How to Secure Your Email Accounts
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Email is a longstanding institution of the modern internet. It’s been with us for decades and proved surprisingly resilient in the face of modern text-based communication platforms.
But getting the most out of your email account means taking a few precautions to keep it secure. Phishing has been supercharged by artificial intelligence, and scams that impersonate the Australian tax authorities have been recently used to defraud countless Australians.
So, what can be done to prevent this?
Create Strong Passwords and Enable Multi-Factor Authentication
To begin with, you’ll need to compose the strongest possible password. If your password is short and easy to guess, then it will be easy to crack via brute force. If you are recycling passwords from many different services, then one failure can lead to your whole online existence (including your email account) being compromised.
There are two major strategies we might employ to limit the risk. The first is to use a password manager: this is a special programme that will devise and remember highly complex passwords for each of the services you use. The second is multi-factor authentication, which will prevent you from logging on without a password, a device, and (often) a biometric marker, like a fingerprint.
Learn to Spot Phishing and Fake Login Pages
Once you’re aware of some of the strategies employed by malicious online actors, you might have an easier time spotting them. Phishing emails are more convincing than ever, thanks to AI – and QR codes provide a new form of suspicious link that we can navigate to in the real world. Be cautious, and avoid entering sensitive data into any online form you didn’t navigate to yourself.
Keep Your Devices and Email Apps Secure
Software is constantly evolving, and new vulnerabilities are constantly being uncovered. Staying on the right side of the threats means installing patches that address the vulnerabilities and thereby keep your software protected. Set up automatic updates for essential software, like your operating system. Installing extra precautionary software, like a VPN, can also be worthwhile.
Regularly Monitor Your Accounts for Suspicious Activity
If you aren’t keeping a close eye on your accounts, then you might run into trouble. Most email services will send you a message when a login attempt is made from an unfamiliar IP – but you might also familiarise yourself with connected applications and forwarding rules to keep yourself truly secure.
It’s worth not only reviewing your settings but also essential bulletins and updates from the makers of the software you’re using. If there’s a major breach of passwords and other essential data, then you’ll need to be aware of it. This is what will allow you to actually take corrective action!
Artificial Intelligence – The Data Scientist
