Been Hacked?

posted on November 11th, 2008


MSN Messenger windowHave you ever had your instant messenger (IM) account taken over by a spammer?
Have your friends told you that your Facebook/mySpace account is spamming them with links to gift cards?

I know I’ve seen this happen to a countless number of my friends, and almost every time it’s due to people being surfing the internet willy nilly — without any concern for the safety of their information.

I know the majority of my readers will likely be savvy geeks using Mac computers, but that doesn’t mean you won’t come across a phishing site. It just means you SHOULD know that it is one.

The following are some simple steps I sent a friend to hopefully rid his computer/accounts of a naughty spammer.
Are you infected? You can follow these steps too:

Hey,

We have a problem here! (View the image I’ve attached.)

I don’t know what kind of computer you’re using, but I doubt it’s a Mac.

If you’re on a Windows computer WITHOUT some kind of security software, a firewall (hardware AND software), and a savvy mind, then we have a problem.
I’ve never been infected with a virus that sends out spam messages on IM clients, but I know many people that have. That’s what I gather you MAY have.

  1. a) I suggest you scan your computer with AVG — a free anti-virus software that a lot of people use instead of buying Norton (which is just obnoxious and takes over too many system resources). If you already have an anti-virus software, USE IT.
    b) If nothing is found that doesn’t mean there isn’t something there. The only way to know FOR SURE that the virus/infection isn’t there anymore is to reformat your entire hard drive. That requires you to backup ALL your important data/files and re-install Windows (if that is indeed the operating system you are using).
  2. CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD! If this isn’t some kind of compromise of your system, then maybe your IM account has been infiltrated. If you use the same passwords for other places (Facebook, mySpace, e-mail, online banking), then you NEED to change you password there too!
    Reason: You may have come across a website that looks legitimate, but is actually ready to take your username/password information. It’s been happening for a long time on mySpace, and it’s beginning to happen on Facebook.
  3. Use a secure web browser such as Firefox or Safari, so you’re safer (but not exempt) from phishing websites and other bad things on the internet.
  4. Let me know if you have any problems and/or if I helped you. :)

Feel free to link your infected friends to this post. I hope it helped!

Short URL: http://djsteen.com/wp/p/27

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  • what a nice tip, thank you for sharing :)
  • My account has been hacked so many times, my friends often complaint me for posting them links that they are not interested in, it becomes hard for me to explain them that I am not the one who is sending the links. Thanks for these tips, I will definitely use these tips in future:)
  • My account has been hacked so many times, my friends often complaint me for posting them links that they are not interested in, it becomes hard for me to explain them that I am not the one who is sending the links. Thanks for these tips, I will definitely use these tips in future:)
  • Hey,
    No, it has never happened to me. But I do have some piece of advice to share.
    It is very unlikely that spammers would use spyware to hijack accounts. The easiest way for spammers to get access to hundreds (if not thousands) of Myspace or Facebook accounts is to set up proxy sites (used by teens to access myspace and facebook at school), and log every single account name and password.

    Mac user or not, the best way to avoid getting 'hacked' is to stop using those sites. And if you ask me, mac users tend to be newbies. Otherwise they wouldn't use an operation system in which you can do nothing but watching youtube videos and writing.
  • Busby SEO Test!!!
    what a nice tip, thank you for sharing :)
  • thank for tips, I think this article is useful
  • Never happened to any of my accounts but has happened plenty of times to friends, just today got 2 spam msgs from facebook, left myspace because of that now facebook nooooo.

    Anyways good tips. But I recommend Avair or Avast for free antivirus, better detection rates that falling AVG over the past couple of years. But your right on Norton is just a waste in resources and money. Also check out Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, best spywayre/malware remover ever.

    Change password, that's like the first thing you should do, but then again if you have a key logger it doesn't matter. :/

    Opera is safer. :) But FF is still best 8)

    Or of course get a mac, or linux. Still a chance to get stuff but its cut down to about 5 instead of half million virus damn you unix kernal and lower but rising market share. Your day will come, haha.
  • Thanks for the tips, Jeff!

    Making a Windows computer secure is, indeed, a process that can take days. When I was on Windows I remember having at least two spyware applications, an antivirus program or two, and a software firewall.

    That was using Windows XP though.

    Apparently Windows Vista is supposed to be a lot more secure, but the only experience I have with security on Vista is annoying dialog boxes for the silliest things.

    I ♥ my Mac.
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