Archive for September, 2009

The advent web technologies like email has played an instrumental role in making the world a global village. The flipside is, functioning on the internet, like using an email, has made us susceptible to numerous frauds and hassles. It is advised to undertake appropriate internet security measures to safeguard the email accounts from prying fraudulent eyes.

Email accounts might fall prey to hacking in numerous ways like divulging personal details to strangers on the web, clicking on URLs sent by an unknown person, clicking on spam mails, using outdated antivirus, getting lured by emails promising an astronomical commission, participating in online lotteries, online purchases to name a few.

 To protect an email account, emphasis should be laid on creating an email account which does not divulge any personal information of the user. One should abstain from using their names directly in the mail address, rather opt for contorted versions. For example, a person named Davy Jones should emphasize on having an email account by the name djones or jdavy. While creating passwords, one should not include personal details like date of birth, credit card number or social security number. A comparatively safe option is to use phrases like “I love to swim ’’ etc.

 Another common approach which eventually makes an email account insecure is the lure of mails promising huge incentives or an invitation to join online lotteries or casinos. Such mails usually lure the user of the email account by declaring them winner of a large sum of money.

 The user is then requested to furnish sensitive information like bank account number, credit card number or social security number followed by a promise to deposit the promised sum in their respective bank accounts on time. In actuality, such mails are sent by hackers working to the fullest of their capacity to extract your confidential details that eventually leaves you being exploited.

 Another threat to email security is posed by spammed emails. One should be careful in not responding to emails with seemingly suspicious heading or content. Responding to such mails confirms the target accuracy, leading to the inbox being flooded by an array of such mails. Spam mails can be avoided if the email address is posted on any public forum like chat rooms.

One should not panic in case an email or popup notifying susceptibility of the email account is intercepted. Such mails might ask for the account holder’s personal details to check authenticity and fix the problem. Such techniques are popularly used by hackers to coax the user to divulge confidential details eventually jeopardizing the computer and email account’s security