Technology

There‘s a New ’Epic’ Hack That Uses Only Two Easily Found Pieces of Information — And Here’s How to Protect Yourself

Mat Honan Describes How Amazon and Apple Security Flaws Destroyed His Entire Digital Life

The last four digits of a credit card number, which can be held on file by sites like Amazon, was used as a verification code by Apple, allowing hackers to reset a man's password and gain access to many areas of his digital life, wiping much of it clean. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Security flaws by both Apple and Amazon has Mat Honan describing in a blog post on Wired’s GadgetLab the “epic hacking” that happened to him within the space of an hour over the weekend:

First my Google account was taken over, then deleted. Next my Twitter account was compromised, and used as a platform to broadcast racist and homophobic messages. And worst of all, my AppleID account was broken into, and my hackers used it to remotely erase all of the data on my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.

Honan acknowledges that while some of this was his fault — his accounts were easily connected to each other — Apple and Amazon already knew of the vulnerabilities that led to this hacking, which Honan found others had experienced as well. Honan writes it was a partial credit card number revealed by Amazon that allowed Apple tech support to change the password to his iCloud account, which then led hackers into his Gmail and Twitter and gave them the ability to wipe data from his devices.

“In short, the very four digits that Amazon considers unimportant enough to display in the clear on the web are precisely the same ones that Apple considers secure enough to perform identity verification,” he wrote. “The disconnect exposes flaws in data management policies endemic to the entire technology industry, and points to a looming nightmare as we enter the era of cloud computing and connected devices.”

Honan goes on to give a play-by-play of how and when he realized he was being hacked, the results of it, and the time he spent on the phone with Apple Customer Support that eventually revealed they had given the hacker access into his iCloud account. All the hacker needed to have Apple reset Honan’s password into the cloud was his email address, billing address and last four digits of a credit card on file.

Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris said to Wired that whoever hacked Honan had enough of his personal information for authorization and some of the company’s own internal policies were not followed, resulting in the resetting of Honan’s Apple ID password, which eventually led to the destruction of his “entire digital life.” As a result of this incident, Kerris said Apple is reviewing its process for resetting account passwords.

Things get even more disconcerting when Honan begins to describe the new Twitter account he established until his hacked one was reinstated. His hackers began to follow and converse with him on this new account (Editor’s note: Some language has been redacted):

We started a dialogue via Twitter direct messaging that later continued via e-mail and AIM. Phobia was able to reveal enough detail about the hack and my compromised accounts that it became clear he was, at the very least, a party to how it went down. I agreed not to press charges, and in return he laid out exactly how the hack worked. But first, he wanted to clear something up:

“didnt guess ur password or use bruteforce. i have my own guide on how to secure emails.”

I asked him why. Was I targeted specifically? Was this just to get to Gizmodo’s Twitter account? No, Phobia said they hadn’t even been aware that my account was linked to Gizmodo’s, that the Gizmodo linkage was just gravy. He said the hack was simply a grab for my three-character Twitter handle. That’s all they wanted. They just wanted to take it, and f*** s*** up, and watch it burn. It wasn’t personal.

“I honestly didn’t have any heat towards you before this. i just liked your username like I said before” he told me via Twitter Direct Message.

Overall, this event Honan said leads him to believe cloud services that are being pressed upon users need different security measures — a password system doesn’t cut it anymore.

Honan writes that his hacking, which appears merely to have occurred for the purpose of trolling his Twitter followers, could have been much worse if it had led into his banking systems or to some of his contacts as a journalist. Still, like Honan said, when he first encountered this issue, he found he wasn’t alone. Here are some tips from Honan on how to protect yourself from digital demise:

  1. Backup your computer. In the event of a hacking, if your data is somehow wiped clean, this way you’ll be covered.
  2. Avoid linking accounts together when possible. By associating his Gmail with his iCloud accounts, the hackers were able to get further into his digital life. He writes using a different email prefix could help avoid “daisy-chaining” accounts. He also suggests making sure your recovery email account is used only for recovery, not associated with other vital uses.
  3. Begin using Google’s two-step verification. This essentially requires a password and a verification code that will either be texted or called to you each time you try to login from an unknown computer.
  4. Avoid using Find My Mac app. Although Honan says the version for finding your iPhone is useful, the Find My Mac app allowed the hackers to remotely wipe his devices.
  5. Gizmodo also points out that every printed credit card receipt is bound to have the last four digits of the card as well, so Amazon is not the only thing you need to worry about.

Read more details from Honan’s experience — how and when he realized something was wrong with his accounts, his findings from the very people who hacked him, and what he suggests about protecting your data — here.

Update: Some strong language in block quotes of this story has been redacted.

(H/T: Gizmodo)

Comments (94)

1 2
  • I Luv America
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:49pm

    To me, this is just another reason to stay away from Apple products. I don’t use Apple, not because of any political or social tendencies the company has, but because I think their products are too expensive and very overrated (seriously, $700 for an iPhone?).

    Personally, I don’t believe in not shopping at a store or not using a product because of what the CEO or the company as a whole supports. There are many innocent employees of these companies that need to keep their jobs, and loss of business may contribute to their job loss. Anyway, it would have to be in the millions of people who boycotted the company to even remotely catch the attention of the company. If there is a large enough movement to boycott Apple, Home Depot, Amazon, etc., I’ll join it. Until then, all you are doing is kidding yourself if you think your boycott is making any difference. Yes, I hate the thought as much as you do, but it is reality.

    Report Post »  
    • libsaredumb
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 4:54pm

      FYI, all smart phones are this much if not subsidized by your cell phone provider. Apple makes quality products, it’s true–you get what you pay for.

      Report Post »  
    • SeekerEmerald
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 5:18pm

      If you can’t see that this linking applies to ANY presence you may have on the web, then (sorry to be so blunt) your best bet is to just unplug, and stay off the internet totally. To suggest that this could only happen to apple is insane. (wiping his computers may be unique to apple, but the story is in the hacking, information gathering, and the like.)

      If you truly don’t see the bigger picture, you really need to think about it.

      I dont mean to come off as harsh, but suggesting that windows systems are safer is the epitome of ignorance. Anything you do has risk. If you do anything online, your risk is multiplied.

      Another lesson here: If someone targets you (for whatever reason) they will find a way to get what they are after.

      An essential part of any disaster plan is planning for the aftermath when/if the precautions fail to prevent catastrophe. I did not read in the story where this guy had a plan for the aftermath. That would have mitigated a lot of the problems.

      The same last 4 digits that Amazon is willing to show you is the same last four digits that other companies require you to provide as a security verification. I’ve seen it before, though I can’t recall where. The last 4 digits of someone’s SSN is also a quite popular verification question.

      The intelligent person will take lots of precautions to prevent this kind of thing, but the intelligent person ALSO realizes that it STILL can happen.

      Report Post » SeekerEmerald  
    • Slayer
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 9:46pm

      I’ve used Apple products exclusively since I started working in IT years ago. I never, EVER had one single customer tell me they hated their Mac. Additionally, they never called with problems other than trying to set up MacMail, which was a notorious pain in the neck and is hardly ever used. After months of hearing positive stories about Apple products, which I had feared in my ignorance, I gave them a try. Best move I ever made.
      Windows, on the other hand was a never ending nightmare. Updates, crashes, viruses, hacking, blue screens, on and on it went. You either had to be very proficient at fixing a Windows system or be prepared to give over hours every month to sit on the phone with India/Pakistan tech support if you were/are a Windows user. I left Windows years ago for Apple and never looked back. Again, best move I ever made. Prices are higher, problems are minimal to nonexistent. In short, Apple works and Windows is crap for the uninformed, blissfully ignorant masses.

      Report Post » Slayer  
    • LimaBean
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:04pm

      $700? Through my cellphone provider my iPhone was a little more than $100.00 (after upgrade and rebate).

      Report Post » LimaBean  
    • listeninginVT
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:25pm

      I switched to Apple over a year ago, finally, it’s worth the price for the quality. I’ve simply NOT had the problems that are considered expected and normal for Windows. It is a different experience. No crashes, virus’, lost usage, quicker response, easy and cheap upgrading OS ($20 to full upgrade of OS through Apple), way cool, won’t ever go back…. I do NOT spend my days ‘fixing’ anything. I spend them using my computer the way I want to and then I’m done. too bad for you, I’ve one of the crowd who has had an awesome experience, I wouldn’t even take a free new PC, just not worth it.

      Report Post »  
    • DownWithDems
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:58pm

      The boycott against JC Penny is working.

      Their business is going down, down, down.

      Report Post »  
    • mjmaverick
      Posted on August 8, 2012 at 7:08am

      @SLAYER

      Funny, I have been using only windows since the late 90′s and have NEVER had any of the problems or difficulties of which you speak. The very reason I believe Apple products are way overblown and significantly over hyped.

      Report Post » mjmaverick  
  • ThoreauHD
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:29pm

    OK, this guy is an idiot. And I’m not. So no worries.

    Report Post » ThoreauHD  
    • Spirit 72
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:47pm

      Reminds me of the Democrat poll watcher who told me that there is no voter fraud any more… We must be vigilant, folks

      Report Post »  
    • politicaljules
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 4:59pm

      You are right thor. This is propaganda and fear mongering. Expect a new product to come out that you have to pay for more protection. Mob tactics make good business I guess

      Report Post »  
  • AZgirl9000
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:07pm

    This story broke over the weekend when Leo Laporte (The Tech Guy) interviewed Matt during a roundtable discussion on his netcast. Matt sheepishly admitted that he was using the same password for all his accounts. He also hadn’t backed up a portion of his non-work data in two months. He has a young child and Matt was sad when all those photos were deleted from his iPhone. Lest we point a finger at Matt, the tech professionals participating in the roundtable hadn’t imagined that this could happen the way it did. As for using Google’s Two-Step Verification, I found it to be tedious when I tried it five months ago. But it was really easy to stop using the extra verification. In any case, we probably all know that we shouldn’t rely only on the cloud for back-ups. As Laporte reminded everyone, we should all have 3 forms of backup in different types of media.

    Report Post »  
    • libsaredumb
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 4:57pm

      I‘m back in’ up, backin’ up, backin’ up, backin’ up, cause my daddy taught me good.

      Report Post »  
    • Sean In LI
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 8:58pm

      “Matt sheepishly admitted that he was using the same password for all his accounts.”
      When I read this tale a few days ago, the victim claimed his online passwords were managed by some account/password management software on his mac (iPassword I think he said). Do you mean his device passwords, e.g., computer/phone/iPad logon passwords?

      That being said, the hacker did not get his password by brute force hacking or keylogging. The hacker “recovered” the journalists accounts by calling Apple and having them reset one of his passwords, which basically allowed him access to the email account that allowed him to reset the passwords for pretty much every device and service he had.

      The victim could have had a 200-character, random password and it still would not have affected the hacker. It was a combination of the victim having a high enough profile online to attract a determined hacker, and Apple’s security procedures being bad/not followed by Apple’s customer service folks.

      Exploiting account recovery procedures is the most common way a person’s accounts get “hacked”. That‘s how they got Sara Palin and Mitt Romney’s personal email accounts.

      Report Post »  
  • HorseCrazy
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 2:18pm

    Is it just me or am I not seeing what the big deal is on here with the amazon hacking. the story is mainly reflecting the apple cloud system which doesn’t concern me one bit, maybe I haven’t had enough caffeine today but I am not seeing the amazon portion of this which was the lead of the story and main photograph with it,. I am also noting the story keeps being edited as I am typing this so maybe the info will follow but I see an apple problem not an amazon one.

    Report Post »  
    • RRFlyer
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:21pm

      Yes, of course, and the world revolves around YOU.

      Report Post »  
    • politicaljules
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 5:00pm

      You are not crazy. This has the feel of propaganda written all over it.

      Report Post »  
    • Sean In LI
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 9:05pm

      Two aspects I noticed:

      Amazon has their own cloud services, so this would apply there as well, but that’s not important. this is:

      “Honan writes it was a partial credit card number revealed by Amazon that allowed Apple tech support to change the password to his iCloud account, which then led hackers into his Gmail and Twitter and gave them the ability to wipe data from his devices”

      If someone can hack and/or recover your Amazon account and take control, they have access to the last 4 digits of your credit card number(s), which in this case the hacker used to falsely “verify” the ownership of the iCloud account and enable the password resets.

      This type of social media hacking requires a great deal of knowledge about the target. This can’t be done en masse, but takes a great deal of effort to take over a single account.

      Report Post »  
  • BigSky
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 2:13pm

    His mistake is “daisy chaining” all his accounts together and probably using a weak password on at least one of them or probably all of them and using the same password on each.

    Report Post » BigSky  
  • dave88
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 2:05pm

    If you look at the bright side of this those people will be able to get rid of their Apple crap and get the good stuff.

    Report Post »  
    • vanman4446
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 5:52pm

      What good stuff PV crap where it’s in the shop more than at home forget it. PC means Piece of Crap

      Report Post »  
    • Fatheroftwo
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 6:58pm

      When you buy a piece of fruit you can expect it to spoil !!!

      Report Post »  
  • olddog
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 1:52pm

    Since Amazon gave 2 1/2 million to the gay movement they lost my business. Less business for them will give them more time to read their bible, if they even have one.

    Report Post » olddog  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 2:14pm

      i still shop at amazon, maybe I shouldn’t but they employ many of my family members and their prices are really hard to beat with the free shipping over $25 and not paying sales tax. Guess maybe I should take a better moral stand but I really do love a deal infact I spent a ton of money online last night, hopefully my amazon account is safe

      Report Post »  
    • jhrusky
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 2:38pm

      @ horsecrazy

      Therein lies the problem in this country — people who don’t take a stand when it involves their wallet. This is the same reason we have sold our country’s soul to China … the Chinese use kids in sweatshops to make the prices on goods cheaper, but people look the other way and justify their purchases by saving money. A company donates a lot of money to a cause people find wrong, but they look the other way and justify their purchases from them by saving money.

      Americans have become spineless, causeless creatures similar to animals — whomever can provide the cheapest is who they support. We truly are getting the government and country we deserve.

      Report Post » jhrusky  
    • Kenszen
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 2:56pm

      Olddog, *Amazon* did not give money to the gay movement, its CEO did out of his personal money. There is a difference. I no longer do business with the likes of McDonald’s, Home Depot, GM, etc. etc. because they as a *corporation* contribute or support homosexual political issues. Yes, by patronizing Amazon you indirectly contribute to the CEO’s salary, but that could be said of ANY company, that there will be some employee donating to a cause you do not like. So are you going to boycott every company on earth? Where I draw the line is when a corporation or a CEO acts in the name of the corp or when a corp donates *ITS* money.

      Report Post »  
    • behonest
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:45pm

      they can keep their over $25.00 free shipping I already decided to get my books at the local bookstores and a lot of magazines I subscribe too also have some of the books at low cost for me. I dealt with amazon for over 11 yrs with having 11 grandkids all over the country it was really eazy to christmas shop. I have stopped letting my fingers do the walking.

      Report Post » behonest  
    • TumbleBumble
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 6:30pm

      JHRUSKY ~

      I agree with you completely. I beat my head against the wall when speaking to others about this. It seems that only a few that I know are as hardcore as I am. My friends claim that eventually I’ll be boycotting everyone, because everyone does something that we don’t like.

      Yeah, well if that’s the case, so be it. It doesn’t hurt – really! I have given up two things that I thought I wouldn’t be able to live without and am doing just fine.

      It feels good doing something that makes a difference. Wish others would pull up their boot straps and wade into deeper waters. Talking about it only gets your feet wet. Time to act!

      Report Post » TumbleBumble  
  • dadsrootbeer
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 1:04pm

    Prosecuting hackers with stiff penalities including garnishing their wages to repay the victims would be a great start.

    Report Post » dadsrootbeer  
  • Mikev5
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:00pm

    AH the age of the smart phone and stolen info.

    Anyone with a brain could have seen this happening so now you use a hand held device that’s like a computer and a phone all in one. But this opens you up to identity theft/stolen private info because most think it’s safe. Well it’s not

    Report Post » Mikev5  
    • Ari Ben TZion
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:16pm

      Support Chick-fil-A.

      Close your Amazon account and ask others to do the same.

      Put Amazon on the endangered species list.

      Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bozo has pledged $2.5 Million dollars in support of same-sex marriage in retaliation to Dan Cathy.

      Mr Bozo is willing to use his wallet to take a stand so let us do the same.

      Report Post » Ari Ben TZion  
    • teresa2010
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:22pm

      I’ve closed my amazon account alreadty

      Report Post »  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:32pm

      All of this is just another fear tactic…Do hackers exist…sure they do…Do peoples accounts get hacked….yes, but one persons story is magnified so big that everyone starts to fear the “Dangers of the internet”.. Just like everyone is afraid to swim in natural sources of water because they are afraid and amoeba will attack their brains and kill them…Pretty soon we will be saying….”YES please great government, come in to fix/stop this from happening….Sorry to say government is not going to fix the problem, they just will just get more control of the internet.

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
    • investlite
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 1:39pm

      What either cathy or the amazon founder do with their money is none of my concern. Their companies employ thousands of people with diverse view points. When there is an equivalent to amazon (in price and services) then I’ll start picking and choosing based on their chief officers. Until then, they provide a service that I’d have to use 3-4 to make up the difference. I‘m not letting someone’s viewpoint add that much more headache to my life.

      Another thing to consider; do you think if 10,000 people stopped shopping on amazon that he’d take a cut in pay? or would he just remove a few employees who would have serviced those 10,000?

      Report Post »  
    • dixie63
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 1:40pm

      I already closed my Amazon account when I heard they donated the money to homosexual activist groups. I also closed my JCPenney account when they had the homosexual mother and father’s day ads. I avoid all things Google as much as possible, don’t have facebook or twitter either.

      Report Post » dixie63  
    • Ari Ben TZion
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:00pm

      @investlite

      Answer: He will just remove a few employees who would have serviced those $10,000.

      That’s exactly my point – when the innocent people working for Amazon realize they are being harmed by Mr. Bozo’s incongruous philosophy, he will have a revolution on his hands.

      Cancel your Amazon and account ask others to do the same.

      Report Post » Ari Ben TZion  
    • THXll38
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 9:30pm

      Amazon rules and social cons suck LOL.

      Report Post » THXll38  
  • Keep Your Skepticals On
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:59am

    This is Apple’s security flaw, not Amazon’s. Like the end of the article states, the last four of a credit card number printed in the open is common. If fact, it is extremely common on any site that stores your credit card information as well as bank statements, reciepts, etc…

    Report Post » Keep Your Skepticals On  
    • JediKnight
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:35pm

      And even Apple acknowledged that they did not follow proper procedures. This whole incident stems from flawed processes at Apple.

      Report Post »  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:49am

    “The disconnect exposes flaws in data management policies endemic to the entire technology industry, and points to a looming nightmare as we enter the era of cloud computing and connected devices.”
    ———————————————————————–
    Why does Apple and other “Tech Sites and newsletters” keep trying to push this “cloud” BS.
    A “cloud” is just a remote server and we have had those for decades. Just because someone calls it a “cloud” does not make it new.
    I have my own “beef” with Apple. I complained that one of the three apps that appeared on my email receipt, I did not buy, and I wanted a refund. Some Apple ID guy, named Aamir, emails me and said he disabled my account, because it could have been a hacker. If I admitted that I bought two of the three apps, it was no hacker. Aamir did not use ANY common sense. He just knee-jerked disabled my Apple ID.
    It took me four days and five phone calls before I cold get ahold of someone with any sort of common sense at Apple to re-enable my account. They screwed up my memorable password, thoug, because you cannot re-use a password.

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • listeninginVT
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:35pm

      I found their seemingly anal password verification process tedious myself. That being said, I’ve not had ANY issues since getting a MAC… I’m curious about the full details of how this happened, and if the user had set himself up in his password usage and ‘made’ himself vulnerable. I need more info, the knee jerk , blame the big dog (Apple) doesn’t fly for me when the media constantly tells 1/2 a story to get you on their side and to provoke a certain outrage or reaction…. For your point. I would rather have them shut me down than let it ride and have my info be compromised, but that’s just me. I do understand irritation, I’d rather be irritated once by Apple than daily by Windows.

      Report Post »  
  • eagledown
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:44am

    Someone has to invent a firewall app that completely keeps you anonymous. Your auto fill in your browser is your anonymous address, it’s all links to your mega secure app.(right). No more filling out personal info in every shopping cart/web-site you go to. LifeLock, here ya go,. I want royalties.. I’d buy a subscription to it.

    fyi Blaze: Boy watch the language in your articles:

    They just wanted to take it, and fu** sh** up, and watch it burn. It wasn’t personal…..

    Report Post » eagledown  
    • ICanComment
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:14pm

      @EagleDown:
      Until the comprehensive application you speak of is invented, try the following:

      Tor Browser – anonymizes your browser traffic. You’ll appear to be somewhere else in the world.
      Ironkey – (or another encrypted password manager) This will allow you to have 50 separate passwords and keep them straight.
      Junk email accounts – Separate personal correspondence from commercial stuff
      PO Box – if you’re really paranoid

      The technology is there. No one has to know who you are, ever, if you’re careful enough.

      Report Post »  
    • eagledown
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:32pm

      @ICANCOMMENT

      Thanks.
      I tried a password vault thing, it didn’t work well, I’ll try Iron Key.
      I have ALL 20 or so passwords, basically my life on a text file, I know, real dumb.
      Dang, I guess we all have to reverse engineer ourselves from the internet.
      Hackers, Big Brother Government intrusions.
      The internet is becoming one big “Cluster F”.

      Report Post » eagledown  
  • Grandpa Dave
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:16am

    Hum… Could it be more Cyber-attacks from China? My Google account was under attack by Chinamen a few weeks back. Really the attacks are 24-7. I am a survivor so far. But I don’t think I’ll survive the EMP attack from Iran.

    Report Post » Grandpa Dave  
    • I support God's Israel!
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:46am

      This is WHY I do NOT have a CLOUD, TWITTER, or FACEBOOK account with my REAL NAME. I use this LOGIN name on TheBlaze.com with a FAKE Yahoo account. I ALSO HAVE A BURNER PHONE THAT CANNOT BE TRACED. You need to LEARN HOW TO HIDE YOUR IDENTITY!!

      Being a Software Engineer, I KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF TOO MUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION and therefore, I never use anything but PayPal and 1 CREDIT CARD WITHOUT A BALANCE (that I can easily cancel) to order ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET. I ALWAYS use GIFT CARDS on Amazon, WHICH MAKES AMAZON RESPONSIBLE.

      Anyone who uses ANY social networking apps is ALLOWING THEMSELVES TO BE INFILTRATED in many ways. THIS IS WHY I HAVE NEVER EVER BEEN INFILTRATED in any way, shape, or form.

      I always use SECURITY SOFTWARE that provides a different IP address in some other state and I never use a REAL account name in Twitter or Facebook. Those accounts are just so I can log into different web sites. THOSE ACCTS DO NOT GIVE OUT REAL INFORMATION.

      This protects me and my family. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY EVIL PEOPLE OUT THERE!

      Once, I logged into a gmail.com account when it first came out a few years back and found it hacked. Being a very good Software Engineer, I was able to trace the perpetrator back to his IP address. I found his address and phone number and then called him. I THINK HE WET HIS PANTS.
      I TOLD HIM I WAS GOING TO COME AND CHOP HIS HANDS OFF IF I EVER FOUND HE DID THIS AGAIN TO ANYONE. Poor kid (he was a kid) was crying when I

      Report Post » I support God's Israel!  
    • JediKnight
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:39pm

      @Support: I think you’re full of it (or at least the last part of what you say). Not only because you drop the “Software Engineer” title but because of how you say you handled the situation. If your gmail account got “hacked”, it’s probably because you used a ****** password.

      Report Post »  
    • I support God's Israel!
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 2:15pm

      @JEDIKNIGHT:
      You have no idea what you are talking about. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS A HACKER CAN GET INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND NOT JUST BECAUSE THE PASSWORD IS ‘password”, mypassword; newpassword; etc. – DUH!

      Hackers have special scripts and programs that they use from an Internet Server and PCs to HAMMER accounts. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
      coWPAtty is a good freeware that allows someone to hack a wifi router.
      I could list many others, free and paid, but I won’t because there will be idiots that will try to use them and GET CAUGHT and GO TO JAIL. You have to KNOW what you are doing in order NOT TO GET CAUGHT.

      One of the first things I learned as a C Programmer years ago in college, was HOW TO HACK A PASSWORD on a PC. Then, I learned how to hack a server, etc..
      We created a script that would substitute letters and numbers and hammer the account owner’s ID and password. The 1st time I hacked successfully, it took 5+ hours just to hack 1 account. IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY. What did I do? NOTHING. I let it alone, but I really needed to learn how to hack so I could understand how it all worked. I never do this type of programming anymore BECAUSE IT IS WRONG. But, I have been asked by friends and businesses to hack accounts. I have been offered a lot of money to do so, but I just won’t do it. My conscience won’t let me now that I am a follower of Christ.

      Sorry, but YOUR COMMENTS ARE AS WRONG AS YOUR HEART IS.

      Report Post » I support God's Israel!  
    • Grandpa Dave
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:38pm

      @Support: Ignore Jedi Knight. He’s just a dirty little troll from Media Matters or another liberal or DNC site just trying to keep things stirred-up. Just review his history which is not secured. You can actually track him down, go to his house, and then punch him out. It’s best just to ignore them and do not even answer… that really bugs them.

      Report Post » Grandpa Dave  
  • Edohiguma
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:10am

    Calling BS on this one. Though I’m massively entertained how it hit an Apple user. About time those snobs get a dose of reality.

    Still, the way he describes it, it smells of sheer incompetence of him. Just take this one: “At 5:01 they remotely wiped my iPad. At 5:05 they remotely wiped my MacBook.” He shouldn’t be allowed near a computer.

    Report Post » Edohiguma  
    • COFemale
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:19am

      And you shouldn’t be allowed near The Blaze b/c you an idiot.

      Today’s technology allows user the ease of taking one application and linking to another application not realizing the implications. They just know it is convenient not having to create a total separate account. The average user does not have a computer background, so for you to judge this guy is typical of a Liberal hack. So Mr. Perfect I can’t wait until you are hacked.

      Report Post » COFemale  
    • DimmuBorgir
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 3:00pm

      That’s his point. Apple users think everything is so easy and protected from their idol Steve Jobs. Of course linking all of your accounts to one account and having all the same passwords is a bad idea. It doesn’t take an IT guy (which i am) to realize if you can hit the internet from your device, the internet can hit you right back.

      Report Post » DimmuBorgir  
  • lefty5005
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:02am

    Based on Amazon‘s and Google’s anti-conservative philosophy I took both off my computer or as best I could. Will not buy using Amazon and don‘t use Google’s search engine or browser. I can‘t totally stop buying from corporation’s or people I disagree with but I’ll give it my best shot.

    Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:22am

      Right there with ya! I’m also shutting down Yahoo. Not at all thrilled with the new CEO being a member of 0′s election campaign in 2008.

      Report Post »  
  • Stoic one
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:55am

    And that is why only one card is used for online activities; and I have a VERY paranoid view of the internet………………….

    Report Post » Stoic one  
  • copatriots
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:49am

    Really glad I closed my Amazon account last week. Thanks for your timely comment, Jeff Bezos!

    Report Post »  
  • historyguy48
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:45am

    For our protection, for our security, perhaps it’s time for Dear Leader to put on his computer geek outfit and make the Internet safe for democracy!
    Only big government can fix this crises.
    If you believe that, I have some prime land in southern Florida for sale, cheap!

    Report Post » historyguy48  
  • lylejk
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:41am

    Don’t twitter, facebook or use google apps. Also don’t own an i-anything so any Apple security issues won’t be one for me. Still, not hard to hack an account. One of my non-political accounts got hacked a few years ago and extensive dialogue with the moderator got me back in. Sad, that hackers do this instead of making life better. Because the economy is so bad world-wide, we have a lot of geniuses with nothing else to do as well. You can only play so much World of Warcraft before you get bored and pursue other things. Idleness is the devil’s playground. :)

    Report Post » lylejk  
    • historyguy48
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:50am

      Surely you are kidding, right? The fastest growing area of theft is through the Internet. Not only that, but it is far more lucrative and safer for the bad guy than traditional methods of being a crook.
      The Russian mob, Chinese mob. among others, actively recruit hackers it is so lucrative.
      The only solution is to never, ever, put anything you don’t want to be stolen on the Internet, or in your PC.
      Use a charge card that is prepaid only for purchases so the most they can get is what is on that card.

      Report Post » historyguy48  
  • teddyc73
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:39am

    Can we please STOP using the word ‘epic’. Please. I’m asking nicely. Who’s with me?

    Report Post »  
    • Old Truckers
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:53am

      I’m with you!
      And also lets stop with the term everything is going “viral”

      Report Post » Old Truckers  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:11am

      It would be epic, if they would stop using “Epic”. I support you on this.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Redwood Elf
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 11:39am

      “Epic” has been devalued. The words “Thorough” or “Complete” would be the correct ones to describe this sort of thing, where someone is foolish enough to use the same password on multiple sites and devices.

      If you have a device you can access remotely, ALWAYS set a password for remote access, and make it different from your other passwords. The 3 seconds it takes to type in a password is well worth not having someone wipe your data.

      Report Post » Redwood Elf  
    • Mr.Fitnah
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:34pm

      It’s hilarious .

      Report Post » Mr.Fitnah  
    • TrueSoundsOfLiberty
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 1:26pm

      I’m fine with the word “epic” but only if used correctly, which this is not. The Blaze has no idea how to use certain words. Epic being one of them as well as “hilarious”. Oh, and some random people on Twitter is not “the left wing media”.
      While I’m at it Blaze, please stop using the “emphasis added”. You might as well just cut out the rest of the article that you copied from the AP, NYT, HufPo, or any other outlet that does 90% of your reporting.

      Report Post » TrueSoundsOfLiberty  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:35am

    When a spider crawls across the floor, and you step on it. That’s you letting Satan make you do it. When a neighbor moves in next door, and your first thoughts are “I hope they don’t have dirt-bag relatives, and I hope they don’t run down the property.” That‘s Satan’s influence.

    Report Post »  
    • scuba13
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:48pm

      When I read one of your idiotic posts it’s Satan making me do it.

      Report Post » scuba13  
    • the rifleman
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 12:48pm

      No Watersrpeople, first thing is seeing if the wife is hot or if they have any hot daughters…

      Report Post »  
  • DimmuBorgir
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:32am

    So basically if you buy apple or trust google you’re open to id theft.

    Gotta love the push for cloud computing. I’ll stick with PC and external hard drives thank you.

    Report Post » DimmuBorgir  
    • sWampy
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:40am

      The cloud isn’t a bad idea, it‘s just it’s complicated, and security on it is complicated, beyond the comprehension of these crappy $20 an hour h-1b visa idiots that seem to be all the rage.

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:42am

      Agreed, and as more and more tech gets linked, the more vulnerable we become to the hackers and the government.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Melika
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:30am

    Boy, I’m so glad this happened to him. I’m sending a link to this article to every person who ever accused me of being paranoid. GO INTERNET!

    Report Post »  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:25am

    The internet is all jacked-up. We could have had some help with all our problems. Couldn’t we have?

    Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on August 7, 2012 at 10:22am

    Linking accounts together appears to be the new “paper trail”.

    Report Post » piper60  
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