It wasn’t that long ago that the use of web-based email or “webmail” was considered unprofessional and something most people used just because it was free and convenient.
Sending a resume with a hotmail email address may have gotten some attention. Microsoft has changed the name of Hotmail to Outlook, and by virtue of the name change, it gave what is essentially the same webmail service a greater seriousness. Gmail never carried the stigma of a Hotmail (or worse, AOL) email account, but as Google popularized cloud-based productivity suites, it also gained more acceptance as an email address suitable for business use. .
There has also been more integration of webmail with other online services in recent years. while this is generally a welcome step forward, it comes at a cost. a single compromised google or outlook password can now reveal the keys to the kingdom and allow access to your email history, personal and business documents, photos and contacts.
As a result, along with the growing popularity of web-based email comes increased concern about keeping those email accounts secure. A few simple steps can help reduce the risk of your email account being compromised. These four practices are not specific to Outlook or Google; are valid for any web-based email and should help you keep your web-based email secure:
use a strong and unique password
Do not reuse passwords from one online account to another. I know sometimes it’s hard to keep them all in order, but you don’t want a data breach on a small website where you have an account to expose your email password as well. exactly that has happened many times to many people.
If you want to make your life easier, use a password manager. If you don’t use a password manager, at least use strong, unique passwords for important accounts like your email.
use two-factor authentication
this will require you to enter a unique code in addition to your password when you sign in to your account on a new or untrusted device; the code is usually sent via text message to your cell phone. Since two-factor authentication requires you to have access to both your login information and your mobile phone to retrieve your code, you can protect your account from being accessed even if someone has your password.
This is one of the easiest and most effective steps you can take to improve your email security. With Outlook, you can find the option to set up and enable two-factor authentication in the “Security and Privacy” section of the account settings page. Google has a specific page that will walk you through the process of adding two-step verification to your Google account.
do not share your password with anyone
not your girlfriend, boyfriend, friends… anyone. all it takes is an argument or a breakup, and someone who’s mad at you has a quick and easy way to get revenge. most people won’t go this route, even when upset, but unfortunately, it does happen sometimes.
do not access your sensitive accounts over open public wi-fi
this is becoming less important as always-on vpns like android’s “wifi helper” become more common, but it’s still a rule to follow. yes, you’ll probably be fine, but there’s always a small chance of a man-in-the-middle attack, and you have to be careful.
This really applies to any sensitive information you want to protect, not just email. I highly recommend that everyone consider using a vpn whenever they take advantage of public wifi.
So these four steps ensure the security of your accounts? no, but they will make it much less likely that they will be compromised. the amount of effort these steps require is minimal, but the headaches they can help you avoid are significant.