passwords like \u201c123456,\u201d \u201cqwerty,\u201d or even \u201cpassword.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"7<\/span>
Make it super hard for others to pick your password. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

So, what should your password be? There are several tricks you can use, such as using a sentence that you can easily remember. This can be a passage from your favorite book, a line from your favorite movie, or a sentence you\u2019ve learned in a foreign language \u2014 basically anything that has a special meaning to you. It\u2019s also advisable to capitalize a few letters and add in numbers and special characters \u2014 just make sure you remember the exact structure of your password!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect your Gmail password<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Never write your password on paper nor share it with other people, even your closest friends and family members. Once you\u2019ve set your password for Gmail, don\u2019t use it on another site. If the site gets hacked, the attackers can try to access your Gmail using the login details they\u2019ve retrieved, and they\u2019d be successful if you\u2019ve set the same password for your email account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be wary of suspicious emails<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t open emails if they\u2019re sent from people you don\u2019t know. They could be filled with malware that would infect your computer once you open the message. If you receive these emails, block the sender then delete the messages right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if you received an email that has suspicious content but is sent by a trusted contact, much like this recent phishing attack<\/a>? The best thing you can do is to call or text that person to confirm that he really did send the message. Taking this precaution is important since his email account might have been hacked, and the attacker might be using his email address to spread malware and\/or steal identities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make the most of Gmail’s two-step verification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you sign up for Gmail\u2019s two-step verification feature, you\u2019ll be asked to provide your phone number and confirm that it\u2019s really yours. Then, when you sign into your account, you\u2019ll be asked to type in not just your password but also the verification code that\u2019s sent to your phone. It might seem like a huge hassle at first glance, but it\u2019s actually an excellent way to protect your account since people won\u2019t be able to access your Gmail if they don\u2019t have your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do the Security Checkup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you 100% sure that your Gmail account hasn\u2019t been accessed by other people? If you\u2019re not, you\u2019ll need to take some steps to ensure that it hasn\u2019t been hacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start by doing the Security Checkup. Go to My Account, find the Security Checkup section, and click on the \u201cGet Started\u201d button. You\u2019ll be asked to review your recovery information, which will give you the chance to check if the email address and phone number that are stored in the system are yours. If they\u2019re not, you need to remove them and add your own address and number. Don\u2019t forget to change your password afterward!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"7<\/span><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Next, you\u2019ll be asked to check your connected devices. Ideally, these should show only the laptop, smartphone, tablet, and other devices that you are using. If you see a device that\u2019s not yours, click the \u201cSomething looks wrong\u201d button. Gmail will then prompt you to change your password to prevent other people from accessing your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check your settings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Aside from doing the Security Checkup, you need to review your Gmail settings to ensure that no one has changed them. Start by going through the \u201cFilters and Blocked Addresses\u201d section. Hackers can create a backdoor<\/a> to your email account simply by creating a filter that forwards your emails to them, so look for a filter that you didn\u2019t make and delete it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should also check the \u201cForwarding and POP\/IMAP section\u201d. If you see a forwarding address that you didn\u2019t set before, delete it ASAP. Don\u2019t forget to review the \u201cAccounts and Import\u201d section. Scroll down to \u201cGrant access to your account.\u201d You shouldn\u2019t see any email address added to this section if you haven\u2019t allowed anyone else to read your emails and send messages on your behalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be careful when using public\/shared computers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you share a laptop with a sibling or roommate, or maybe you open your personal Gmail account on your office computer. Either way, you need to sign out of your account after every use to prevent anyone from accessing it. You also have to clear your browser\u2019s cache and cookies, as well as any stored forms and passwords for added security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gmail is highly secure, but don\u2019t just rely on it to protect your data. Use the tips and tricks above to safeguard your Gmail account and improve your online security.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gmail is one of the most secure email clients on the planet. This doesn\u2019t really come as a surprise since it\u2019s run by Google, which adds new security features to its products every now and then to protect its users. However, this doesn\u2019t mean that you can be complacent and let Gmail and Google handle everything. If you want to protect your sensitive data and avoid being targeted by cyber-criminals, you need to take online security matters into your own […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8490,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17593,17580],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-staying-safe","category-tips-and-tricks"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n7 Tips and Tricks to Follow to Make Your Gmail More Secure<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gmail is one of the most secure email clients on the planet. 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