Google has provided a list of tips to help users determine if their account has been compromised and what steps to take next. The company offers assistance through its online Help Center for users who suspect their accounts have been hacked. While Google often sends notifications about suspicious activity in accounts, there are other signs to look out for.
One of the most obvious signs of a hacked account is a red bar at the top of the screen with a message stating that suspicious activity has been detected. Google will also send notifications about unusual logins, new devices on your account, or changes to your username, password, or security settings. Users should be proactive if they notice unauthorized changes to their account information.
Users should immediately correct any unknown changes to their recovery phone number, recovery email address, or alternate email addresses. It’s also important to address changes to your Google account name, security questions, or questions about location sharing. If there are changes to your two-step verification methods, this could be a sign of a hack.
Google encourages users to change settings if they suspect unauthorized access to their accounts by other apps. One indicator of this is if the “less secure app access” feature is enabled, allowing apps with less secure sign-in technology to access your account. Unknown purchases on Google Pay can also be a red flag.
To keep information safe online, it’s important to understand how data is stored and shared. Hackers can gain access to accounts through brute force attacks or through data breaches where confidential information is shared with the public. Strong passwords and common sense are key to keeping data safe.
If someone else is logged into your account, Google suggests changing your password immediately and updating it on other sites where the same password is used. Users should also identify and remove any unknown devices logged into their accounts by using the security checkup tool provided by Google.
In case of unauthorized bank accounts or cards linked to Google Pay, users should delete them and report any fraudulent charges for a refund. If malicious actors have changed settings in your account, reset them as quickly as possible and update your password. Users should regularly review their account security settings and connected devices to ensure their information is safe.
Article Source
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/28684843/google-account-hack-tips-cybersecurity/amp/