MSN Messenger - Security

Baron_Samedi

Baron_Samedi

Baron_Samedi

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Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
1,691
Hi everyone,

Got a bit of a situation, my daughter has reason to believe her Hotmail and MSN Messenger account have been for want of a better word, hijacked.

I'm really thinking about the security of my own little network here, but by what means (precise details are unnecessary) is it possible for an account to be intercepted?

The password was reasonably complex, and I am concerned about how the information was obtained.

Also, are Microsoft likely to be any help in retrieving the account and hiding teenage type messages from prying eyes and jealous so-called friends!

Cheers

Gary
 
Dump that account and get a new one. But all of her contacts and friends have that address ? ? ? To be honest, tough, (harsh I know) you don't want a compromised account.

Kids quite often have mobile phones and MSN. They love all the extras they can get for free such as ring tones, phone screens, smilies and MSN skins e.t.c. They will often just visit web sites and fill in any questionaires to get this 'free' stuff. This can involve them 'confirming' their MSN details.
 
Go into her old account, click File -> Export Contact list... then save it on your desktop/anywhere.

Then register a new account and import the contact list back into the new account. Everyone is added!
 
Scythe said:
Go into her old account, click File -> Export Contact list... then save it on your desktop/anywhere.

Then register a new account and import the contact list back into the new account. Everyone is added!
Click to expand...


I reckon that sounds about as good as your gonna get (in a nice way of course) :D
 
Baron_Samedi said:
Hi everyone,

Got a bit of a situation, my daughter has reason to believe her Hotmail and MSN Messenger account have been for want of a better word, hijacked.

I'm really thinking about the security of my own little network here, but by what means (precise details are unnecessary) is it possible for an account to be intercepted?

The password was reasonably complex, and I am concerned about how the information was obtained.

Also, are Microsoft likely to be any help in retrieving the account and hiding teenage type messages from prying eyes and jealous so-called friends!

Cheers

Gary
Click to expand...

I would say the cause is almost certainly one of the following:
> Someone guessed the answer to your daughters security question (eg: mothers maiden name type questions), which they can use to change the main password.
> Your daughter had password remember on when using msn on a public PC, or left herself logged in etc.
> Your daughter told someone the password or uses a password which she also uses for other things which people know about.
> Brute force password attack.

Hacking a hotmail/msn account is (I believe) a pretty difficult thing to do. Human error (knowingly or not) is almost certainly the course.
 
Hi Folks,

Many thanks for your advice - shame about MS and their lack of help with such problems - some messages etc in the lists can be darned embarrassing if as you and I suspect that someone close to her has obtained the password on a remember password or left logged in during in an ICT session....

Thank you very much for your consideration of the issue!

Cheers

Gary
 
Zefan said:
Don't count on MS for any sort of help. Ever.
Click to expand...

Why not? My account got hacked somehow AGES ago, I sent MSN an email, they sent one back next day asking me some questions like as many contacts as I could list on my list, my recent passwords, my address etc. so I sent it all as best I could, they sent me back an email with my new password next day.

Also, it could be someone at school, some people find it necessary to tell people their password(s), I got tons of MSN passwords while I was at school just from people being stupid.

Craig.
 
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