Most of the software we use is cloud-based, most importantly, email! I have 5 email accounts, and each one of them has a very specific purpose. Some of my email accounts contain sensitive information, so how can we keep email safe?
According to a survey published by CIGI-IPSOS (Internet security and trust), email users take the following safeguards in regards to email security:
Most internet users proactively take actions to safeguard their email accounts by changing their passwords regularly and avoiding opening emails from the unknown sources
Some other things you can do to protect your email are:
- Enable 2FA – which means an additional step of verification when accessing your email from a new location or device (can be done via SMS, USB-key or application on your mobile device)
- Avoid phishing attacks – Most email users are aware of 3 golden rules, which are:
- Always be on the lookout for an unofficial or misspelt email address; delete these emails immediately
- Never download any attachments or click on links from somebody you do not know
- Never send your login credentials over email. Not one service ever will ask you to send this type of information over email.
- Secure your devices – Having your devices protected by a password is not always enough. For additional security, I recommend turning on the lock screen automatically and setting a timer to <5 minutes for a computer and <1 minute for your mobile devices
- Use a strong and unique password for each account – The most significant mistake anyone can make is to use easy-to-guess passwords such as “Qwerty123”, “favouritefooballteam,” “yourname1”. A good password has to include both capital and lower-case letters, numbers and special symbols
- Password managers can be beneficial to generate and store complicated passwords.
Keep calm and stay protected! 🙂