email acount hackable?

Bob Z

is it a bad idea to keep details of password, bank details in your email account?

Random

It's a bad ideas to keep details of anything anywhere. The more places they are stored the more likely someone may be able to gain access.

I wouldn't store them in my email account. If anything the safest place is on a printed piece of paper at home in your bedroom (IMO) or else get some encryption on your PC and encrypt the files.

Everyone uses their email accounts for everything essentially. Gaining access to someones email account you'll be able to get password reminders for most services. Don't make it any easier for people.

(I'm not trying to be paranoid, doubt anyone will come after you .. but you know ... )

Bob Z

A friend of mine got her email account broken into. Whoever hacked it started sending dodgy emails from her account advertising a chinese website.

How exactly do they hack into it? how do they get the details?

Random

It depends who the account is hosting with, who you give your password to, what computers you login to your account on etc.

Bob Z

writing them down on a piece of paper or storing them on your computer is a good idea but what if the pare gets lost or your pc gets broke?

Random

This is why I say not to write them down anywhere Commit them to memory.

If they are to be recorded somewhere keep them in as few places as possible. I say a piece of paper in your bedroom because that can only be accessed by someone in your bedroom and it's not networked or linked to everything.

I say encrypted on your own PC because it's safer than some random web/email server.

Overheal

im stupid. I use my email for my password locker. Just because its always there, and searchable.

Im well aware of the risk, and pretty paranoid about it. If I even mildly suspect anything funny, I will change the password. And its password is unique to the email account. No other comprimised account I own will lead to the loss of my email. And damned if I will ever give out my email password to another website (like facebook, who constantly asks to search your contact list for possible friends).

It could fail me at any time, really. Who knows. One bad worm or keylogger on a public machine. And there goes my identity on the internet.

If youre not in the habit already: dont get into it. Keep your accounts and password data stored somewhere else. If keeping it at your desk at home, keep it somewhere safe. That nobody is going to find it during a break-in.

Another hot tip I found on lifehacker one day: pick One Password... bear with me. With this one password, you put a footer/header word on it. For example, boardsPassword12345, ebayPassword12345, etc.

But obviously, more, stronger passwords, are more effective from a security standpoint. They just make it more difficult to recall.

But really, if you dont need passwords in email. Your email lets you recover your password from virtually every website you register to. If someone gets your email, with or without your other passwords: you can be ****ed.

Latchy

Never ever use a public PC ie, libary / internet shop to use a credit card on or log into your email / bank accounts etc .

At least with your own pc you are in control over your personell security .

PogMoThoin

Lastpass is all You'll need for those online passwords, You get an addon for firefox which will log You in on each site. I have one password and all the rest are completely randomly generated.