14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just announced the debut of some new security features for user accounts, thus adding a new layer of security supposed to make it harder for cybercriminals to get access to private details.
Starting today, all user accounts come with a new option that showcase recent activity, which basically comes in handy whenever you're in doubt that someone else accessed your personal information.
“You know best what’s been happening with your account – so the more we give you tools to understand what’s happening, the better we can work together to protect your account. For example, a login from a new country might look suspicious to us, but you might know that you were simply on vacation or on a business trip,” Microsoft said in a statement.
Users who discover suspicious activity in their accounts can contact Microsoft with the help of a new button called “This wasn't me.”
“[It] will help you take steps to protect your account. We can also use this information to help us fine tune our protection mechanisms,” the company added.
At the same time, Redmond also introduced recovery codes to help users regain access to their accounts in case they forget the login credentials.
“Because two-step verification setup requires two verified pieces of security information, like a phone number and email address, it will be a rare occasion when both options fail, but in the event they do, we’ve got you covered. We’ve added the ability to create a secure recovery code, which can be used to regain access to your account if you lose access to your other security information,” Microsoft noted.
The security notification system has also been improved to allow users to choose where to get the alerts, with new options now including emails and phone numbers. This way, you can stay fully up to date whenever someone tries to reset your password, for instance.
All these improvements are currently being rolled out across the world, so it could take a few hours until you can see them in your account.