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Never get locked out of your email again by doing this

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Never get locked out of your email again by doing this

Getting locked out of your email is no fun. To start, maybe you forgot your username or password, and now you have to go through all the security verification steps to reset it. Or perhaps you thought you knew your information, but with too many attempts, you’ve been locked out of your account entirely. This could also happen if someone else attempted to log in to your account with a similar username to yours and, with all their incorrect attempts, accidentally locked you out in the process.

Even if you have account recovery information on file, sometimes it’s not enough. Maybe the recovery information you have on a file is with an old email or one you don’t remember the login information for. We’ve all been there.

Whatever the case, getting back into your account depends on why you can’t access it in the first place. Many of us rely on our email daily – whether to stay in touch with friends or family, receive newsletters or handle essential documents and correspondence – so it’s important to know what to do if you ever get locked out of your email.

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Person typing on laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to get back into your email account on:

Outlook

How to unlock Outlook page (Microsoft) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Go to the sign-in page: Visit the Outlook.com sign-in page and click “Forgot my password.”

  • Verify your identity: Choose why you need your password reset and then continue. For security purposes, you’ll be asked to enter your email address and the characters you see on the screen.
  • Receive a security code: Choose how you want to get the security code (usually via an alternate email or SMS). Enter the code you receive to verify your identity.
  • Reset your password: Create a new password once your identity is confirmed.

If your account gets blocked, you can also visit their account recovery help here.

MORE: BEST PRIVATE AND SECURE EMAIL PROVIDERS 2024

AOL

Fix problems signing into your AOL account page (AOL) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Access the AOL sign-in page: Navigate to the AOL sign-in page and click “Forgot password?”

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  • Verify information: Provide the email address or phone number linked to your account and follow the on-screen instructions.
  • Choose how to reset your password: You’ll receive options for resetting your password, including receiving a verification code via email or SMS.
  • Reset the password: Enter the verification code received and create a new password.

If you’re still locked out of your account, visit AOL’s help page here.

DuckDuckGo Email

DuckDuckGo email support page (DuckDuckGo) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

DuckDuckGo provides email forwarding services through @duck.com addresses linked to your primary email. Here are the steps if you’re locked out.

  • Access DuckDuckGo settings: Since DuckDuckGo email is not a full-fledged email provider but a forwarding service, you’ll need to access your DuckDuckGo settings through their website.
  • Manage your Email Protection: In the settings, navigate to Email Protection and verify your identity as needed.
  • Check linked email: Ensure your primary email address is correct and has access. If not, follow the recovery process for your primary email provider.

If you have trouble logging in, DuckDuckGo recommends contacting their support team at support@duck.com. You can read more about it on their help pages.

MORE: UNFORGETTABLE MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS 2024

Yahoo

Fix problems signing into your Yahoo account page (Yahoo) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Visit the Help site: Go to the Yahoo sign-in helper page.

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  • Enter your Yahoo ID: Input your Yahoo email address and continue. You may also be asked to enter the CAPTCHA code. Then click “Forgot Password?”
  • Choose your recovery method: You can choose to receive a verification code via email or text message to a registered alternate email address or phone number.
  • Enter the verification code: Type the verification code you received to verify your identity.
  • Create a new password: After verification, you will be prompted to create a new password.

MORE: 5 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT BULLETPROOF

StartMail

I forgot my password page (StartMail) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

  • Visit the recovery page: Go to the StartMail log-in page and click on “Forgot your password?”.
  • Enter your account details: Provide your StartMail account email address.
  • Verification via backup email: You’ll receive an email with instructions to reset your password at your backup email address.
  • Reset your password: Follow the instructions in the email to reset your password.

StartMail uses a recovery email or a one-time verification code if you get locked out. This will have to be set up when you first open the account. For additional support for each one of these steps, visit here.

Gmail

How to recover your Google Gmail page (Gmail) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Visit Account Recovery: Go to the Google Account Recovery page at https://accounts.google.com/signin/recovery.

  • Enter your Gmail address: Input the email address you need to access. Click “Next.”
  • Verify your identity: You’ll be prompted with several ways to verify your identity. Choose the most convenient option, which might include answering security questions, receiving a verification code via text or a phone call to a previously configured recovery phone number, or sending a verification code to a recovery email address you had set up.
  • Receive and enter the verification code: If you opt to receive a code, enter it in the provided space to proceed.
  • Reset your password: Once verified, you can set a new password. Choose a strong and secure password that hasn’t been used on your account before.
  • Recovery without sufficient information: If you can’t provide enough information to verify your account immediately, keep trying. Google might offer additional questions or options after several attempts or after some time has passed.
  • Follow additional instructions: If you successfully verify your identity, follow any further instructions from Google to regain access to your account.

The nice thing about Gmail is that you have unlimited attempts. They won’t lock you out, so you can continue to try. If you need additional help, visit their account recovery help page here.

MORE: HOW A FLAW IN IPHONE’S SECURITY COULD LEAVE YOU LOCKED OUT

Kurt’s key takeaways

We’ve all been locked out of our accounts at one point or another. Luckily, most email platforms make it relatively simple to get back in, with security at the top of mind. That being said, storing your usernames and passwords somewhere safe (the old pen-and-paper method does the trick) so you don’t risk getting locked out. Of course, be sure to use secure password best practices whenever you can.

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Have you ever been locked out of one of your email accounts to the point where you had to create a new account altogether? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Technology

Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Malicious browser extensions hit 4.3M users
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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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