Warning to lock Microsoft and Outlook accounts down NOW – even if you hardly use them

WITH cyber attacks on the rise worldwide, the need to keep your online accounts secure is more pressing than ever.

That’s particularly true when it comes to your Microsoft account, which you use to log in to Outlook and Windows PCs.

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How to lock down your Microsoft account

Two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA), also known as two-step authentication or two-step verification, is a means of protecting online accounts.

When you need to log in to a website, you put in your normal password–that’s the first “factor” used to authenticate your identity.

Then, a one-time password (OTP) is sent to your phone or email, and that OTP is used on the next page to access your account.

Instead of an OTP, your login may require you to solve a CAPTCHA or confirm a push notification.

It’s an extra layer of security that ensures that cybercrooks can’t access your account even if they have your username and password.

To activate 2FA on your Microsoft account, head to your Microsoft account page online, log in, and click Security.

Go to Advanced security options and then Additional security before clicking Turn on under Two-step verification. 

Use a strong password

Using a strong password is paramount if you’re to keep your account safe from hackers.

The password you use for your Microsoft account should also be unique – meaning you don’t use it for other only accounts.

In an ideal world, it needs to be at least eight characters long and use a combination of letters and numbers.

It should also be memorable and not use words or strings of numbers that are guessable from public data about you, such as your birthday or favourite football team (which are likely on your social media profile).

Your best bet is to use a password manager, which can generate passwords out of random strings of letters and numbers that it stores in a secure database, so you don’t have to remember them.

Check your account hasn’t been compromised

You should also check if your account has already been compromised.

You can do this on HaveIBeenPwned.com.

This keeps track of major password/login leaks, and lets you check your email or phone number against them.

It’s a great way to see if you’ve been caught up in any major hacks, although it doesn’t have sight over every leak that’s ever taken place.

Password managers like 1Password and Apple’s iCloud Keychain provide a similar service.

Why you should lock down your account

Scams are on the rise in the UK, with fraudsters behind more than a third of all crime, according to figures released last year.

An estimated five million incidents of fraud took place in the year 2021 to June — up 32 per cent year-on-year.

That accounted for 39.4 per cent of the 12.7million recorded crimes, an Office for National Statistics report showed.

Phone fraud rose by 82 per cent while online shopping scams were up by a third, according to Labour’s analysis of official figures.

And the National Cyber Security Centre has taken down 700,000 phishing campaigns in the last year alone.

Phishing scams use phoney emails, texts or websites to trick victims into entering their personal information.

Typically, the scammers will be after usernames and passwords for services such as Microsoft or Facebook.

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In other news, the mystery surrounding why prehistoric Brits built Stonehenge has finally been solved after research confirmed that the monument served as an ancient solar calendar.

In other news, the iPhone’s virtual assistant, Siri, is getting a new, “gender-neutral” voice.

A British woman has told of her horror after scammers used photos of a “silver fox” politician to trick her out of £80,000.

And, Norfolk County Council is suing Apple over what it says was misleading information about iPhone sales.

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