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11 Smart Ways To Protect Your Email Privacy

Cybercrime is a criminal activity wherein a single computer, multiple computers, or interconnected computers/devices have been used. A cyberattack may involve the intranet and the internet. Cybercrime can be committed by an individual, group of people, organizations, and even state-sponsored agencies.

According to the Internet Security Threat Report 2017, there’s been a resurgence of malicious email as a favored attack method for cybercriminals. The report showed that 1 in 131 emails sent was malicious, the highest rate in 5 years. Let’s look at ways Cyber Criminals Use Email to Commit Fraud.

Let's look at some of the preventive steps, which can be taken to protect your email id are as follows:

• Use a strong password. At least more than eight alphanumerical characters, for example, E7rQ#@$ut%^!M.

• Always scan the attachments (.zip, .exe, and so on) before opening them.

• Never click on links received in emails from strangers.

• Ignore/delete spam emails.

• Don't fall prey to gifts offered by the unknown in email.

• Never share your real date of birth, birthplace, geographical location, and other private information on social media.

• Implement two-way authentications. To activate it, add your phone number by accessing email account settings. Whenever you access your email from a new device, you will receive an SMS code for additional verification.

• Verify your email ID's login history to make sure that only you had opened your email account.

• Provide an alternate email address and phone so that the email service provider can contact you in case of suspicious activity.

• Check your recently used devices to check your email and see if there is any suspicious activity.

• Manage permissions for apps that are linked to your email account.

• Never disclose your password to anyone.

• Never save your password on any device.

• Crosscheck the website authenticity; look for URLs such as spelling, padlock (https) in the browser.

• If your email is compromised, contact your email service provider.

• Avoid similar passwords for multiple email IDs.

• Avoid free, public, and unsecured Wi-Fi.

If you want to protect yourself from cyber threats while browsing the internet, watching videos over the Internet, using emails, and using social media apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or playing online games, then check out our book "Cybercrime and Preventive Measures".

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