It often starts like this:
• An email that looks harmless but hides a hacking attempt.
• A password that’s too weak.
• An inbox with poor protection.
Your email inbox is the cornerstone of your digital life.
It lets you reset passwords for all your services — bank, social media, taxes, cloud, health, and more.
If someone with bad intentions takes control of it, everything falls apart.
A hacker who accesses your email inbox can:
• Read your private messages
• Steal your identity
• Reset passwords for your other accounts
• Access your bank accounts, medical records, and public services
• Trick your contacts by pretending to be you
• …
And yet, many people still use the same password everywhere, skip two-factor authentication, and think “it only happens to others.” Until one day…
Why a Fake Email Can Cost You Your Inbox
Even if a phishing email seems to come from a trusted company like La Poste or Amazon, it can still compromise your mailbox:
• If you reuse the same password across sites, hackers will try it on your email account.
• Fraudulent sites often mimic Gmail, Outlook, etc., to deceive you.
• Just one mistake — one click, one password — can open every door.
My Password Might Already Be Compromised Without My Knowledge
In 2025, the CNIL (French Data Protection Authority) reminded the public that there’s a database containing over 16 billion stolen login credentials, freely accessible online.
This means that even if you’ve never been hacked, but you use the same password everywhere — and it’s part of that database — you’re at risk.
(Source: CNIL, June 2025)
https://www.cnil.fr/fr/exposition-de-16-milliards-didentifiants-et-des-mots-de-passe-que-faire
The Vital Reflex: Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Even if a hacker knows your password, 2FA adds a second key:
a temporary code sent to your phone or generated by a secure app.
Without that code, they can’t log in.
H’API recommends:
• Enabling 2FA on all your sensitive accounts (email, bank, social media…).
• Using a dedicated 2FA app.
• Avoiding the same email address for everything.
• Using a unique password for each account.
A Few Numbers to Put Things in Perspective
• 75% of French people believe they use complex passwords, but only 69% say they’re also long, unique, and different on each site.
(Source: FBF Study – 2024)
https://www.fbf.fr/fr/etude-2024-sur-les-perceptions-et-comportements-des-francais-en-matiere-de-cybersecurite
• Email hacking remains one of the most common cyberattacks in 2024.
(Source: cybermalveillance.gouv.fr – 2024)
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr/medias/2025/03/250327_RA_2024_SCREEN.pdf
Progress… But Still Fragile
French users are improving: a majority now create more complex, unique passwords.
But this progress remains fragile as long as practices like two-factor authentication and password managers don’t become the norm.
Since hackers only need one weak spot to strike, danger often hides in the smallest oversights.
What H’API Can Do for You
• Security audit of your email accounts
• Setup of a password manager
• Installation of a 2FA application
• Training on good digital habits
Don’t Leave the Door Open
Just one compromised inbox is enough to expose your entire digital life.
Why not start securing your most important accounts today?
Need a hand?
H’API is here to guide you — step by step.