Cyber security basics: protect your accounts and prepare to recover them

If you lost your phone today, could you get back into your email? That question gives you a practical starting point. Protecting an account includes choosing how you sign in and preparing an alternative for when your usual device is unavailable. Start with one account, then repeat the review for the others.

1. Start with your main email account

Email is often used to reset passwords for other services, which makes it a priority. Open the app or type the official address you already know and go to its security settings. Identify your sign-in method, recovery options and devices with active sessions. You do not need to post screenshots or share these details to check them. NCSC.

2. Choose a more resistant sign-in method

If the service offers passkeys, review that option. They let you sign in by unlocking your device, for example with a fingerprint, face recognition or PIN, and resist phishing attempts that try to capture a password. Set them up on a device of your own and protect its unlock method: someone who can unlock it may be able to access your accounts. Availability and recovery depend on the provider. Google Account Help.

If you still use passwords, choose a long, different one for each account. A password manager can generate and store them; protect its own access and review how to recover it. Turn on two-step verification where available. It adds a further check when signing in. Reading the advice does not complete the task: return to the settings and confirm which method is active. NCSC NCSC.

3. Prepare recovery before you need it

Check that your recovery email address and phone number are still yours and accessible. The recovery email address should be different from the one you are trying to recover. If your provider offers backup codes, keep them somewhere protected that you can reach without your phone. With Google, each code works once, and generating a new set invalidates the previous one. Other services may work differently. Google Account Help Google Account Help.

Make a simple check: identify where your fallback is and how you would reach it without your usual device. Do not close your only session or remove a method to test this. Before changing your phone or number, consult the provider’s instructions; some recovery changes take time to apply. Google Account Help.

4. Check messages independently

“Your account closes today. Click here to stop it”. This is a fictional example of pressure to act quickly. When an unexpected alert arrives, open the official app or an address you already know and check what is happening there. If you need to contact the company, use a channel you have found independently. The name and logo on a message do not prove who sent it. Do not give passwords or codes to someone asking for them. FTC.

5. Update and check your backups

Check updates for your operating system, browser and apps. Enable automatic updates where possible. Keep a separate copy of important files in a backup service or on a protected external drive. Check its date and open a file from it. If you use a removable drive, disconnect it when you are not backing up. If you use cloud storage, protect that account too. Having a recent copy and being able to recover it are separate checks. NCSC NCSC.

6. If you detect unauthorised access

From a device you trust, follow the official recovery process. Change the affected password and those on any other accounts where you reused it. Review connected devices and apps, end unauthorised access and check whether email forwarding or recovery options have been added. If someone sent messages in your name, warn your contacts through a channel you control. Contact your bank through its official channel over unrecognised charges or exposed bank details. NCSC.

Your final check

Before marking the review as complete, ask: do I know how I protect my email? Do I have a fallback I can reach without my phone? Do I verify alerts through a known channel? Have I checked updates? Could I open a file from my backup? Choose one unfinished task and complete it. Save this guide and revisit it when you change your device, number or sign-in method.

General guidance based on official documentation checked on 14 October 2026. Menus and available methods vary by service. References to Google explain specific features; they are not sponsorship or a purchase recommendation.