Internet security and hacking

[mommy111]

I read this news story about this man who decided to get his business partner's email account hacked and found out his password, then posted his emails online. I find that unbelievable, so I decided to test this. I opened an email account and contacted various hacking websites that I found on a google search. Not one of them have been able to hack into my email account or provide me the password as yet. So what gives? Is it really that easy for someone to break into someone else's email account/bank accounts etc unless you give out your password to someone yourself? I mean, with a few basics like never giving out your password to anyone, you should be able to maintain relative security, right?
ETA: All of this also arose because I check my bank acct info on the iphone 4s at starbucks.....and a starbucks server asked me not to as he said it wasn't safe.
Where are our resident internet security people here?

[indigo99]

People use really easy passwords (words in the dictionary for instance), and simple computer programs can go through lists of passwords looking for a hit. People also use the same password for various sites so someone can get it and then try other sites until they hit one with the same login info. I'm usually pretty cautious, but I did fall for a fishing email once. It was an exact copy of a facebook email stating that I had some sort of notification. When I clicked on the link in the email, the page looked exactly like the fb login page. Of course it captured my login info before I realized that it wasn't legit.

The guy at starbucks is right, you shouldn't do any sort of private surfing at public hotspots. That isn't always secure. Others could potentially sit and capture every signal that is being sent over the network (thus getting your login info, bank account info etc). Do check that any websites where you are putting in private info (including passwords) have the https (s is for secure) address.

[codex57]

If you know someone well (like a business partner), it's easy to guess someone's password. Prolly even seen them type it in front of you a bunch of times so you know the general areas where he hits the keys.

As for strangers hacking? Not that difficult if they concentrated. For the average person, if a real hacker concentrated solely on them, prolly an hour tops.

And yes, don't do private stuff at starbucks. There are sniffer programs and other things. Basically, someone can see what you're doing on a public wifi.

[echoesofspring]

Not one of them have been able to hack into my email account or provide me the password as yet.

hmmm, you don't actually know this, do you? You just know that they haven't told you they've figured out the password, kwim? I don't know what sites you contacted, but I wouldn't exactly trust them....

There are all sorts of password decryption programs out there. The simplest are dictionaries and then they get progressively smarter, adding in common substitutions of numbers for letters, etc. But my guess is that the business partner knew the password, or knew his partner well enough to guess it.

[vonfirmath]

There are all sorts of password decryption programs out there. The simplest are dictionaries and then they get progressively smarter, adding in common substitutions of numbers for letters, etc. But my guess is that the business partner knew the password, or knew his partner well enough to guess it.

Or had even been given the password one time in the past for business purposes.

In our company we do this for multiple reasons.
I wonder what the reason for it is, though. As it seems NOT to be something one would do with someone you want to keep working with.

[codex57]

Or had even been given the password one time in the past for business purposes.

In our company we do this for multiple reasons.
I wonder what the reason for it is, though. As it seems NOT to be something one would do with someone you want to keep working with.

You do it for convenience. Person A is out of town. Something needs to be done and only Person B is in town. Person A gives Person B the password.

Couples do it all the time. Do you know your S/O's passwords for some stuff? Or have a joint account? A partnership is the same as a marriage. You just have a business partnership vs a personal partnership.

[codex57]

If you really want, set up a fake internet e-mail account. Make it totally unrelated to anything you have. Preferably do it at a public place like a public library so they can't trace the IP address. All passwords, security questions, etc are stuff you make up.

Then, go to a place like 4chan.com or google hacker sites. Ask them to break into it. Many are bored enough to do it. That'll be a test.

These places you went to, they sound like scam places more than legit businesses.

[vonfirmath]

You do it for convenience. Person A is out of town. Something needs to be done and only Person B is in town. Person A gives Person B the password.

Couples do it all the time. Do you know your S/O's passwords for some stuff? Or have a joint account? A partnership is the same as a marriage. You just have a business partnership vs a personal partnership.

Sorry. I wasn't clear on that it was i?

I don't know my husband's passwords on anything. He's given it to me once or twice but I don't remember.

I meant I don't know why you'd post your *business partner's* email on the Internet. That does not seem conducive to having further good business relations, know?

[codex57]

Sorry. I wasn't clear on that it was i?

I don't know my husband's passwords on anything. He's given it to me once or twice but I don't remember.

I meant I don't know why you'd post your *business partner's* email on the Internet. That does not seem conducive to having further good business relations, know?

Ooohhh. Yeah, I think I was confused and didn't really answer your quetions.

You post your "business partner's" e-mail on the internet to embarrass them. Think of it like an ugly divorce where one party decides to embarrass the other by airing dirty laundry. Same thing. No intention of ever working together again. Scorched earth and all that.

[mommy111]

If you really want, set up a fake internet e-mail account. Make it totally unrelated to anything you have. Preferably do it at a public place like a public library so they can't trace the IP address. All passwords, security questions, etc are stuff you make up.

Then, go to a place like 4chan.com or google hacker sites. Ask them to break into it. Many are bored enough to do it. That'll be a test.

These places you went to, they sound like scam places more than legit businesses.

That's what I did. Google hacker sites (found on a search) were not able to hack in. Will try 4chan. A girl's gotta have her fun :)
And yes, you're right, the business partner thing was a scorched earth thing (they were all over the news, brothers from the middle east and business partners, I forget the country)
OK, off to try 4chan. Add any other suggestions :)
And I'll take everyone's word for it and stop banking on public wifi