If you entered your email password, shared a verification code, approved an unexpected sign-in, or see unfamiliar activity, treat the account as compromised. If you are locked out, go straight to your provider’s official recovery page. If you still have access, use a device you believe is clean to secure the account. A click by itself does not prove someone accessed your email; if you entered nothing and downloaded nothing, close the page and watch for alerts.
First, work out what happened
- You only opened a link: Close the page and do not enter information, approve prompts, or download anything. A click alone does not establish that your mailbox was compromised. Watch for unfamiliar sign-in alerts and check your account’s security activity.
- You entered a password, shared a one-time code, or approved a sign-in: Assume the attacker may have gained access. Follow the account-cleanup steps below, even if you can still sign in.
- You downloaded or ran a file: Treat the device as potentially infected. Update its security software, run a scan, remove detected suspicious software, and restart. The FTC advises addressing suspected malware before changing credentials; then change your password from a device you believe is clean. See the FTC’s Hacked Email: What to Do.
- You cannot sign in: Use your provider’s official recovery process, reached by typing its known website address or using a trusted bookmark—not a recovery link in the suspicious message. The FTC lists recovery routes for major services in How To Recover Your Hacked Email or Social Media Account. Microsoft account users can use Microsoft’s hacked-account recovery guide.
If this is a work or school mailbox, contact your IT or security team promptly. They can revoke access and check administrator-level settings; do not try to run administrator response steps yourself.
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Secure access to the account
Change the password and any reused passwords
From a device you believe is clean, set a new, unique password for the email account. The FTC’s October 2024 consumer guidance suggests aiming for 12 to 15 characters or using a passphrase; that is practical advice, not a guarantee against phishing or a universal technical threshold. Change passwords on other accounts anywhere you reused the exposed password or a similar one. A password manager can help generate and keep track of distinct passwords, but it is optional. See the FTC’s October 2024 guidance and CISA’s phishing tips.
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In the provider’s security settings, choose the control to sign out of other devices or revoke active sessions, then enable multifactor authentication (MFA), also called two-step verification or 2FA. Changing a password alone may not end every existing session. As the FTC explains, “With 2FA, you’ll have to enter your password and something else to log in.” MFA makes a stolen password alone less likely to be enough, though methods differ in their resistance to phishing. CISA recommends MFA for email in More than a Password.
#1 Best Overall
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
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When your provider supports them, phishing-resistant MFA options such as a compatible FIDO2/WebAuthn security key offer stronger protection against fake sign-in pages. CISA identifies phishing-resistant MFA as the most secure form in its January 2023 fact sheet. A general preference order in CISA’s email-security guidance is physical security keys, authenticator-app codes, SMS codes, then email-based codes; this is a broad hierarchy, not a guarantee for every provider or account. Check which options your provider supports and keep recovery options safe. SMS and email codes are not phishing-resistant MFA. See CISA’s email-based attack guidance.
Check recovery details
Review the recovery phone number and email address on the account. Remove anything you do not recognize and make sure the remaining options are yours and accessible. If an attacker changed them, use the provider’s official recovery process and tell your work or school administrator if the account is managed.
Rank #2
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
Look for ways an attacker could keep using the mailbox
After a takeover, an attacker may leave settings behind that continue exposing messages or sending mail. In the account settings, inspect:
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- Inbox rules or filters, especially rules that forward, hide, delete, or mark messages as read.
- Connected apps, third-party account access, and app passwords; remove entries you do not recognize.
- Sent and deleted folders for messages you did not send or unexpected deletions.
- Recent security activity and account details for unfamiliar devices or sign-in methods.
For a personal account, use the provider’s current security and mail settings; labels and controls vary. If it is Microsoft 365 at work or school, ask the administrator to review active sessions, registered MFA methods, app consent, forwarding, and hidden inbox rules. Microsoft notes that resetting an account password does not automatically revoke app passwords. Its administrator guidance is Respond to a compromised email account in Microsoft 365.
Rank #3
- Security Key : Protect your online accounts against unauthorized access by using FIDO2 and U2F authentication with T110. It's the world's most protective security key that works with windows, Mac OS, Linux as well as Chrome, Firefox, Edge and many other major browsers.
- Certified with the new FIDO2 standard, T110 provides the benefit of fast login and strong protection against phishing, account takeover as well as many other online attactks.
- Works with : Bank of America, Github, Google, Microsoft, DUO, Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, Apple, ebay, BINANCE, mor and more.
- Fits USB-A port : Insert the T110 security key into the USB-A port of each service and log in conveniently with one touch
- For the driver download and user guide, please visit TrustKey Solutions Home support page.
Limit harm to contacts and other accounts
Tell contacts through another channel that your email may have been compromised. Ask them not to open links, attachments, or money requests from suspicious messages sent in your name. If the attacker may have accessed personal information beyond the mailbox, the FTC directs US consumers to IdentityTheft.gov for identity-theft recovery steps.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5C NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5C NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
After cleanup, reduce the chance of a repeat
- Keep MFA enabled and retain secure recovery options so you can regain access if you lose a device or key.
- Use a different password for every important account, particularly accounts that use the email address for password resets.
- Be cautious with unexpected sign-in prompts and requests for one-time codes; never share a code in response to an unsolicited message or call.
- For future suspicious messages, go to a service by its known address rather than following a link in the message.
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