Secure Your Gmail Account Now As Hackers Attack — Here’s How

As one of the 1.8 billion active Gmail users in 2025, it's natural to feel concerned about the constant stream of headlines warning of sophisticated attacks attempting to compromise Gmail accounts. You'd be forgiven for thinking that all hope is lost, but there are steps you can take to protect your account and prevent hackers from gaining access to your confidential data.

Putting The Gmail Account Attack Surface In Perspective

While it's true that Gmail is a popular target for cybercriminals, including state-sponsored actors with spying in mind and ransomware groups seeking an easy way into a network, the platform itself has numerous security measures in place to prevent attacks. From large language models trained on phishing, malware, and spam emails to new rules covering strict sender authentication protocols that have had an incredible impact on reducing malicious spam received by Gmail account holders, Gmail is actually a pretty safe place to be.

However, attacks do happen, and Gmail account holders may find themselves compromised. The key is to be proactive with your security protections, working alongside the defenses that Google already has in place, to ensure that your email does not fall into the hands of hackers.

Gmail Account Attack Defense Step One — The Google Security Checkup

The first step in securing your Gmail account is to take advantage of the Google Security Checkup. This feature represents the most efficient way to ensure that several security protections are in place, covering everything from two-factor authentication status to email forwarding activations and safe browsing controls. The best part? It's automatic, as soon as you land on the security checkup page, all the details have already been compiled and are waiting for you in an easy-to-use checklist format.

Gmail Account Attack Defense Step Two — Use The App

As attackers continue to exploit novel methods to trap Gmail users, particularly those whose threats start with phishing campaigns, using the Gmail smartphone app could be your best defensive bet. One tactic employed by social engineers is link-hovering attacks, where edited mouseover text is used to make a link appear legitimate. However, this shortcoming doesn't exist in the Gmail app, which blocks over 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts, and malware from reaching users.

Gmail Account Attack Defense Step Three — Check Your Account Activity

The increasingly sophisticated methods being employed by threat actors demand that users take two vital steps to better protect their Gmail accounts in the face of such attacks. First, when receiving a phishing email or making an urgent telephone call, it's essential to take a deep breath and count to 10 before taking any action. This simple delay can provide valuable protection against potentially costly mistakes.

Second, check your account activity to see if any devices other than your own have been using the account. In most cases, this will reveal that no unauthorized devices are accessing your account, thus preventing hackers from gaining access.

Gmail Account Attack Defense Step Four — Employ Additional Protections

Working on the basis that the more you know, the more you can do and the better you'll be protected, here are two additional steps to help secure your Gmail account:

• Use a strong password and consider enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for an added layer of security.
• Monitor your account activity regularly to detect any suspicious behavior.

Conclusion

By following these simple steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to a phishing attack or having your Gmail account compromised. Remember, being proactive and establishing your defenses now will help you continue to use the most popular email platform with less risk.