Data breach after data breach has illustrated just how weak and ineffective passwords can be for protecting accounts and sensitive information. Many sites and services have implemented secondary security protocols and two-factor authentication, but users frequently use information and email accounts that can be easily compromised—giving attackers a simple way to access your information.

One common secondary protocol is to have users supply an alternate email address. Sites and services will use the primary email address 99 percent of the time, but if something happens with that email account, or additional verification is necessary to prove you are really you, a message will be sent to the alternate email address. That alternate email address is often a weak link attackers can exploit.

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