We are constantly reading in the news about security leaks and information breaches. It is something that is happening all the time on the Internet and anyone can fall victim to it
Although it sounds a little extreme, it seems that taking all sorts of security measures with our smartphones and other devices isn’t actually enough. We cannot know if our data and passwords will be exposed to the next security breach, like in the latest case regarding Ashley Madison. The reality is that it is quite probably that our passwords have already been filtered at some time in data leaks we weren’t even aware of. The good news is that there are ways of checking, so that we can take the appropriate measure and avoid losing important information or having a third party stealing our accounts.
Check if our mail has been compromised
One of our most important Internet accounts is our e-mail. There are several places that can help us to check if our e-mail and password have been shared to any of the data leak lists.
The first place is Has my email been hacked?, which only requires you to enter your email address to check the lists they have got in their database. The website collects data leaks shared on Pastebin, Slexy, Pastie and similar websites. Moreover, they have information on the latest verified security breaches. This website does not keep a record of the emails are consulted, it operates under SSL (https), which ensures that the communication with the server and any content you visit will be encrypted and third parties will not be able to know what you are consulting.
Other options are Have I Been Pwned? and BreachAlarm, which not only let you check if your email and password have been compromised, but also let you set alarms to notify you immediately if your email address appears in a new data leak.
What should I do if my email is on one of the lists?
Change your password for a new one which is strong enough. You can use tricks to create a really safe one that is easy for you to remember. You can also use a password manager like LastPass, which will help you generate complicated passwords and will save them for you so you do not have to remember them. And if the password you have in your e-mail is being used in another Internet service, go and change it straight away to avoid putting your social networks and other important services at risk.
