Security Tips for Gmail

Increase security of Gmail account. As per the report over 5 million users Gmail accounts and passwords leaks and posted as a text on a Russian Bit coin forum. Google claim that these passwords are not hacked via their servers, but the data was instead collected from phishing websites over several years. As per the report this leak mainly affects Russian, English, Spanish users. Here are some tips or actions that can take for secure your Gmail account.

Tips for Setting Password

Here are some of the tips that you can follow to make your password.strong.

Setting password in a simple way i.e. a combination of ordered letters that limited up to 6-8 characters it's an easy way to hackers to creep into your account or comprising to hacking.
Make a strong & long password that a mix of Symbols, Numbers, Letters in random ways (E.g.: Ab*89+"ghFQ"#7Bq1Lop)
Set passwords that can’t be easily guess by others, but easily remember by you.
Passwords making from your local speaking languages, favorite songs lyrics likewise can be easily remember by you and hard to break it.
Try a long phrase only known by you and find some alternates for numbers and letters like a → @, 1 → !, S → $, AND → & etc

Changing Your Password

Change your Gmail password by sign in into your account or follow the below steps.

Got to https://www.google.com/settings/passwordchange.
Click change password under “Password & Recovery Options”. Enter your old and new password & click change password
Also you can set password recovery option by this way.

Research shows that creating an 8 character password containing numbers, Upper and lower case letters can be decrypted in 41 Days. If it increases from 8-10, it takes 8 years to crack the password.

Tips for Keeping your Password Safe

Here are some tips and actions taken to secure your password or Gmail account from being stolen.

Don’t share your password and not write down on anywhere that easily visible to others.
Don’t reply to unknown emails or not try to click any links in email messages. Use different passwords for different sites.
Enable 2step verification on your Gmail account.
Avoid using your Gmail account details to sign in other sites that you may not believe. (For checking the genuinity of such site, Search for their Alexa ranking, Respective site reviews in Google and make sure that whether they use a https (encrypted) connection which can seen on your browser’s url field).
Don’t download or install cracked software.
Try to avoid browsing in public places like free Wi-Fi zones, Internet cafes etc...
After log out delete your cookies, Browsing history or browse in Incognito mode.
Try to change your password at least in every 3 months.
Use virtual keyboard to enter password to avoid attack from key loggers. (Antivirus like kaspersky comes with virtual keyboard)
Before log out from your Gmail account, don’t try to open other sites in the adjacent tab of the same browser you are logged in, otherwise it will auotmatically sign in the site that you have open. .
Un tick the “Stay signed in” Option in Gmail sign in page before you log in, if you don't need it.

Check Your Gmail Settings

It is necessary to check the email settings if you access emails via your smartphone

For Smartphone Users

If you are not the only user of your phone, disable auto synchronization or use app lock to lock your Gmail app. Because your mail can read from your notification area and may use to change your password or sending mails to others in behalf of you.

Recover your Forget Password

It is advised to follow below steps on the next time when you log-in to your Gmail account. If already then you do the right thing. By doing this you don't need to regret in anyway if you loss your password in future.

Update the password recovery option by

Adding a phone number.
Adding another email address.

It helps to secure your account and recover your password. To know how Google use your phone number click here.

Tips to Know if Your Account was Hacked

Here are some of the tips that helps you to know whether your account was hacked or not

Failed to sign in Gmail with your username or password.
Friends or others notifying you that they receiving some unwanted messages from your mail.
Check your recent activity page in your Gmail account and if finding some suspicious IP address then change your password immediately. (Using Net setter (dongle), Mobile phone to sign in, may show different IP addresses. In such cases, check out the sign in locations)
Notifying that your contacts, Emails are getting deleted without your knowledge. (This may also happen, if you have been not accessing your account for a long time).
Use your account to reset the passwords for your other accounts (Shopping, Banking etc…).

You can follow these steps to keep your account safe. If you like, Pls feel free to comment.

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