Yahoo will now notify its users if they become the victims of state-sponsored attacks, joining Google and Facebook who already do that if they detect the security of their users' accounts has been compromised. The company stated in a blog post that the notifications will be provided so users can take steps to protect their accounts and mobile devices.
Yahoo's chief information security officer Bob Lord shared the information in a blog post. The alerts mirror Facebook's reasoning that more complex attacks warrant separate security alerts.
Yahoo has promised that it will only issue the alerts when it has a high level of confidence that a foreign government or state has conducted a cyberattack. The tech giant has not detailed how it detects the security vulnerabilities.
It also pointed out that receiving a notification does not mean that one's account has been compromised. It suggests the person could have been the target of an attack.
Yahoo account-holders who get a security alert should take quick actions. They include using a stronger password and using two-factor authentication, according to The Verge.
People should also check their settings for mail-forwarding and reply-to. The reason is that hackers could have adjusted them so email is automatically forwarded or replied to a malicious third party.
Yahoo also warned against the dangers of phishing attacks. People can help to protect themselves by installing antivirus software.
Google started issuing the security alerts in 2012 in the form of pink bars at the top of a user's screen, according to PC Mag. Facebook has a desktop alert system, while Twitter uses warning emails.