My Email has Been Hacked – What Do I Do? | Webroot

Spammers use a variety of methods to send spam, but the use of hacked legitimate user email accounts is on the rise.

According to Verizon’s 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report, 1 in 131 emails contained malware in 2016, the highest rate in 5 years. Additionally, the amount of spam entering inboxes around the world is at its highest rate since 2015. This is related to malware such as emotet and trickbot that steal email addresses to fuel spam campaigns.

phishing has evolved. Learn 11 ways hackers are hunting your data and how to protect yourself in this guide.

As positive as the crackdown on other channels has been, one result is that spammers have been quick to shift focus from some of the larger recent malware outbreaks and phishing attacks to now acquire enough accounts compromised email addresses for spamming to be viable. this includes email accounts like yours.

how was my email hacked?

Your computer has most likely been compromised in one of four ways:

1. You do not have updated security software installed.

   Your passwords are weak and easy to hack.

   clicked a malicious link in an email, instant chat, social networking site, or web page.

   You have downloaded a game, video, song or attachment with malicious script or attachments

   what to do after your email was hacked

   When your email account is hacked, here are several steps you can take tofix the problem and prevent it from happening again:

   1. check (and update) the security of your computer. Most hackers collect passwords using malware that has been installed on your computer (or mobile phone if you have a smartphone). Regardless of the operating system you use, make sure your antivirus and antimalware programs are up to date. choose the setting that will automatically update your computer when new security fixes are available. If you are already using an antivirus program, run an end-to-end scan of your computer.

      Look to see that all OS updates are also installed. to find them, type ‘(your operating system name) and updates’ into your search engine. set your computer to update automatically so you get protection from new attacks as soon as possible.

      Change your password and make it more secure. Do it after your antivirus and antimalware programs are up to date or hackers can collect your new password too.

      • Strong passwords don’t have to be hard to remember, they just have to be hard to guess.
      • Make your password at least 10 characters long and use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
      • don’t use information about yourself or someone close to you (including your dog or cat!) like name, age, or city.
      • don’t use words that can be found in a dictionary are easy for hackers to crack, even if you spell them backwards.
      • text message shortcuts can help make creating strong and memorable passwords easier. for example l8rl8rnot2day! translates as later, later, not today.
      • studies show that the average email account has 130 password-protected accounts tied to it, so it’s no wonder that passwords to are often not as safe as they should be. a password manager can help you keep your passwords in order and encrypted.
      • You don’t have a rich uncle you’ve never heard of in some foreign country trying to send you money. You haven’t won the lottery. no stranger is going to give you money for any reason. no hot girl is alone and waiting for your answer. the only thing you will get through an unsolicited pharmacy offer is a scam or an infection (on your computer or phone). if there really was a miracle cure for weight loss, it would be all over the front page news and all over the TV channels.
      • no big bank or company will ask you to “authenticate” information online. and if you receive an email with a link to one of these sites, do not use it; instead, use your search engine to find the site yourself, and then log in. if the message was legitimate, the message will be waiting for you in your account.

      Consider adopting two-factor authentication. Many email providers offer two-factor authentication (2fa) as an additional security measure. this method requires both a password and some other form of identification, such as biometrics or a mobile phone number, to access an account.

      As mentioned, it is quite common for malware to be the avenue through which an email account is hacked. Having an up-to-date internet security solution is an essential first step in establishing online security and ensuring your email doesn’t get hacked. webroot offers a full line of home internet security solutions to keep your email password out of the hands of hackers.

      

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