Be Careful with Your Email Account

Nowadays, most people have an email address they use to register for various online services, such as stores, social media, and even banks. Many services also allow users to log in automatically using their email address with just a few clicks. If a person uses only one email address, all their services will be centralized in a single account. This is why it's so important to be careful with this account.

In the event of a data breach or if your phone is stolen, a criminal might use your email to access your linked accounts. To do so, all they would need to do is go to the desired website, request a password reset, and confirm the change. They might also use the automatic login option to gain access to services that use email authentication.

So, pay attention to any alerts you may receive. If you suspect someone has accessed your account, change your email password immediately, as well as the passwords of any affected services. In the case of Gmail, changing your password will automatically log out other devices and you will need to enter the new password to log back in.

Additionally, always enable two-factor authentication on your email account and on any service that provides this option. Depending on the service, the second factor may involve a physical security key, a mobile app that generates verification codes, or even receiving a code via text or voice message. Then, if a criminal tries to change your password on another device, they will have to enter the second factor to confirm the process. Check out the booklet published by CERT.br on Authentication (https://cartilha.cert.br/fasciculos/#..., Portuguese only) to understand its importance.

Be careful with the second factor you use, because in the event of theft, if your device is unlocked, it will be easy for someone to access your email and receive verification codes via SMS. To protect yourself, always enable a lock screen and set it to activate after a short period of inactivity. To learn more, watch the video “Screen Lock” by Internet Citizen.

Also, don't forget to enable the SIM card lock to prevent the stolen phone from receiving SMS messages or making calls. Finally, there are apps that allow you to add a lock screen to other apps, such as email or banking apps.

Even so, in case of theft, in addition to blocking the device, we recommend erasing the data remotely by restoring it to factory settings. To learn more, watch the Internet Citizen video on the topic.

Audio Description

In the first scene, a girl checks her email on her cell phone. Above her, a phrase reads: “Be careful with your email account!”.

In the second scene, as the phrase “If a criminal gains access to your account” is displayed, we see a cybercriminal successfully accessing her email and logging into someone else's social media account. The message at the top of the screen now reads: “If a criminal gains access to your account, they can use it to access other services.”

In the third scene, the girl looks worried as she notices several notifications on her phone about password change attempts. She then quickly changes her email account password. At the top of the scene, the phrase “Pay attention to notifications and change the password for your email and affected services!” appears.