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What should I do

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Anonymous
Not applicable

What should I do

I don't know if this is the place for this? Apparently I was just hacked, and I am actually shaking right now. My gmail is attached to everything (maybe that was really dumb?) and I am sitting at work waiting for a call so I am on my phone. I suddenly get 5 alerts, my bank password was changed, my gmail was changed, etc. I think I noticed it before they got anything serious (although my bank password is pretty serious). My password is VERY secure, so I use it for everything. (I actually have no clue how they even got my password, it doesn't make sense) I have sorted my bank, fixed my gmail password, and I am going through and changing every single password right now.

 

I am not sure what I should do, do you think it is enough to change all my passwords? I am trying not to overreact here, but one of the things logged into was my phone provider, so I feel like I need to change everything. Is it overreacting to change my phone number and throw away my gmail account. (I have had this account and phone number for 10 years) What about my bank account, I have had that for 10 years as well.

 

*hopefully this isn't inappropriate content, I just needed to spill my thoughts and get advice on what I should do.

Message 1 of 15
14 REPLIES 14
LakeLife
Established Contributor

Re: What should I do

Wow, that is scary.  That's a huge drawback of using a common password among several sites.  If I were in your shoes I think one additional thing I would look into is some sort of identity monitoring service from this point forward.  I'd change every password conceivable as well.  Consider using an application such as LastPass to keep track of your passwords and use a different one for each site.  LastPass will even create passwords for you.  Not sure if changing your phone number would be helpful or not.  Good luck.




Message 2 of 15
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: What should I do


@LakeLife wrote:

Wow, that is scary.  That's a huge drawback of using a common password among several sites.  If I were in your shoes I think one additional thing I would look into is some sort of identity monitoring service from this point forward.  I'd change every password conceivable as well.  Consider using an application such as LastPass to keep track of your passwords and use a different one for each site.  LastPass will even create passwords for you.  Not sure if changing your phone number would be helpful or not.  Good luck.


I need to look into that service more and services that are like it. I have never actually thought about something like that service, and I am surprised it is a thing. I think it is very interesting, I definitely want to look into it, but I can't help but be concerned about your passwords being hacked if the service was hacked. As for my password, my general view on passwords has always been they need to be really strong. I used to use "rainbow123" or "Ilikepigs" but that was 12 years ago when I first was introduced to a computer.I use REALLY advanced passwords, working at centurylink they require very strong passwords. My password was the same across 50+ accounts and I can see now that might have been a mistake, (I believe the total is 57 currently) but I thought it was strong so I could use it on all of them. I had 5 numbers, 2 symbols, spacing, and upper and lower case letters. I thought that was enough. In addition, gmail really let me down, I had 2 step on, but they still got in? Not sure how that works, I thought they had to enter a code.

 

As for identity monitoring, I think I will sign up for the discover one. They tell me about it every time I log, so I might as well finally get it. I was really stressed this morning when I typed that up, it was so distressing to me, but I am hopeful that they didn't get anything. (fingers crossed) They only had access to my bank and email for 23 minutes before I got the security from gmail, so they didn't have a lot of time in my account do much I don't think.

Message 3 of 15
kerplunk
Frequent Contributor

Re: What should I do

Change all of your passwords. Use this as your password generator, preferrably 16+ characters: https://lastpass.com/password-generator

 

Do not use the same password for any site.

 

Change your security questions for your Gmail account to something no one could guess, even if they knew the real answers.

 

Use KeePassXC (or some other trusted password manager) to store all of your new passwords.

Message 4 of 15
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: What should I do

Does anyone have any idea why my 2 step verification with google did not work, also what would be the best password manager to use? (If I were to use one not sure if they are good yet) I do see there are a lot of them to choose from.

Message 5 of 15
calyx
Super Contributor

Re: What should I do


@Anonymous wrote:

Does anyone have any idea why my 2 step verification with google did not work, also what would be the best password manager to use? (If I were to use one not sure if they are good yet) I do see there are a lot of them to choose from.


I like LastPass, and most of my friends either use LastPass or 1Password.

What's really nice about a password manager is that I just have to keep that one password updated in my Durable Power of Attorney - whoever has to pay my bills if I'm incapacitated just has to log in there to get to everything.

Happy practitioner of AZE7or8or9or10 | Team Finances > FICO
Message 6 of 15
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: What should I do

Can someone explain this picture to me? I see for the non-mobile sessions it says ID (which is obviously Idaho), and then it has 2 other sessions on mobile that show UT. I am honestly confused on that, because when I am home and I use my computer it shows ID non-mobile, if I am at home on my phone it shows ID mobile. So I don't understand what UT means in the photo, does anyone know?gmail.PNG

Message 7 of 15
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: What should I do


@calyx wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

Does anyone have any idea why my 2 step verification with google did not work, also what would be the best password manager to use? (If I were to use one not sure if they are good yet) I do see there are a lot of them to choose from.


I like LastPass, and most of my friends either use LastPass or 1Password.

What's really nice about a password manager is that I just have to keep that one password updated in my Durable Power of Attorney - whoever has to pay my bills if I'm incapacitated just has to log in there to get to everything.


I have been researching password managers, and maybe I am just paranoid, but they seem very unsafe. I want to use one because it's not smart to use the same password for everything, but I don't know if that is any safer?

Message 8 of 15
kerplunk
Frequent Contributor

Re: What should I do


@Anonymous wrote:

Can someone explain this picture to me? I see for the non-mobile sessions it says ID (which is obviously Idaho), and then it has 2 other sessions on mobile that show UT. I am honestly confused on that, because when I am home and I use my computer it shows ID non-mobile, if I am at home on my phone it shows ID mobile. So I don't understand what UT means in the photo, does anyone know?gmail.PNG


UT means Utah. The address that you didn't cross out is an IPv6 address. It is very uncommon, but it is the future of Internet addresses. Today, we use IPv4.

 

I looked up the IPv6 address via ARIN and it says it belongs to Sprint in Cheyenne, WY. It is rumored that Spring Mobile is using IPv6 addresses for some of their users. Possibly, that's what it's from. If you use Sprint for your mobile phone, then it's probably you and there's nothing to worry about. Smiley Happy

 

As far as it saying Utah, well, IP geolocation isn't always accurate.

Message 9 of 15
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: What should I do


@kerplunk wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

Can someone explain this picture to me? I see for the non-mobile sessions it says ID (which is obviously Idaho), and then it has 2 other sessions on mobile that show UT. I am honestly confused on that, because when I am home and I use my computer it shows ID non-mobile, if I am at home on my phone it shows ID mobile. So I don't understand what UT means in the photo, does anyone know?gmail.PNG


UT means Utah. The address that you didn't cross out is an IPv6 address. It is very uncommon. In layman's terms, only people who are very skilled in computer networking would use have access to an IPv6 address. Even more scary, to me, is that the IPv6 address begins with "2600" which may or may not be a coincidence, but 2600 is commonly associated with hacking.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2600

 

Change your Gmail password and security questions. At this point, I think you need an IT professional to assist you as your PC may be compromised in some way.

 

Edit: I looked up the IPv6 address via ARIN and it says it belongs to Sprint Cheyenne POP. It is rumored that Spring Mobile is using IPv6 addresses. Possibly, that's what it's from. If you use Sprint for your mobile phone, then it's probably you and there's nothing to worry about. Smiley Happy


I don't think I use sprint, I use metropcs which is tmobile I believe. So do I not need to worry about it then? I am only concerned about it because the location and those weird numbers are the exact ones from when my email was hacked. I don't know at this point, I am really considering getting rid of this email and changing phone numbers. 

Message 10 of 15
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