Your Google account is one of your most valuable online tools if your online life revolves around Gmail, Chrome, and other Google apps and services. This is particularly valid if you use the Gmail account’s corresponding email address as your primary email address.
An online hacker who gains access to those credentials will cause havoc and irreparable harm to your online life, which is why it’s important to keep your Google account secure. In this article, we will tell you the steps which can help you secure your Google account from any external illegal activity.
Table of Contents
Strong password
For your Google account, you’ll need a solid, one-of-a-kind password. Using the password manager’s software to create a new password is the easiest way to ensure that you’ve met this criterion. Creating a new password means that your user passwords aren’t exchanged with any other accounts and that an older password you may have accidentally reused isn’t part of a password leak.
Go to the Google Account Security tab to update your password. If required, sign in, then press Password under the Signing SInto Google heading and follow the on-screen instructions to update your password.
Enable 2 step verification
Now is not the time to quit the Google Account Security tab. Instead, go to the Two-Step Verification section and check that this alternative is activated. To receive codes via text message, use the default option on a phone that you own.
The setup procedure is a simple wizard that confirms your ability to receive verification messages. Keep on the page after it’s over for the next move.
Save recovery codes
The following move is to build a list of recovery codes. If you have one of these passwords, you can sign in to your account if you’ve forgotten your password or misplaced your phone. You risk getting forever shut out if you don’t have this backup.
Find the Backup Codes option on the Google Account Security page and press Set Up. This will bring up a pop-up dialogue box similar to the one seen here, with ten codes you can use when asked for a second verification element. Print the page and keep it in the same locked file cabinet or safe where the secret is kept.
Add a recovery email
Creating a recovery email address is a crucial security measure. If Google finds unusual activity on your account, a message will be sent to this address.
If you lose your password, having a backup email is also beneficial. Resetting your password requires at least two means of authentication while two-step verification is available, such as a printed backup code and a code from an email message sent to a registered email account. You’ll need to have both of those means of verification or you’ll be shut out for good.
Return to the Google Account Security tab and select Recovery Email from the drop-down menu. Adjust or add your recovery email address. You’ll get an email to confirm that it’s ready for recovery at that address.
Adding a phone as an authentication device
Google offers you two options for using your smartphone for authentication when you register it as a trusted device. If you have a Google account on your Android smartphone, you can sign in to any Google service by answering prompts from Google. This choice does not necessitate any additional setup. This can provide an extra layer of security to your account.
Removing text as an authentication step
You should have more than enough safe ways to authenticate and validate your identity at this stage. That means the weakest link, SMS text messages, must be removed. The fact that an intruder can hijack your mobile account makes SMS text messages so dangerous from a security standpoint.
Using a hardware security key
This is the most advanced of all the measures. Since it necessitates the purchase of additional hardware, the need to plug a computer into a USB port or link via Bluetooth or NFC adds the highest degree of protection.
