In my case, Google tells me that there is an issue found, and asks me if I still need to use the app password for the Mail app on my Mac. Messages transiting to third-party providers are encrypted with Transport Layer Security … A few steps may help secure your lost or stolen device Ask a community expert. It’s a good idea to set it up if you haven’t already. That Google prompt contains information like your email ID, device OS that is trying to access your account, location, time, and two self-explanatory options. Given how much hackers love to pretend to be Google to trick victims into giving away their passwords, perhaps that would have been a better design for this alert as well. As a security … You … You can also edit and verify a phone number that you use for two-factor authentication. Click this, and you’ll see a number of settings. Take 2 minutes to check your security status and get personalized tips to strengthen the security of your Google Account. It also shows a password for an Android phone I own, that I haven’t used in months. Google offers a similar feature, which protects your email and the rest of your Google account. You can then manage what you share on YouTube, manage Google Photos settings, and more. “Unforgivable for Google to send this out en masse.”, Read more: The Motherboard Guide to Not Getting Hacked. We’ve discussed two-step verification for a number of services, such as Amazon and iCloud. Last week, my partner got a strange email alert from Google—or at least it looked like it came from Google. “I am sure the now panicked user just wants to know what to do,” he told me in an online chat. Google has a full set of tools you can use to check and tweak your security settings, for both Gmail and for the rest of its services. Click the three-dot menu and choose Sign Out. Get six of our favorite Motherboard stories every day by signing up for our newsletter. This section is where you update information about yourself, such as your name, date of birth, and password; this is information that is visible to others in your Google profile. When you use Google for your email—as well as for search, maps, and more—there are a number of security and privacy options you can set. Start with the Security Checkup (this may display Security issues found, if there are issues you need to check). Posted on If you’ve received this email, we recommend you review your recent activity: Go to your Google Account. To avoid misunderstandings, these alerts don’t come in an email, but are displayed in the browser. There are five items in this checklist to run through. See below for more on Gmail settings. The second step is a number of security tips specific to a computer, an Android device, or an iPhone or iPad. If you need more information, click Don’t recognize a device? Alarmed and confused, she immediately forwarded it to me. Lots of people use Gmail for their email, either using Google’s website in a web browser, or through an email client. In this article, you will discover how to run a Google Security Checkup, a Privacy Checkup, and how to tweak Google’s settings, so your account is secure. There are no specifics in it because the company wanted to avoid giving hackers hints about what was wrong with the account, and the company concluded that the extra click required to get to the checkup was a security feature in this case. The email address of the sender is no-reply@accounts.google.com, and Gmail itself tells me it’s mailed by gaia.bounces.google.com and signed by accounts.google.com. When you send an email, share a video, visit a website, or store your photos, the data you create moves between your device, Google services, and our data centers. and follow the instructions. You can edit your contact info – alternate email addresses, a recovery email address, and others. It’s a good idea to go through all of these security and privacy checks from time to time. Harlo Holmes, a digital security trainer at the Freedom of The Press foundation, told me that the design of this email alert “reinforces” the user error of clicking on phishing links. January 20th, 2020 by These are computers, tablets, and smartphones that have logged into your Google account. Holmes stressed that when someone receives an alert like this, the right thing to do is to first “take a deep breath,” and then open a new browser window and manually type and navigate to the settings of the service in question (in this case, to myaccount.google.com/security-checkup) and see what’s going on there, without ever clicking on the link in the email. You’ll see several main sections on this page, one for Privacy & Personalization, one for Security Checkup, one for Account storage, and one that offers to let you Take the Privacy Check-up. Check those, if there are any. If you have already set up 2-Step Verification, you’ll see your phone numbers here, and you’ll also see if you have set up an authenticator app to create one-time codes. Got a tip? Enhanced email security Google Workspace allows administrators to set customized rules requiring email messages to be signed and encrypted using Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME). Begin by going to myaccount.google.com, where you can manage many of the settings for your Google account. Both when she forwarded it to me last week, and when I got an identical alert today. If you’ve recently sold or given away a device, it’s a good idea to remove it from the list. If anything looks suspicious, click Don’t recognize an event? In the Security section, you’ll see some settings that also show up in the Google Security Checkup, described above. You can contact this reporter securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, OTR chat at lorenzo@jabber.ccc.de, or email lorenzo@motherboard.tv. two-step verification for a number of services, How to Prepare Your Mac to Upgrade to macOS Big Sur: the Ultimate Guide, How to switch search engines on macOS and iOS (and why you should), Top 10 online scams: Watch out for these common red flags, Apple releases iOS 14, watchOS 7 and more with security updates, Fancy Bear, ReVoLTE, and Instagram’s biometric theft – Weekly privacy news, August 21, 2020, Chinese laws, DOJ vs CA, and more – Weekly privacy news, August 14, 2020, U.S. exposes Chinese malware Taidoor – Weekly privacy news, August 7, 2020, Apple HomePod mini Review: Siri in a Compact Speaker, Apple Announces First Macs with Apple Silicon, Apple Announces iPhone 12 and HomePod mini, Review: Apple Watch Series 6 & Solo Loop Band, How to auto-delete Google history every 3 months instead of 18, 9 Security and Privacy Settings to Activate on Your New iPhone or iPad, Intego Mac Podcast Episode 116, Save Safari settings for websites you visit often. When you use Google for your email—as well as for search, maps, and more—there are a number of security and privacy options you can set. However, I found that I had an old, expired credit card in the Payment methods section; I don’t remember ever using it, and it had expired two years ago, but I deleted it anyway. Share your comments below! The first step sends you to the Google Security Checkup discussed above. Note: If you’re a journalist, activist, or someone else at risk of targeted online attacks, learn about the Advanced Protection Program. The email address of the sender is no-reply@accounts.google.com, and Gmail itself tells me it’s mailed by gaia.bounces.google.com and signed by accounts.google.com.