Concerned about your email being leaked? Follow the guide to check if your email has been leaked. Let’s jump in and see how you can identify that.
Steps to check if your email has been leaked
If you want to check something of this sort, then this is what you can do.
- First, you need to be certain and can visit a reputable data breach repository like Have I Been Pwned. This is a widely trusted, free website run by a security analyst that tracks billions of leaked accounts, and you can visit it.
- Then, enter your exact email address into the main search bar on the site and click on the search button. The site will instantly display a result. If the screen turns green, your email address has not been detected in any known public data leaks. If it turns red, your email was part of one or more breaches. This is a clear sign that you need to act fast.
- And if your email has been leaked, scroll down to see the specific details. The site will list exactly which companies or websites were breached, when it happened, and what kind of data was exposed, such as passwords, usernames, or dates of birth.
- After checking, log into your email provider’s security settings and review your active sessions to ensure no unauthorized devices are logged in. If you see one, choose to log out from there.
- Finally, go and check your web browser’s built-in password manager, such as Google Password Manager or Apple iCloud Keychain. These tools have automatic breach detection features that specifically warn you if any of your saved credentials have been found in a leak.
What to do if one’s email has been leaked?
If your email shows up in a leak, act quickly.
- Your absolute first step is to change that email account’s password immediately. Make sure that this password is strong enough and not used elsewhere.
- Next, turn on two-factor authentication, often called 2FA, for that email and any linked accounts. This adds a crucial second layer of defense, which is almost impermeable and gives you better security and peace of mind.
- You also need to change the passwords on any website where you used that same old password.
Finally, keep a close eye on your inbox for suspicious phishing emails or unusual login alerts. If you spot these, act on them accordingly and keep reporting such emails.
