Articles in Category: Hacks, Hacking and Hacked Accounts
How do avoid getting hacked and what to do if you are.
Secure Your Most Important Accounts
Experts always recommend securing your “most important accounts”. Great. Which accounts would those be?
Why Your Computer Has Probably Not Been Hacked
I regularly hear from people who believe their computer has been hacked and is under someone else’s control. It’s very rarely the case.
Social Security Number Compromised — What to Do?
Billions of records of personal information, including Social Security numbers, has been exposed. What to do?
Could Malware Record My Chats and Video Calls?
If you’re curious what might happen if a hacker was in control of your computer, the question really is “What can’t they do?”
If They Got Into My Account Once, Could a Hacker Get In Again?
Once your account has been hacked, there are many things you need to consider to prevent it from being hacked again.
How Should I Keep Recovery Codes Secure?
Recovery codes protect you against account loss. The issue? Where to store them safely.
Google Account Hacked? What You Need to Do NOW!
Google/Gmail account hacks happen. Take these steps to recover your account and prevent it from being hacked again.
What’s a Dictionary Attack?
A dictionary attack is a common brute-force way of achieving a hacker’s goal. The goal of a dictionary attack could range from compromising your system to sending spam.
Can’t I Just Delete My Hacked Account?
Deleting an account you don’t have access to is kind of the same as deleting an account you don’t own.
If Someone Gets Into My Gmail Account, Can They Get Into Others?
Like a row of dominos, gaining access to one account can lead to others being compromised.
Why You — Yes, You — Are a Target of Hackers
Even if your bank account is zero or you’re just not that interesting, hackers are still after your accounts. Here’s why, and what you can do.
How Can a Hacker Try All Possible Passwords If Systems Block Failed Login Attempts?
Some hackers go for the low-hanging fruit and try the most common passwords, but there is one scenario where brute force works very well.
12 Steps to Keep from Getting Your Account Hacked
Here are the steps you need to take to prevent losing your account forever to a hacker.
Do I Really Need a Recovery Email?
Alternate email addresses are an important security setting that can allow you to regain access to your account if it’s hacked or you forget your password.
Why Can’t I Get My Account Back?
Way too often, I hear from people who have lost their accounts permanently. Here’s how to avoid being one of them.
A One-Step Way to Lose Your Account Forever
I see people lose access to their most important accounts all the time. It’s often their own fault that they can’t regain access.
Can a Data Breach Expose Multiple Accounts?
Data breaches rarely expose multiple accounts. There are rare scenarios where multiple accounts might still be at risk, though.
6 Reasons There Are Still So Many Security Breaches
When you think about the complexity of today’s systems, it’s kind of amazing that we don’t have more breaches.
If I Leave My Computer Always On, Am I More Likely to Be Hacked?
Leaving your computer on 24 hours a day rarely increases risk significantly, as long as you follow a couple of simple guidelines.
What Should I Do About the Latest Breach?
Another week, another breach. What steps should you take in the wake of the latest large-scale data breach?
Lost Gmail Account Recovery With No Phone or Alternate Email
The Google Account Recovery process may be able to help you get your account back. Maybe.
Someone Is in My Computer, Controlling it. What Can I Do?
When things behave unexpectedly, many people assume their computer has been compromised by remote hackers. Many of those people are wrong.
Why Your “Unimportant” Accounts Matter
Regardless of your initial thoughts, every account is important, and we are all targets.
A Data Breach Has My Data. What Do I Do?
Another day, another breach. What should you do if you’re involved?
Can My Computer Be Hacked If It’s Off?
Hacking a turned-off computer requires a few mistakes on your part. It’s unlikely, but possible.
Should I Just Hire a Hacker to Recover My Account?
Desperation can lead you to consider hiring so-called “legit”, “ethical”, or “white-hat” hackers to regain control of a your account. Don’t do it.
9 Ways Your Account Can Be Compromised, Even with a Super-strong Password
Strong passwords are important, but they don’t protect you from everything. I’ll look at other ways your account can be compromised.
Online Shopping: Just How Safe Is It?
Online shopping is ubiquitous, and yet some avoid it completely. Why are some people afraid to shop online when it’s arguably safer than offline?
Has My Computer Been Hacked? A List of Clues and Steps to Take
When you see the list of possible hacking signs, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion your computer has been hacked. It’s usually not the case. Regardless, prevention is always easier than recovery from an actual hack.
Who’s Trying to Change My Password?
If your account has not actually been hacked, there’s little anyone can do to find out who’s trying to log in as you. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself from would-be hackers and phishing scams.
What Can We Learn from Mat Honan?
Mat Honan is a reporter for Wired magazine whose digital life was effectively destroyed due to account hacks and lax security policies. There are important lessons here.
How Do I Find Who Hacked My Email Account?
It’s natural to want to find out who hacked your email and why. Begin by recovering and securing your account. I’ll review what steps you can take after that, and their chances of success.
Two-factor Might Be Hackable? USE IT ANYWAY!
Another scare about two-factor authentication perhaps being hackable? DO NOT let that stop you from using it.
How to Tell if Your Email, Computer, or Facebook Has Been Hacked
Unless a password’s been changed, it’s difficult for a typical user to tell if their computer or account has been hacked.
Is there software that allows someone to track my emails and texts?
The bad guys can do anything they want to your computer if they can gain access.
Should I take the security protection offered after the most recent security breach?
Hackers are very good at sending emails that look like they come from legitimate companies. So, how do you tell the truth from a lie?
Why does this malware keep coming back?
There are tools out there that can remove malware completely so that it does not come back. But it’s worth taking a look at your own internet habits.
Do I Need to Worry About the Latest Security Breach?
That’s a composite of several questions that I’ve received relating to a recent theft of something like two million user accounts and passwords. I’ll address this specific incident, but I also want to discuss some things to consider with any large scale account theft.
Can My Computer Be Hacked if I’m Offline at an Internet Café?
Internet café hackers can get at you in a number of different ways, but how much do you really need to worry?
Will Someone Hacking My Router Show up on My Computer?
Router hacking is rare, but it can happen. I’ll discuss what it is.
Can a hacker get away with only my address book?
If you’ve been hacked… you’ve been hacked. That means the hacker had access to everything on your computer or in (and linked to) your email account. In either case, you need to review your security.
How Do I Keep My Computer from Being Hacked at Night?
Hacking attempts happen all day long. You really need to protect yourself 24/7. Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to stay safe.
I Run No Anti-virus Software and Now Have Viruses. What Should I Do?
It’s very possible that your machine has become so infected that recovery really isn’t a possibility. If this is the case, the only practical solution is to wipe the slate clean and start over from scratch.
How do I get rid of this advertising popup that keeps coming back?
If your anti-malware tools removed the malware but this browser hijack keeps coming back, then you might be doing something to invite it back on to your system.
