How to secure your Gmail account

A Gmail account holds an abundance of personal information such as bank statements, personal letters and even password reset requests. Hackers could possibly hack Gmail accounts if it is left unsecured, thereby stealing the victim's sensitive information, which could lead to fund loss and identity theft.

To keep your Gmail account secured, apply these tips.
Use a strong password: a strong password is made up of not less than 12 characters, which consist of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. Using a simple password will make it easier for hackers or password-cracking machines to crack it. Also, avoid reusing the same password across multiple sites. You can employ the service of password managers and change your passwords once in four or six months.

Enable two-step verification: this step adds additional security to your Gmail account, especially when your password is compromised by threat actors. Also known as two-factor authentication, this layer will stop hackers from accessing your account because they will need the randomly generated six-digit passcode sent to your personal device to access your mail. To turn it on, visit the Google account security page and click 2-Step Verification. Follow the steps and authenticate the service with any option that best suits you.

Check your backup contact methods: backup contact will help you verify your Gmail when locked out, and it is important to have the backup close. Change those old and forgotten emails or phone numbers used in backing up your Gmail account so as to be able to recover it when the need arises.

Check your account activities: it is possible that a hacker might be accessing your account without your knowledge. To check, sign in to your Gmail account and scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see a line that says: “Last account activity.” Click “Details” at the end of the line to see when, how and where your account is being used. If you notice activities not done by you, click the button labelled “Sign out all other Gmail web sessions”. After that, change your password.

Other tips include applying email filters to reduce spam messages, cleaning your inbox, and avoiding clicking on any link attached to an email, as it could lead to hacking of your device or system. It is also highly recommended to enhance your online security by download VPN.