Gmail users urged to check account immediately and make one important change
Cyber crime is on the rise in a major way and your account may not be as secure as you think it is
Gmail users have been urged to urgently check their accounts and make an important change to protect their online privacy and data.
Cybersecurity continues to become a greater concern for people in this increasingly digital world and internet scams cost people billions every year, with the FBI confirming a 33 per cent growth in cyber attacks last year.
With this in mind, Google is advising Gmail users to make an important change in order to give yourself the best chance of avoiding falling victim to cyber crime, with cunning criminals always finding new ways to use your data to access other online services, The Express reports.
Google is encouraging users to move away from traditional passwords and embrace more secure technologies such as passkeys and Sign in with Google. Using these sign-in methods are safer than having multiple passwords for different services, which is something that more than half of Gen X and Baby Boomers still do.
"We want to move beyond passwords altogether, while keeping sign-ins as easy as possible, so we strongly encourage using modern methods like Sign in with Google and passkeys, which can be stored in and synced across your devices with Google Password Manager," Google's Evan Kotsovinos explained.
"Passkeys are phishing-resistant and can log you in simply with the method you use to unlock your device (like your fingerprint or face ID) — no password required. And when you pair the ease and safety of passkeys with your Google Account, you can then use Sign in with Google to log in to your favourite websites and apps — limiting the number of accounts you have to maintain. Gen Z’s embrace of these tools actually represents a big step forward for collective security."
For those who may be less tech-savvy and would still prefer to use a password, it's encouraged to use two-step verification (2SC) which means that you will require a code to be sent to another device when logging into services such as Gmail.
"For people who still prefer passwords, we have tools like 2-Step Verification (2SV), the Google Authenticator App and Google Password Manager — that provide a second line of defense so that a password alone can’t empower a bad actor," Kotsovinos continued.
Cyber threats are not going away, and if you don't want to become the next victim, then it's a good idea to follow this advice and switch away from passwords or add an extra layer of security.
As Google explains: "Passkeys are a simple and secure alternative to passwords. With a passkey, you can sign in to your Google Account with your fingerprint, face scan, or phone screen lock, like a PIN."
To enable passkeys for your Google Account, simply navigate to your Google Account settings, select "Security," then "How you sign in to Google," and finally, "Passkeys and security keys."
From there, you can choose to create a new passkey, which will involve verifying your identity and linking it to your device.
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