Advisory
12 MAR 2021
BACKGROUND
According to a study, 91% of cyber-attacks start with an email. Scammers hack email accounts so that they can send messages from a trusted email address in hopes of getting the recipients to take action. Their main goal is to get these email contacts to send money, reveal personal information, or click on a link that installs malware, spyware, or a virus.
IMPACT
- A hacked email account can put you and your email contacts at risk of identity theft and other security and privacy intrusions, affecting finances and reputation.
- Your email account can act as a gateway into other accounts. The hacker can simply click “forgot password” at login and have a password reset link sent to your email inbox, which they now control.
- If a business email account is hacked, it is a data breach which can lead to revenue loss, damaged brand image and others.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR EMAIL HAS BEEN HACKED
- Your contacts received suspicious emails from you which you did not send.
- You may have trouble logging into your email account and get an error message that your username or password is incorrect.
- Sent messages folder may contain strange emails that you did not compose.
- Strange messages appear on your social media accounts
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
- Beware of phishing scams
Never respond to an unexpected email or website that asks for your personal information or login details, no matter how professional it looks. - Use up-to-date internet security software
That includes anti-spyware and do keep it UPDATED! Spyware hides itself on your computer, collects personal information and passes on personal details without knowing. - Use secure and private networks
Never use unsecured or public wi-fi to login to any of your online accounts. - Do not use public computers
There is a high chance of spyware on untrusted computers, and they may have keylogging programs which monitor and record what you type. - Maintain strong passwords
Never share your passwords and change your passwords every 3 to 6 months. Use a different password for each site or account. - Beware what you share
Limit the amount of information shared on social media and to the public. Hackers and identity thieves are quick to gather personal information on social media so be careful and keep personal details private. - Bookmark your trusted websites
This will prevent you from accidentally landing on the wrong website where hackers could slip malicious code or phishing links.
REFERENCES
