# hacking



## JaniceM (Aug 7, 2020)

My email account was hacked twice recently-AGAIN.  The question none of the Microsoft folks could answer:  how could this occur when computer and all components were off, disconnected, and unplugged throughout the night?  It's not possible anyone could guess my passwords, I use all security precautions I know of, plus scan regularly and nothing was found in the scans.  Also, as the last Microsoft rep reminded me, I had two-step verification...  yet hacker got in, removed my phone number.

This crap has been going on FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.  It's affected 2 different computers, I've had 2 different modems.  And can't get any help locally.


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## MarciKS (Aug 7, 2020)

Who is your internet provider? Is it possible to contact them & see if they can tell you what is happening? It might be worth a try.


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## JaniceM (Aug 7, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> Who is your internet provider? Is it possible to contact them & see if they can tell you what is happening? It might be worth a try.


They don't seem to know any tech stuff.


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## asp3 (Aug 7, 2020)

Your mail server is likely somewhere out there in "the cloud".  Even if your computer isn't connected the mail server is still out there to be connected to from anyone anywhere.


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## JaniceM (Aug 7, 2020)

asp3 said:


> Your mail server is likely somewhere out there in "the cloud".  Even if your computer isn't connected the mail server is still out there to be connected to from anyone anywhere.


Is this something I need to be concerned about with the new email account I opened a few days ago?  The old one was a microsoft account, the new one isn't.


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## MarciKS (Aug 7, 2020)

I use gmail & hotmail & I have no issues. I don't use the microsoft email that came with my computer.


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## asp3 (Aug 7, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> Is this something I need to be concerned about with the new email account I opened a few days ago?  The old one was a microsoft account, the new one isn't.



It's very difficult to run your own mail server so one pretty much needs to reply on one of the available mail servers (gmail, yahoo, etc...) or the one provided by your ISP.  If you pick one that allows you to set up 2 step authentication that really reduces the chances of the account being hacked.  Evidently gmail allows you to set up 2 step authentication.  I haven't set it up myself but I would imagine it isn't that difficult.

In 2 step authentication one often logs into their account and then either types in a code sent to your phone or clicks on a "Yes this is me" button in an authentication app.


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## JaniceM (Aug 7, 2020)

asp3 said:


> It's very difficult to run your own mail server so one pretty much needs to reply on one of the available mail servers (gmail, yahoo, etc...) or the one provided by your ISP.  If you pick one that allows you to set up 2 step authentication that really reduces the chances of the account being hacked.  Evidently gmail allows you to set up 2 step authentication.  I haven't set it up myself but I would imagine it isn't that difficult.
> 
> In 2 step authentication one often logs into their account and then either types in a code sent to your phone or clicks on a "Yes this is me" button in an authentication app.


The one that was hacked and completely taken over by hacker 2 yrs ago was hotmail.  The most recent one was outlook.  I had the 2-step on both, but the hackers got in and removed the info from my profile.


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## asp3 (Aug 7, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> The one that was hacked and completely taken over by hacker 2 yrs ago was hotmail.  The most recent one was outlook.  I had the 2-step on both, but the hackers got in and removed the info from my profile.



Wow, sorry to hear about that.  I've rarely heard about 2-step being hacked.  One thing you might choose to do is to make up some information you'll remember for your security questions rather than use real information.


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## Aneeda72 (Aug 7, 2020)

asp3 said:


> Wow, sorry to hear about that.  I've rarely heard about 2-step being hacked.  One thing you might choose to do is to make up some information you'll remember for your security questions rather than use real information.


 that’s what I do, I can’t remember the stuff from my past, like what street did your best friend in school live on, hmm, I barely remember my best friend let alone the street she lived on.


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## macgeek (Aug 7, 2020)

have you updated all the programs on your computer, and ran antivirus software? want to make sure theirs no bad programs on your computer that are doing bad things. like a keylogger sending off your passwords to someone. turning off the computer won't prevent your accounts from getting hacked. change your password if you can, make a new password you don't use on another other site... after you make sure your Windows Operating system is up to date and you have no viruses. I'm assuming you are using Windows 10?  try a free scan with malwarebytes... it often finds things other antivirus programs wont find.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/

check out #2 here. check the settings. good idea i never thought of this. make sure hackers are not having your emails forwarded to them!

https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us...ngs-you-should-do-when-your-email-gets-hacked


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## MarciKS (Aug 7, 2020)

Years ago I had a Yahoo acct stolen from me. There isn't much you can do about it.

@asp3 I wonder if someone hacked her computer & not her email. That would make more sense for them to be able to erase her phone number in the 2 step verify.


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## asp3 (Aug 7, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> Years ago I had a Yahoo acct stolen from me. There isn't much you can do about it.
> 
> @asp3 I wonder if someone hacked her computer & not her email. That would make more sense for them to be able to erase her phone number in the 2 step verify.



That makes a lot of sense.


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## MarciKS (Aug 7, 2020)

I don't think Yahoo did 2 step verifies back in the day so it was easy to hack. But in order to hack a 2 step I would think they'd have to be able to actually see into your computer somehow. 

@JaniceM have you done an update on your virus software lately? If not I would definitely do that. Sometimes if you don't check to make sure there's no updates you could miss something that may protect you from this. Mine is set to auto update.


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## JaniceM (Aug 7, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> I don't think Yahoo did 2 step verifies back in the day so it was easy to hack. But in order to hack a 2 step I would think they'd have to be able to actually see into your computer somehow.
> 
> @JaniceM have you done an update on your virus software lately? If not I would definitely do that. Sometimes if you don't check to make sure there's no updates you could miss something that may protect you from this. Mine is set to auto update.


Yes, I was using 3 different virus scanners, none found anything.


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## JaniceM (Aug 7, 2020)

I recently read viruses can also sneak in through printers, libreoffice, pdf's, and phones...

and modem.. which I know nothing about.  
When I was hacked in 2018 microsoft guy said hackers might be detecting my IP address, so I changed to Tor browser and that clearly didn't help either.


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## MarciKS (Aug 7, 2020)

And phishing sites.


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## MarciKS (Aug 7, 2020)

Sometimes I get emails from places saying they're a site that I use but I always run my mouse over it first to see where the email address is coming from. If it says it's jcpenny.com or if it says this....ajG4klllmop.com. If it has the gobbledygook address I just delete it.


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## macgeek (Aug 7, 2020)

https://www.avg.com/en/signal/6-ways-your-email-account-can-be-hacked


https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/what-to-do-if-your-email-account-has-been-hacked


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## JaniceM (Aug 7, 2020)

First, I don't know what the cloud is-  is there a way to get rid of it?  
I don't sync/share/etc. anything, and don't sign in to OneDrive.

But something else occurred to me:  on PC I was using regularly when recent email hackings occurred, the PC had been set up as somehow connected to a separate outlook account, so I need to enter a password to access the computer.  The person I received the computer from is trustworthy, but not local, but I'm wondering if having an outlook account on it could have anything to do with the hacking problems?  I've never used that account for anything.  The PC is Windows10.  

This PC (older one- Windows7) is also password-protected, but it's not connected to any account and getting in only requires a basic password that I chose.


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## Mike (Aug 8, 2020)

Janice, most Email sites are in the internet, not your
PC, Hotmail changed its name a couple of years ago
to Outlook, so you didn't really move anywhere, yes
the servers may have been in different Cities, but they
were still the one entity.

Go away from Microsoft totally and get an account in
google or somewhere else, perhaps your Internet Service
Provide has an Email service, or ask the internet which
are the best.

Mike.


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## JaniceM (Aug 8, 2020)

Mike said:


> Janice, most Email sites are in the internet, not your
> PC, Hotmail changed its name a couple of years ago
> to Outlook, so you didn't really move anywhere, yes
> the servers may have been in different Cities, but they
> ...


Do you have any knowledge/advice on how/if I can change my newer PC's screen so it doesn't have a Microsoft address as password-protected login?


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## macgeek (Aug 8, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> Do you have any knowledge/advice on how/if I can change my newer PC's screen so it doesn't have a Microsoft address as password-protected login?



I'm thinking this can be done but I'm not sure how since I'm not a big Microsoft user. perhaps someone else knows how?

if you cant change your email password and get control of that "hacked" email account again, and if that hacked email account is still being used on banking sites, shopping sites, anything that has your credit card or any payment information, that is not good.   you want to change your email on those sites. Also, windows 7 is no longer being updated so I would not use a pc with windows 7 (certainly not for banking or anything related to money and  shopping).  I prefer gmail over a Microsoft account for email. I don't like the idea of any account on the computer connected to "someone else" even if they can be trusted.


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## MickaC (Aug 8, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> that’s what I do, I can’t remember the stuff from my past, like what street did your best friend in school live on, hmm, I barely remember my best friend let alone the street she lived on.


My issue exactly.........now i right everything down........I have a toshiba laptop, with windows, when i got into Mac and Apple, put the toshiba away.
Recently, i must have had a boring moment, got it out, thought i could clean up the content, upgrade........Big Bust.......didn't write and passwords down........so therefore, couldn't even get into it, back in the closet it went.

Moral of this story, for me anyway.......write everything down. .


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## MickaC (Aug 8, 2020)

I use Gmail.......no problems ever.......but i'm probably too boring, for anyone to hack or steal.

I also use Norton security, if that makes any difference.... to me, i think it does.


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## Mike (Aug 8, 2020)

You can disable the sign-in screen for windows Janice, I think
that this is what you want.

Rather than describe here how to do it, I have a video from
YouTube that will be better to watch.

The man in the video goes on a bit, but gets there in the end.

Mike.


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## macgeek (Aug 8, 2020)

MickaC said:


> I use Gmail.......no problems ever.......but i'm probably too boring, for anyone to hack or steal.



these days the hackers may be a automated computer scanning the internet for vulnerabilities... so the target could be you or me or anyone they can find to "hack". it's not that they are specifically looking to hack you or I.


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## JaniceM (Aug 12, 2020)

Is this cloud thing only on Windows computers, or does it affect other OS?  It occurred to me I never had any problems like this when I had Linux on computers years ago...?????

And if PW's are being accessed that way, can I somehow get rid of it???


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## Nathan (Aug 21, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> My email account was hacked twice recently-AGAIN.  The question none of the Microsoft folks could answer:  how could this occur when computer and all components were off, disconnected, and unplugged throughout the night?  It's not possible anyone could guess my passwords, I use all security precautions I know of, plus scan regularly and nothing was found in the scans.  Also, as the last Microsoft rep reminded me, I had two-step verification...  yet hacker got in, removed my phone number.
> 
> This crap has been going on FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.  It's affected 2 different computers, I've had 2 different modems.  And can't get any help locally.



JaniceM,  is anybody else using your computers?      Change your password on your PC, change your email login password, and don't let anybody find out what those passwords are.    Nobody.



JaniceM said:


> Is this cloud thing only on Windows computers, or does it affect other OS?  It occurred to me I never had any problems like this when I had Linux on computers years ago...?????
> 
> And if PW's are being accessed that way, can I somehow get rid of it???



I didn't see this post earlier.    The "cloud" = personal files stored on big corporate _cloud_ servers.  I use Google's services extensively, not only email, but Photos, Docs, Sheets and other Google properties.  _Knock-on-wood_ but I've not had any security issues....

I do use Linux operating systems primarily, but do have Windows 10 on a new Lenovo laptop.    With Windows I created a "user account" that I mostly log in with, has stripped down privileges, must switch to Admin to make system changes.


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