No one likes hacked accounts. Am I right? A hacked account can result in financial loss, identity theft, or just a whole lot of wasted time. None of which is fun. But unfortunately, you don’t have too much control over what is or is not hacked when it comes to third party data breaches. All you have control over is the aftermath. So, if you happen to find yourself on the receiving end of a data breach, here is what you should remember.
Login Credentials
Your login credentials should be changed as quickly as possible. The sooner you get around to doing this, the better off you’ll be. If you change your logins before someone gets inside your account, then obviously they won’t be able to get into your account anymore with the old credentials. By the time someone gets ahold of your old credentials the new login user and password will be changed and their attempt will be unsuccessful. The more you change your login credentials the harder it will be for a hacker to keep up and it will make it more difficult for them to gain access to your accounts.
Emails
When criminals hack their way into a database, they can stand to take a lot of information. Some valuable. Some not. But one of the things they will likely gather is your email address. And surprisingly, if they have your email address, they don’t need much else to send a rather legit phishing email your way. But your email address isn’t the only thing they might have. In all likelihood, they probably have a few personal details, as well. Because of this, you need to be wary of any emails you receive from a company after they’ve been hacked, because they will personalize the emails to get you to click. Think twice about clicking links, downloading attachments, or fulfilling any requests – even if it looks 100% legitimate.
Credit Report
Again, hackers can stand to take a lot of information about you after a breach. If they have enough of the right information, they can potentially steal your identity. After a breach, monitor your credit report carefully. Depending on the severity of the breach and the type of company breached, there might be free credit monitoring services offered. However, if there aren’t, you can always utilize a free financial service.
Credit Cards
If you have any financial information tied to your account, then you’ll have to keep a close eye on your bank statements, as well. You may even need to request a replacement for any credit card used or saved on the site. Keep in mind, this doesn’t just apply to websites like Target and Amazon – where purchasing products is the sole purpose. It could be a site like LinkedIn, which gives you the option to pay for as higher-level membership.
It is extremely important to keep an eye on where you are entering all of your sensitive credentials. Some databases may seem secure, but just one breach and all of your valuable information could be put out in the open in seconds. This article is a good baseline to keep your day-to-day accounts safe. But it is important to constantly be aware of everything that is going on in your accounts to make sure there is no suspicious activity, especially after recently entering them onto a site.
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