Hacked Email

honru

Someone just hacked into one of my email accounts. I quickly changed the password but is that enough? Could this in the form of a hacking system or was it just pure luck?

kirving

hacked in or guessed the password? Is it webbased email and you clicked "remember me on this computer"?

honru

It's a Hotmail address and "remember me on this computer" was checked.

I need to decide soon whether to terminate the account completely.

aidan_walsh

It's a Hotmail address and "remember me on this computer" was checked.

Thats not your account being hacked, thats you being careless.

honru

I wasn't using a public computer.

This does look like a professional hack btw.

Karoma

f®eak s&#169 wrote: »

I wasn't using a public computer.

This does look like a professional hack btw.

Oh please, do explain.

red dave

f®eak s&#169 wrote: »

I wasn't using a public computer.

This does look like a professional hack btw.

someone gained access to your email on your computer while you were in your own home?

honru

I googled the email of the hacker and came back with numorous hacking tutorials.

tba

how do you know your account was hacked?

Karoma

tba wrote:

how do you know your account was hacked?

my gawd man! READ BACK! IT'S AS PLAIN AS DAY!

Asok

honru

Ah, there's no point supposing anymore, I'll terminate the account.

Karoma

f®eak s&#169 wrote: »

Ah, there's no point supposing anymore, I'll terminate the account.

It's Hotmail. Who cares?®

Any interest in a tinfoil hat? Going cheap...

Snowbat

IF you think your account has been hacked because you see a load of bounced messages for mail you did not send, you havent been hacked. A spammer has simply forged your address in their spam run (they pick a random address from their lists to use as the From or Reply-To headers).

IF you think you've been hacked because MSN or Hotmail sent you request to confirm your password change, someone is trying but it won't work unless you actually confirm the change.

IF you think you've been hacked because you've received a mail claiming that you need to run the attached program to reset your password, that's a hoax.


I've seen examples of the first two in the Hotmail account of a family member. I've seen examples of the third in our domail catchall account.

liamo

In addition to Snowbat's very sensible and informative reply, you have to apply a little common sense as well.

If you notice some suspicious activity on a server hosting on-line payment facilities then the correct assumption to make is that you have been (or are being) hacked and take action accordingly because your store of Credit Card details would make a nice target.

If you notice odd activity on a hotmail account, the last assumption you should make is that your account has been hacked. I mean, let's face it, what's the appeal of breaking into some random hotmail acount? Why would anyone go to the bother? It has no value, no prize, no attraction. You haven't been hacked.

Regards,

Liam

honru

"Hack" is probably the wrong term here, judging by the amusement of some others here, I'm just quoting what s/he told me. I'd say the person simply guessed the password.

I just want to make sure that this person doesn't have any access to my account now that I've changed the password. The other worry is credit card and other information. Guess I'll just have to keep a watchful eye out.

Ridire_Dubh

Hacks (or rather Cracks) happen. There are a lot of bright, bored snoops who are tired of playing off-the-shelf games or would like to take online RPGs to a new level by cracking someone's email and playing with them. I know a couple of guys at university in IS who do this, and they are not alone, according to them.

Oh, tin foil hats are passe'. How about tin foil tents? Maybe I should run out and file a patent?