What to Do if Your Email Account has Been Hacked? 

If your email has been hacked, it’s important not to panic. We explain what you should do to regain access to your account and for tips on how to keep your email account safe in the future.

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When your email has been hacked or compromised it means that someone has gained unauthorised access to your account which can have serious ramifications. 

Once a hacker has gained access to your email account, they can also infiltrate your other devices retrieving your personal data. Then, the possibilities of exploiting that data are endless: they can hold your data to ransom or sell it to third parties or even take out a loan in your name.  

What are the Signs that Your Email Account has been Hacked?

  • You are unable to sign in 
  • Strange emails in your ‘Sent’ folder: look out for strange emails that you did not send 
  • You received a password reset email that you did not request  
  • Your contacts are getting emails that you did not send 
  • You receive notification following unusual login activity 

How Does Your Email Account Get Hacked?

  • Phishing attacks: these are the most common breaches. Hackers send an email that includes a link or a malicious QR code designed to trick you into giving up your personal information. If the wording seems awkward or clumsy, it might be a scam
  • Staying logged in on a public or shared device: not all computers will log you out of your email account and anyone using that public computer can gain access to your account 
  • Hackers break into your network 
  • Your password was too weak and easy for hackers to guess. Syn-Star has some excellent tips on how to create strong passwords 
  • Using the same password for multiple accounts can make you an easy target of hacking 
  • Social footprint: hackers can gather information about you from your social media profiles and use this data to gain access to your account 

So, Your Email has Been Hacked. What Should You Do Now?

The response time to an email-hack is extremely time- sensitive because we access other accounts using email credentials. Follow these steps to regain control of your account: 

  • If you still have access to your account, change your password immediately! It is best practice to create a strong password that you have never used before.  If you are logged out, you need to contact your email provider to recover your hacked account. 

 

  • Enable multi-factor authentication for added security. While MFA is not impenetrable, by turning it on, you can make the hacker’s job more difficult. 
  • Contact your mail service provider and let them know about the breach. It is good practice to report all breaches as soon as you become aware of them. This will not only help protect others but is also a step towards tracking down the hacker.  

 

  • Complete malware and virus scan on all your devices that are connected to your network. 

 

  • Let your contacts know that your email has been hacked. To help protect others from being hacked you need to tell your contacts what happened. A generic email to all your contacts could save a lot of trouble and stop malware or viruses spreading to others’ accounts. Let your contacts know that you have been compromised and prompt them not to open any suspicious links that come from your email address. 

 

  • Start using malware protection! These can prevent you from potential hacking attacks and warn you before entering suspicious websites. 

 

 

  • Start backing up your data! 

What happens

Don’t be the next victim of a hacker! Get in touch with Syn-Star so we can help train your employees on how to recognise malicious emails. 

Need Help? 

Get In Touch Now

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Agnes Syn-Star Content writer

Agnes Molnar

Agnes is Syn-Star’s expert content writer, she has a Master’s degree in English Literature that provides a strong foundation in writing and critical thinking of everything she does.

Qualifications: Masters in English Literature

In-house training: HubSpot SEO, WordPress Training.

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Agnes Syn-Star Content writer

Agnes Molnar

Agnes is Syn-Star’s expert content writer, she has a Master’s degree in English Literature that provides a strong foundation in writing and critical thinking of everything she does.

Qualifications: Masters in English Literature

In-house training: HubSpot SEO, WordPress Training.

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