Have a feeling that your email has been hacked? There may be signs that you may or may not have noticed. Let us simplify it for you. So, let’s begin and see how you can check if that’s the case.
Steps to check if one’s email was hacked
If anyone has a feeling that their email has been hacked at any point in time, then these are the steps that you can follow.
Using breach databases
- This is one way! Visit Have I Been Pwned, which is a reputable and free security website.
- Here you can enter your email address into the search bar and review the results to see if your email was included in any known data breaches, along with what specific data, like passwords or birthdates, were leaked.
Reviewing account activity
- This is a more detailed view that will help you assess all activity. Log in to your email provider and navigate to the security settings or account activity section.
- Here, you can easily look for a tab labeled recent activity, device history, or successful sign-ins. This is what you need to assess in detail.
- Now examine the list for unfamiliar devices, operating systems, or geographic locations that do not match your actual usage. You can choose to log out of them if that’s the case.
Checking email settings
- Open your email settings and look for the forwarding or routing options.
- Here you can check and verify that no unauthorized email addresses have been added to automatically forward your incoming messages.
- You can also check your sent folder for messages you did not write or look in your trash folder for automated password reset notifications you never requested. This is a big red flag!
Monitoring security alerts
- This is another way that can help you figure out if something fishy is going on. Just search your inbox and spam folder for official security notifications from your provider.
- We are particularly looking for alerts regarding password changes, recovery option updates, or login attempts from new devices.
Signs of secondary compromise
- You also have to check your financial accounts or social media profiles for unauthorized access, as hackers often use a compromised email to send password resets on other platforms.
- Ask your contacts if they have received strange, spamming or phishing emails originating from your address recently.
How to fix a hacked account?
If you have a feeling that it has been hacked, here is how you can try to handle it.
- Use the account recovery form provided by the platform if you are locked out, following their identity verification steps.
- Revoke access for all recognized and unrecognized devices in your security settings to force a global log out.
- Now you can simply check your recovery email and phone number to ensure the hacker did not alter them.
- Turn on two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security and use it whenever needed.
- Finally, scan your computer or phone with antivirus software to remove any hidden malware.
