Well... I got hacked.

[Prof.]

Someone, IDK who, hacked my MySpace account and Facebook account and deleted everything. IDK how they did it seeing not a lot of ppl know my .mac address and no one knows my password but they did.

The funny thing is tho... if you know my Facebook email and password, you'd know my .Mac password so why didn't they hack/delete everything on my .Mac account? I'm glad they didn't but if you wanna cause that much damage... you know.

Any who, I have changed every single one of my passwords (including my .Mac account) so hopefully this won't happen again. As for my MySpace and Facebook? It's gonna be a long time before I get those back up and running. I gotta add all those ppl again.

*sigh*

Okay I'm done.

 

[nomar383]

Someone, IDK who, hacked my MySpace account and Facebook account and deleted everything. IDK how they did it seeing not a lot of ppl know my .mac address and no one knows my password but they did.

The funny thing is tho... if you know my Facebook email and password, you'd know my .Mac password so why didn't they hack/delete everything on my .Mac account? I'm glad they didn't but if you wanna cause that much damage... you know.

Any who, I have changed every single one of my passwords (including my .Mac account) so hopefully this won't happen again. As for my MySpace and Facebook? It's gonna be a long time before I get those back up and running. I gotta add all those ppl again.

*sigh*

Okay I'm done.

Bummer dude. You should look into 1password for password management. Then you could have complex passwords for all your services and you would only need to remember one

 

[mikeyPotg]

Hm... being that its just the social networking sites... perhaps its someone you know? Maybe a crazy jealous ex or something? Just a thought, but sorry to hear.

 

[mooncaine]

I saw your post, and then, later today, came across this, which is about how spammers can get past the annoying "CAPTCHA" images that we are faced with when we try to create accounts or change passwords:

http://tinyurl.com/6on9e6

Maybe your attacker used one of those tricks.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Bummer. Sorry to hear that you got hacked.

 

[Consultant]

I saw your post, and then, later today, came across this, which is about how spammers can get past the annoying "CAPTCHA" images that we are faced with when we try to create accounts or change passwords:

http://tinyurl.com/6on9e6

Maybe your attacker used one of those tricks.

Good article. Probably what happened.

 

[r1ch4rd]

Not a nice thing to happen, but at least they only deleted your Facebook and MySpace pages. You might want to try something like this to ensure that you have a good strong password. You don't want this to happen to something more important like your online banking!

 

[Prof.]

Not a nice thing to happen, but at least they only deleted your Facebook and MySpace pages. You might want to try something like this to ensure that you have a good strong password. You don't want this to happen to something more important like your online banking!

Okay. I tried using the passcode strength tester but all the ones I entered (that I have a chance to remember) are all weak. How do I come up with a sophisticated passcode that is hard to hack but is easy to remember? Also, what is considered a "strong" passcode?

 

[ktbubster]

throw in numbers for letters... like 0's for O'sm 1's for I's or 3 for E's... use L33t speak if you will. It strengthens passwords quite a bit even with 1 or 2 replacements, and you can remember them.

Edit: try the link that from another link was in a previous post

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/password/create.mspx

 

[nbs2]

Not that it helps you, but know that you aren't alone. Apparently someone either got into my long-time-unused Friendster account or spoofed a message alert from them. I wouldn't be surpised if the former.

 

[bbbensen]

Some one hacked into my email and sent a message to all my contacts saying I was stuck in Nigeria and needed money. Then changed the password.

It does suck. I could not delete my MySpace because it was set up on that email.

 

[LeahM]

Okay. I tried using the passcode strength tester but all the ones I entered (that I have a chance to remember) are all weak. How do I come up with a sophisticated passcode that is hard to hack but is easy to remember? Also, what is considered a "strong" passcode?

You could also use Capital letters for one or a couple of letter. So say your password was buyers, you could spell it Buyers and then add a number or two, maybe your favorite number, so Buyers29 makes it a pretty strong password.

 

[CanadaRAM]

You could also use Capital letters for one or a couple of letter. So say your password was buyers, you could spell it Buyers and then add a number or two, maybe your favorite number, so Buyers29 makes it a pretty strong password.

Link to Password checker, plus tips on making stronger passwords

 

[WillJS]

I agree, 1Password is a great little app that sits on your address bar. I recommend it..

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

Use symbols that require using the shift key... That helps a lot right off the bat. Also, insanely long passes help to deter jerks who might see you enter 'em frequently.

 

[lacereza]

Replacing letters with numbers helps, but they're getting around that. Anything based on a dictionary word or common name is not going to be strong enough.

albert sucks
Alb3rt is a little bit better but still not good
AlbY4402 is strong.

Rather than a word, you can use a phrase as your prompt, like
TAA2tosbt
could be prompted by
this above all: to thine own self be true

 

[Iscariot]

Not a nice thing to happen, but at least they only deleted your Facebook and MySpace pages. You might want to try something like this to ensure that you have a good strong password. You don't want this to happen to something more important like your online banking!

That password checker is kind of crap. It tests for length, and one each of letter, number and symbol.

!1aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa = "best" strength.

I work in an environment where we rotate a number of passwords on a number of schedules, so I have a lot of experience coming up with them. The best security is to change your password often, and always ensure you're using passwords of different lengths and compositions. For example, your password for Q1 might be "i@tplltg;", and for Q2 it might be "><o3744918*2", which has a strong variance in length and composition.

(I made both of those up from scratch, no, they won't get you into any of my accounts)

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Use symbols that require using the shift key... That helps a lot right off the bat. Also, insanely long passes help to deter jerks who might see you enter 'em frequently.

cosign. I don't think I've been "hacked" and that's the technique I employ. Technically impossible to brute force and complicated enough that nobody would remember it even if they saw it.

 

[iJohnHenry]

Okay. I tried using the passcode strength tester but all the ones I entered (that I have a chance to remember) are all weak.

How do I come up with a sophisticated passcode that is hard to hack but is easy to remember?

I don't think you can, not in today's world. Those two phrases are not compatible today.

Also, what is considered a "strong" passcode?

Probably something I would have to write-down.

1Password sounds good, but an icon is not unlike a list in your desk drawer. The trick is to keep people from looking in the drawer.

 

[PowerFullMac]

How about phishing? Did you click a link in a e-mail and log in?

 

[WeakAdrenaline]

I work for a major bank in eCrime detection, believe me, someone hacking your myspace and facebook is the least of your problems. Count yourself lucky they didn't obtain your internet banking details.

 

[Prof.]

I work for a major bank in eCrime detection, believe me, someone hacking your myspace and facebook is the least of your problems. Count yourself lucky they didn't obtain your internet banking details.

I don't have online banking. However, I'm glad they didn't get into my MoblieMe account.

 

[sushi]

Someone, IDK who, hacked my MySpace account and Facebook account and deleted everything.

Sorry to hear.

Definitely need strong passwords these days.

I work for a major bank in eCrime detection, believe me, someone hacking your myspace and facebook is the least of your problems. Count yourself lucky they didn't obtain your internet banking details.

So true.

Recently, one of my banks upset me -- at first -- when they changed their log in system. Now, however, I really like it because it is much more secure. Unfortunately, programs like 1password and such will not work with it. But these days, added security is worth it. Better than being hacked.

 

[PowerFullMac]

Like everyone else said, long passwords with capital letters and symbols.

I use sentences and change them every few weeks, mine for my school account was 01189998819991197253 once!

A example of a sentence I used is: "South Park is the new Simpsons", with the spaces and capitals, its a unbreakable password, random sentences are very hard to guess also because they are completely random.

 

[sushi]

A example of a sentence I used is: "South Park is the new Simpsons", with the spaces and capitals, its a unbreakable password, random sentences are very hard to guess also because they are completely random.

While not bad, this password system not as secure as you think that it might be. It can be hacked given time and resources since a dictionary type attack could be used.

Throw in a few numbers and punctuation if you want a much more secure password.