What to Do if Your Email is Compromised and Sending Spam
Email compromises are one of the most common cybersecurity issues, and if your account is hijacked to send out mass spam emails, acting quickly is critical. If you’ve confirmed that these emails are not being sent by you intentionally, follow these steps immediately:
1. Notify Your IT Department Immediately
The first step is to contact your IT staff, department, or provider as soon as possible. They need to know about the incident so they can take swift action to secure your account and prevent further spam from being sent.
2. Change Your Password Right Away
If you have the ability, reset your password immediately. Choose a strong, unique password that you are not using anywhere else. If you’re unable to do this on your own, have your IT team assist you.
3. Reset Sign-In Sessions and Secure Your Account
Your IT team should help you reset all active sign-in sessions across devices. This step forces any unauthorized users out of your account. They can also run a security check to determine how the attacker gained access.
4. Assess the Damage
Once you’ve regained control, your IT staff can review how many emails were sent out and whether any sensitive information was accessed or stolen.
5. Notify Your Contacts
Send a follow-up email to everyone who may have received the spam, letting them know the earlier message was fraudulent. Remind them not to click any links or download any attachments from the fake emails.
6. Educate Yourself on Phishing and Email Security
Most email compromises happen because of phishing scams. Always double-check links, verify sender addresses, and never enter your credentials on a site you accessed through an email link. Consider enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) for added security.
Stay Protected with a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
The best way to prevent future email compromises is to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity. A Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) monitors threats, runs vulnerability scans, protects your email systems, and ensures you stay compliant with industry security standards.
Our MSSP services include vulnerability scanning, HIPAA security risk assessment, penetration testing, email security, PCI compliance assessment, and managed monitoring designed specifically for senior living organizations.
Don’t wait until after a breach to secure your systems. Contact us today to learn how we can protect your organization from cyber threats while keeping your staff and residents safe.