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My friend Lisa called me last night, her voice shaking. Someone cleaned out their PayPal. Then it’s his Amazon. Then they tried his bank. Three accounts in 40 minutes. Hackers did not touch his passwords. They were unnecessary.
They had his email.
10 SIMPLE CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS FOR 2026
Think about what lives in you right now. Bank statements. Medical effects. Your retirement account, your mortgage company, every streaming service, every store you’ve ever shopped at, anything. And here’s the part that should stop you cold: every password reset link in the world is delivered straight to your inbox.
A criminal does not need to rob your bank. They just need your inbox. One account. Every other door opens wide. That is not a flaw in the system. That’s how email is designed to work. And many people protect it with the same password they’ve been using since the Bush administration.
No. That’s not the case anymore.
Cybercriminals scour the web for your banking information, personal documents and other related accounts. Experts say your email can be the gateway to this job. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
Here’s how fast it happened
The hacker goes to your bank’s website. Click “forgot password” and type your email address. The bank sends a reset link to your inbox. The hacker, already inside your email, clicks on it, creates a new password and logs right in. Then we do it on your Amazon. Your PayPal. Your brokerage. Your health insurance portal.
Each account takes about 60 seconds. It’s less effort than ordering a pizza.
The FBI calls this account takeover fraud, and it cost Americans $2.7 billion last year alone. The part that should really worry you: 81% of victims say they think they are “too cautious” about security beforehand. (Their words, not mine).
BEWARE OF SCAM EMAILS THAT CLAIM YOUR DATA HAS BEEN STOLEN
Three movements. There are no excuses
1. Get the real password for your email right now.
If your email password is less than 16 characters or is reused elsewhere, change it today. I use NordPass ($1.43 per month) to generate passwords that look like a cat walking on my keyboard. You remember one master password. It handles the rest. That’s all.
Experts say that protecting your email can limit your exposure and vulnerability to cybercrime. (Cyberguy.com)
2. Turn on two-factor authentication. But not the text message version.
Two things mean that even if someone steals your password, they won’t be able to get in without the second code. Good. But here’s what most people don’t know: SMS text codes can be hijacked with something called a SIM swap attack. The hacker calls your carrier, speaks to a customer service representative and transfers your phone number to their device. Now your “secure” text codes go directly to it.
Use it Google Authenticator in turn. It generates codes on your mobile phone, not through your carrier. Go to the security settings of your email account and change the SMS verification with the authentication app. It takes five minutes.
NEW EMAIL NETWORK USES HIDDEN CHARACTERS TO BREAK HOME FILTERS
3. Check all apps connected to your inbox.
Every time you clicked “Sign in with Google” to access a certain website or app, you were giving that app a key in your email. Some of those apps can read your messages. Others may send emails impersonating you. I did this test last year and found 34 apps that have access to my Gmail. Thirty four. Apps that I had completely forgotten are still there, they still hold the master key to everything.
Go here right now: myaccount.google.com > Security > Third-party apps with account access. Get rid of anything you don’t know or use regularly. It’s gone.
Experts say taking a few simple steps to check apps and emails will protect you from the dangers of cybercrime. (CyberGuy.com)
Your bank has a fraud department. Your credit card has liability protection. Your email? No one closes that but you.
Twenty minutes. Three movements. Lisa wishes she had done it on a boring Sunday afternoon instead of a panicked Tuesday night.
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Your inbox is a castle or an open door. There is no in between. And unlike your front door, this one doesn’t even need a deadbolt. Just solid security.
Kim Komando is America’s digital goddess, heard on 510 radio stations across the country. For more tips on staying safe online, visit Komando.com.
