HACKER HACKED!!!

A couple of days after my first blog post this year my Gmail account got hacked into!!My hacker claiming to be called “David” had the audacity to text me and brag at his sick accomplishment…His first mistake was to hack into my account; his second mistake was to text me using his cellphone number which of course I am inserting here for all to see. Beware of cell number +254713605977…and he kept piling up on the blunders!

For 33 days I could not access my account or blog! I was sad, scared near depressed, angry…I felt so exposed and so violated!!I know it’s just an account but when someone else can access your personal emails without your express consent, and can go to the extent of usurping you, you feel like a piece of you has been stolen. For most part of early January therefore I was busy trying to retrieve my account and get access to it.My settings were all altered such that when I tried logging into my authentic account, I looked like the hacker! David had made sure to frustrate all my recovery efforts and even activated the two-step verification such that whenever I tried changing the password or filling in the authentication form he got an SMS…wait for it….sent to him on his cell-phone…by yours truly, Google!!!

As a GSA (Google Student Ambassador) you would have thought that I would have this “little” hacking problem sorted out ASAP! But shock on you!!!Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against Google, in fact I love being a Googler and thought of as some Google genius on my campus. But men-where were Google when I needed them? Is it too much to help a sister out at her dire hour of need? Anyhow, so I filled in thousands of authentication forms blah...blah...blah…and I am still waiting to hear officially from the Google Recovery Team in regard to the hacked account. Did I say it’s been 33 days and counting? I understand that they probably get a zillion such requests in a day but an automated response reassuring me that all will be well would have done just fine.

For obvious reasons January was a S…L…O…W month. You can imagine my frustration every time I had to Google something; I couldn’t help but think of my account and what wickedness David might be up to. I became addicted to checking my blog least something scandalous was posted in my name! After much huff, I decided to move on as I wasn’t getting far sulking and cursing this criminal! It is true that despite everything the sun still comes out and boy was it shining in Nairobi this past few weeks of 2012!Thinking positively despite everything is hard work. But this ordeal helped me get my AHA moment for one of my term papers which I was having difficulties constructing. It focused on the right to privacy and my lectures seem to love it already! Next, in spirit of positivity I knew I was going to get my account back…BIG TIME!!This I decided was by either by hook or crook.

I embarked on mission ‘get my account back’. I will not go into the nitty gritty of how I managed to get my account back(lest this buffoon is reading this)but I thought it is prudent to  share with you some things you might want to do to protect yourself from such a horrendous  ordeal.

•  Firstly, change your password(today)or frequently especially if you use a shared computer or access your account in a cyber!

•   Use a strong password usually incorporating caps,numbers,symbols etc….

•   Do not use obvious passwords. Foreign languages,vernacular are preferred.

•   Passwords should be undisclosed. Do not share the same with others or save a list of other accounts and their passwords on any account.

•   Activate the two step verification code on your Gmail account. A verification code will be sent to your cell phone upon request every time you want to log in.

•   If you must access your account on a smart phone, include the two step verification as well; and use a different password too! Sign out especially when you don’t need to be online.

•   Turn off blue-tooth devices when not in use.

•   De-junk your account, delete emails you no longer need and empty your trash ever so often.

•   You really don’t want to add people you don’t know on any social media you are using. Limit the information you put out there especially in regard to your accounts, information about you etc.

•   Use different passwords for every account, especially your recovery account! Imagine having two accounts hacked into at once!!!!

•   Avoid sending,forwarding,replying to emails with a bunch of recipients you do not know.

•     Keep checking the account setting-you might just stumble upon something that might help you up your security features.

Wish you a hacked free account!