The internet can be a dangerous place, and there are some tips and rules you should follow to keep your account secure on Chess.com!
Remember to log out of your account before you leave the computer, even if it’s a home computer.
Never open an attachment from someone you don’t know. No matter how tempting! These can often contain viruses or spyware.
Never share your password with anyone! A Chess.com staff member will never ask for your password.
For MAXIMUM security, passwords should contain the following:
- Be at least 10 characters long
- Contain no words or names associated with you
- Be a mix of letters and numbers with no repeating characters
- Use capitalization and lowercase letters
- Include special characters such as ! > - + [ } @ * & ?Never send money or account information to a non-validated source. Memberships are bought through our membership page. A Chess.com staff member will never ask for your password, or ask for money directly.
If someone sends you a link, look carefully at the web address before clicking. If it is from someone you don't know, avoid clicking!
Never give out identifying information such as your name, home address, school name, or telephone number. This kind of information can be used to steal your accounts, not just your Chess.com account, but your bank, email or more! Keep that info to yourself!
If your password was compromised
Compromised passwords can often occur when someone uses the same password on multiple websites. Chess.com uses state-of-the-art password encryption, and while our website data has not been breached, a shared password can become public if one uses the same password on another website whose data has been breached.
We ask that you run an anti-virus anti-malware program to make sure that any malware or keylogger software that may have compromised your account has been removed (if you have an anti-virus make sure it has the latest update and run a virus check on your device). However, the probability of that happening is VERY low.
VPN services offered through anti-virus programs also offer password protection. These services are often found through McAfee, Norton, or other anti-virus software. With a quick google search, I'm sure you'll find numerous others!
We recommend that you join a website that will advise you when your email is caught up in a data leak. There are number of web services that offer these services and can be found with a quick Google search.
As long as you have updated your password to a secure one that you use only on Chess.com, your account is secure!