Is there a way to check if an email address has been hacked in France?
Following several recent data breaches in France, readers are asking how to spot suspicious activity on their accounts
There are several signs that your account may have been compromised
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Reader Question: I have noticed unusual activity on my email account and believe it may have been hacked. Is there a way to check this and what should I do if it is confirmed?
Email is one of the most important parts of our digital lives, yet we share it across multiple platforms with ease.
Recent cyberattacks in France affecting booking platforms and public services, have increased the risk of phishing emails (fraudulent messages in order to steal sensitive information) and other scams using stolen personal information.
Once an email account is compromised, hackers can gain access to sensitive information and are able to send phishing emails to your contacts.
What are the signs your account has been hacked?
There are several indicators that your account may have been compromised, such as unfamiliar device logins, emails sent to your contacts that you did not write, changes to recovery information, security alerts, or automatic email forwarding.
If an unknown device logs into your email account, your provider will usually send a notification about suspicious activity. If you receive such an alert, you are advised to confirm that you did not make the login attempt.
If emails are sent from your account without your knowledge, this may indicate that your account has been compromised. The same applies to automatic email forwarding, which hackers may enable to secretly receive your incoming messages. You can check whether this has been activated in your email settings.
Security alerts may also include warnings about unusual or suspended activity, so these should always be taken seriously. Changes to recovery information can indicate that a hacker is attempting to lock you out of your account.
How can you check if your account has been hacked?
If you suspect that your account may be compromised, there are several free websites that can help you check for potential breaches.
These include Avast, Have I Been Pwned, and Norton. With ‘Have I Been Pwned’, you can also register to receive notifications in case another breach takes place.
You enter your email address, and these sites will check whether your details have appeared in known data breaches, rather than scanning your account directly, allowing you to take appropriate action.
Additionally, you can also use French Breaches to check whether a site you are using has been breached.
What to do if your email has been hacked
First, try to sign in to your account. If you cannot access it because the password has been changed, you can use the account recovery process provided by your account or email provider (for example, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo, social media platforms etc) and answer the security questions as accurately as possible to regain access, according to guidance from Cybermalveillance.gouv.
Once you have regained access, you should immediately change your password and ensure it is strong and unique. If you are still unable to access your account, you should contact the provider’s official support service.
You should then review your account activity in the security settings (for example “Security & Sign-in” or “Recent activity”). If you notice any activity that you do not recognise, you can report it as unauthorised and use the available options (such as “It wasn’t me”) to secure your account.
It is also important to check the list of devices connected to your account. Any unrecognised devices should be disconnected. You should also review third-party applications with access to your account and remove any that you do not recognise.
Cybermalveillance Gouv also recommended two-step verification. This adds an extra layer of security, as a password and a verification code sent to your phone / security key / backup code etc will be needed to access the account.
In addition, Google’s support centre suggest procedures to follow, including scanning your devices with trusted antivirus software, since malware may be used to steal login credentials.
If you have used the same password on other websites, you should change it there as well.
Finally, if your account contains sensitive personal or financial information, you should advise your bank and/or relevant authorities if you suspect fraud or identity theft, and consider reporting the incident through official national cybercrime reporting channels.
