But what about your Google account? If you use Gmail, there is a good chance that you also use Chrome to browse the internet. And there is a treasure trove of information linked to your Google account that cybercriminals can’t wait to get their hands on. Read on to find out how you can check your account’s integrity and what you can do to make it more secure.
Here’s the backstory
Your online data is precious to cybercriminals. It isn’t just about stealing your information, as criminals can also spread malware and fake links by breaking into a social media account. You might not even be aware of the background activity. Thankfully, Google has made it easy to manage your account access and see where sessions are logged in. Keep in mind that every time you log in to your account, whether on your mobile phone, through a smart TV or browser, it creates a new session.
What you can do about it
When you sign in to your Google account, there are several options that you can go through. Your first move is to check if any privacy suggestions are available on the main page. These are security suggestions that Google recommends. Then, select Security on the left side and scroll down to Your devices. It shows you the most recent devices you used to sign in to Google, and if you click on the box, it expands the view. Here you can see a complete listing of all the devices you’ve used with your Google account. It shows you the device’s name, the approximate location and the last time you logged in. In addition, you can click on a device to see the first login time and the browser used. See something that looks strange? Click on the Sign out button to end that session. If you click on the Don’t recognize this device? button, Google takes you through the process of securing your account against unauthorized access. Pro tip: If you use Twitter, you can also check the locations of your last few logins. It’s a bit buried in the settings, but open your Twitter profile on a computer and click on More, Security and account access, Apps and sessions and finally Sessions.
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