My email was hacked

[Bernadette]

I've already changed the password. Should I close it? I'm so freaked out!

[gorignak]

You should add either phone app based (such as the Google Authenticator, not text message based) or hardware fob based two factor auth to your account.  A hardware fob (like a Yubikey) is the best security option readily available and you can use it across many sites likes banks as well.  Once you add the additional auth method you should be prompted to save backup codes.  After you do so, it's safest to remove test message based authentication since that's easier to hijack.

[clau clau]

I personally would use text based 2 factor authentication.

This means every time you login in addition to entering the password you will receive a text message on your phone. Type the code in addition to the password to login.

I reckon that is enough. I regard hacking as a devil take the hindmost kind of activity. The hackers go for easy targets.

Personally, I would turn off the 2-factor stuff after several months. Life is to short. Use a password with number,letter, symbols and upper lowercase with 10 characters or more.

I sure many disagree with me but I don't care. That's my advice, take it or leave it.

[Greg]

Clau Clau

In layman's terms how is email hacked?

If you have a password of something like this 2nTyV4eF&aD!

Then how is it possible for a hacker to guess that password?

Wouldn't all systems have some sort of limit to the number of login attempts?

[Bernadette]

Turns out I was misinformed, my email wasn't hacked. My uncle used my account on Ebay to buy something for my aunt. I didn't recognize the purchase, so contacted ebay, who told me that my email had been compromised.

[Baylee]

Turns out I was misinformed, my email wasn't hacked. My uncle used my account on Ebay to buy something for my aunt. I didn't recognize the purchase, so contacted ebay, who told me that my email had been compromised.

Why doesn't your uncle have his own account?

[Bernadette]

I have no idea.

[Lynne]

Wouldn't all systems have some sort of limit to the number of login attempts?

All systems have the capability to limit the number of login attempts but there are good sysadmins and there are lazy sysadmins...