Why did 5 people I know get hacked this week?

#0 - Aug. 19, 2010, 4:38 a.m.

So, I have a question.

Around the beginning of the week, my friend's husband and son got hacked, they live an hour away. Progressing through the week, my sister-in-law's boyfriend got hacked (he lives 2 hours away), my partner got hacked, and then an old school friend on the other side of the country got hacked. So it's not like they've all used the same computer.

I don't much know the circumstances of why the other 4 people got hacked, but with my partner, there was nothing on our computers. We don't do dodgy business, we keep our noses clean. We know the difference between Blizzard English and Spam English. We don't click links and we don't fall for traps. Yeah, we don't have authenticators, but that's beside the point. We log onto each others accounts on our computers, so why did only my partner get hacked, but not me?

My partner also discovered AFTER he had been hacked, that in his junk mail was a couple of fake Blizz emails. They were unread because he only found them after it had all happened.

My question is this really - is there someone out there with some insight as to why my partner got hacked, and why in this one week alone, have 5 people I know been hacked? What is going on?

(Edited to change an "e" to an "o")

Orlyia

#8 - Aug. 19, 2010, 10:49 a.m.

Q u o t e:
I also would like to know how these hackings are taking place. My main account was hacked last weekend (this is a trial account- as my account is still waiting to be unlocked).

-I have up to date windows patches, antivirus, spyware and hardware and software firewalls.
- I have done multiple scans that reveal nothing on my pc.
- I NEVER share my details with anyone. I use firefox with adblocking and no-scrips running,
- Ii use an on-screen-keyboard to enter passwords etc.
- I also know what to look for in regards to phishing, and the only place i have entered my wow details is the game. this website and battlenet.
- i also only use a handful of mods. all of which are the widely used ones like Titanbar Auctioneer Bagnon and gatherer, I do NOT use the curse autoupdater either

I did not have an authenticator before the hacking, as i figured it was unnecessary, tho i now do

how is my account stolen, if i can safely say with 99.999% confidence the I am secure at my end.

and more to the point how can i be sure that once i get my account back it cant be stolen again other than adding the authenticator

The one thing you don't mention here is your email, Brakket. I cannot tell you how your email was compromised - just that it was. To have added this authenticator, they had to be into your email.

If you haven't yet secured your email account, you are still vulnerable. This is currently awaiting word from you that your security is in order before it's unlocked.

You should have received an email on that - although it could have been deleted if someone else is into your email account.