Microsoft Outlook (formerly known as Hotmail) is a widely used email client globally. However, having an account is crucial since it lets you sign in and sync your data using a Windows computer.
Given the significant amount of important data exchanged via emails, it is essential to protect your account from potential hackers who may attempt to obtain your login details through phishing links and malicious ads.
This article aims to help you identify signs of a compromised account and provide tips for enhancing the security of your Microsoft account.
Understanding How Email Breaches Happen
Email breaches, including the ones affecting Outlook accounts, can happen in several ways, most of the time by taking advantage of holes in security measures or mistakes made by people. Wrong links and files can be sent to your email by hackers. You open them without thinking they could be harmful and install malware that lets them into your account. Hackers could also figure out your weak “123456789” password. Another helpful hack is your birthday. Hackers can sometimes get into your account through old protection that isn’t up to date. Sometimes, the newest movie or game file had a bug.
Outlook has a junk bin that screens out strange emails, but clever hackers can make emails that get past those filters.
Signs Your Outlook Account May Be Hacked
Here’s a list of signs that your Microsoft Outlook account could be compromised.
Unusual Activity
Your Outlook account may be hacked if you see unusual activity with your account, like emails going missing or being removed. Once hackers get into your account, they will often try to hide their tracks. A common sign that you’ve been hacked is getting rid of texts that might let you know they were there.
Unable to Login
Here, we may see the most unambiguous indication that something is amiss. If you can’t get in, someone likely knows your password and has changed it. Things could have gone several different ways. In this case, you can’t get to your computer mail counts.
Unknown Messages in Your Sent folder
When someone sends messages from your mailbox, you probably won’t notice for a long time if no one answers and there are no other signs of illegal access in your Inbox. This is especially true if you check your Sent folder sparingly.
Contacts Receive Messages
If people you know say they got emails you didn’t send, someone likely got into your mailbox and tried to get them to give out their contact, login, or personal information. They can delete these emails if they know they are not real, but if they don’t, the same hacker who got into your email address will target them. Such an action may adversely impact your image and how people talk to you.
Unusual Profile Changes
It’s possible that someone has hacked your account and changed your name, address, or phone number. To do the scam with more than just email, they might try to divert your calls or mail by changing your profile to include false information.
New Emails Appear to Have Been Read
Outlook boldly indicates new email subject links for emails that still need to be read. Be wary of new emails that aren’t bold, as this means you have yet to read them.
Unable to Receive Emails
Do not receive an email even though you should have. First, make sure you are linked to Microsoft Exchange. You should be wary if you are connected but have not received emails for a long time. Hackers often set up inbox rules to send new emails to the “deleted items” folder, making it take longer to realize that someone has taken over your account.
Password Reset Emails
Today, you can do a lot of things online. Suppose you start getting emails with instructions on resetting your password for online banking, social networks, hosting accounts, shopping sites, and others. In that case, it’s a clear sign that someone has probably gotten into your mailbox and wants to use other services you use. Someone may try to get into these sites directly, but they can still read your emails. You shouldn’t count on that, though.
Tips to Secure Your Outlook Email
- Make complicated passwords by combining a variety of symbols, numbers, and capital and lowercase characters.
- Turn on 2FA (2 Factor Authentication) to make your account more secure. It adds extra protection by requiring a different way to verify your identity than your password.
- If you get emails from people you don’t know, be cautious. Don’t click on links or download anything if it seems weird or you’re unsure about it.
- Regularly review your account activity and login history for unusual or unauthorized access.
Conclusion
If your Outlook email account is hacked, you can lose access to other services, money, and private information. The hacker must determine which services you use to request a password reset. For this reason, as soon as you discover that your email has been compromised, you should take action. Unusual emails showing up in your Inbox, inability to log in, and notifications from others that they have received emails you have not sent are a few warning indicators you should be looking for.
Crossware365 offers comprehensive email signature solutions designed to bolster the security and professionalism of your Outlook communications. Contact us today to learn more about how our email signature solutions can help protect your organization from cyber threats and enhance your brand presence in every email you send.
Sources
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/tricks-outlook-microsoft-account-secure/
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-lock-down-your-microsoft-account-and-guard-it-from-attackers/
https://www.csoonline.com/article/570697/15-signs-youve-been-hacked-and-how-to-fight-back.html
https://www.aura.com/learn/microsoft-account-hacked
https://blog.lastpass.com/2019/05/5-signs-email-hacked/
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