How to secure Gmail account from hackers: Everything you need to know

How to secure Gmail account from hackers

Cybercrimes have been around since the inception of the internet itself. But with every passing day, hackers & cybercriminals have evolved drastically. They are constantly adapting to the changing Digital Dynamics to steal data from unsuspecting victims.

One prevalent way to steal data is by hacking personal G-mail accounts or G-suite (Business g-mail accounts). We use g-mail for almost everything today. Whether it’s our bank statement, investment details, health information, or business details, we manage everything via our g-mail.

Now imagine if hackers somehow get their hands on your g-mail or g-suite accounts. Even a thought this sends chills down to my nerves!

So whether it’s your g-mail account or G-suite account, it’s vital to ensure maximum safety.

In this detailed guide, I have explained everything from How to secure your g-mail account to how you can avoid being conned by hackers.

So, without wasting much time, let’s dive in.

How to secure Gmail account from hackers?

How to secure Gmail account from hackers
How to secure your G-mail account

Activate 2-factor authentication

To protect G-mail accounts against brute-force attacks by hackers, Google introduced this simple yet robust security feature.

Under this 2-step login process, first, you will have to enter your g-mail password. Google offers multiple types of 2FA.

Following are the two most popular one

Google Prompts:

When you activate this option, you’ll receive a Google Prompt on your registered device(which can be a phone or tablet) after entering your Password. Once you click it, you’ll be logged in.

So unless the hacker has access to both your password & your phone, it is impossible to hack your account.

Text Message:

This is by far the most simple & popular way. With this feature, you can enjoy double-layered security. First, when you enter your Password, Google will send a verification code on your phone. Then, you’re able to log in only when you do.

Create a Strong & Long password

How hard can this be to understand? But still, people make terrible mistakes while setting their passwords. For e.g., “123456” is the most common Password across the globe! Now imagine how stupid this is!

I hope you don’t have such simple & common passwords, and if you do, I’ll strongly advise against sharing them ASAP.

Take the following steps to ensure you have a strong password:

  • Keep it Lengthy: Having just a complex password is not enough; your Password has to be lengthy too. Research suggests that long passwords are comparatively more difficult to breach. That’s the reason you will always find it mandatory to have at least 8 characters long Password.
  • Don’t overdo Password reset: We have a lot of online accounts nowadays. So creating complex passwords every now & then & remembering them is not possible. Instead, I recommend creating a super-strong password & keeping going with it.
  • Avoid Password Hints: When we create Hints to unlock your passwords, we use information somehow related to our personal life. But as we are socially too much exposed in the Digital World, this makes it easy for hackers to guess the answers. So avoid password hints.
  • Have a reliable recovery plan: People often overlook this critical step while setting their g-mail account. Imagine a hacker is locking you out of your g-mail account. Don’t you think you need a solid account recovery plan?

This also helps when you have forgotten your Password or lost your device.

So I strongly recommend activating email recovery, as well as phone recovery.

You can activate both these options by following these simple steps:

  • Navigate to “Personal Info” on your Google account
  • Click on the “Add a Recovery Phone” on the “Contact Info” tab
  • Click on the “Add a Recovery Email” on the “Contact Info” tab

Utilize Google’s security checkups:

Google has this awesome functionality that helps you secure your account. Navigate to the “Security Checkup” & Click on it.

Here, there are multiple action recommendations from Google to help you secure your account.

In the “Your Device” section, you can see all the devices where your g-mail account is logged in. If you are not actively using some device, you can directly remove that device from here. By doing so, you will be logged out of those inactive devices.

Under the “Your saved Passwords” section, Google lets you know whether your saved Password appeared on some data breach. You can directly change that particular Password from here only.

In the “third Party access” tab, you can see all the apps that have access to your g-mail account & relevant information. If you find any of these apps skeptical, I recommend removing them ASAP.

Get educated about “Phishing Attacks.”

“Phishing Attack” is a term used for cyber frauds where the victim receives an email, supposedly from the website, which the victim is regularly using. But, instead of being genuine, such emails are created & shared by hackers.

These emails demand personal information, citing some technical & complex reasons. If the victim is unaware of such attacks, he/she makes the mistake of sharing personal details, leading to a data breach.

So you must educate yourself about “Phishing Attacks.” Remember, no genuine website or service provider will ask for your personal information. Also, avoid visiting the links in suspicious emails.

Always visit the genuine website via browser. Here too, look for an “https” in the address bar to signify a secured & genuine website.

Footnote

Hackers have become far more advanced than they were a decade ago. They have accustomed them to the changing security environment & so they are becoming more ruthless.

So whether you are using Gmail for business or personal use, it is a must follow the steps mentioned above if you are thinking about how to secure your Gmail account.

Apart from these steps, you must stay vigilant.

Here are some additional tips to stay and keep your g-mail account safe:

How to secure Gmail account from hackers
Here are some additional tips to stay keep your g-mail account safe
  • Don’t fall for offers that sound “too good to be true.”
  • Don’t share too much of your personal information on your Social Media handles.
  • Keep checking your account activities for anything suspicious
  • Don’t download apps from unreliable sources
  • Don’t give permissions to suspicious apps
  • Use trusted & updated Browsers
  • Remove access from suspicious accounts

FAQs

Is my g-mail safe?

G-mail is arguably one of the safest emails in the world. But there is a catch! You need to pay a lot of attention to its security. So the safety of your g-mail account depends a lot on your awareness.

Can I activate 2FA on my tablet?

Yes, 2 Factor Authentication can be activated on either your Mobile Phone or your tablet. This offers an additional layer of security to your G-mail account.

Is it safe to use g-mail on multiple devices?

Yes & No! If you own multiple devices & no one else is using those devices except you, it is safe. But if you are logging your account on some public device, it’s not safe at all.

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