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A Guide to Email Security

It is hard to find anyone today who does not possess an email account. Many people use email for everyday purposes, whether to communicate with their loved ones or to perform various business operations. However, as more people are connecting online, they are also finding themselves under the threat of attacks from viruses and hackers. Therefore, it is important to maintain constant email security.

Why do Hackers Target Email Addresses?

Email addresses are extremely valuable information for businesses. With email marketing techniques and other spamming methods, many businesses rely on lists of email addresses to market their products and services. Many companies will purchase large email lists for the purposes of targeting a large, potential market. In addition, hackers will also target email accounts because a great deal of personal information is associated with addresses. When a hacker gains access to someone’s account, he or she can also potentially obtain their bank information, social security number and other personal data. 

Email Security Tips

There are a number of ways to ensure that you, your email address, and your computer are protected:  

1.      Create Multiple Email Accounts:

One precaution that users can take is to create multiple email accounts, instead of relying on one for all of their needs. Use one account for signing up on websites, online contests and other promotions. This email account will serve as a recipient for the brunt of your spam emails. An additional email address can be used for your personal business, private communications and work.

2.      Keep Your System Updated:

Whenever your computer prompts you for a new update, or an application notifies that an update is ready, you should apply them as soon as possible. Without constant updates, your software and computer can become comprised and fall prey to viruses and other threats.  In addition, you can install email security software that will check for spam and malicious emails.

3.      Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails:

One way to protect your computer is to avoid opening emails from suspicious sources. If you receive an email from someone you have not heard from a while, their email addresses may be compromised. Other suspicious emails can contain links that lead to malicious viruses and websites.

4.      Delete Past History:

Once you have finished a session on the Internet, you should delete your past history, passwords, and cookies. Many browsers keep track of your passwords and personal information, and hackers can access this data unless the user clears their browser cache.

5.      Create Secure Passwords:

In order to protect unauthorized access, passwords should be difficult to crack and unique to the individual owner. Some tips for creating a unique password include using a random combination of letters and numbers, and to use at least eight characters.

Nowadays, email accounts have added security questions as an extra safety precaution. These questions are used to retrieve passwords, and are composed of questions to which only the user would know the answer. For secure email protection, make sure that the answers to your security questions are obscure and private.