Sighballs

[kinboshi]

Good news about the gmail account.

Have you set up the 2-step verification for it? 

My gmail account was hacked (about a year ago now) via an app that had been compromised on my android phone.  Scared the shit out of me as I use that account for a lot of stuff and have emails in there going back well over 5 years. Fortunately, I was alerted to the hack and managed to get in, change the password and lock the hackers out within 5 minutes.  They'd already spammed loads of people in my contacts and had moved 12 months of emails into the Bin (but fortunately, hadn't deleted them permanently).

Anyway, have a look at the Google two-step verification as that makes your gmail account a LOT more secure to this sort of attack.

http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=180744

and this is worth a read:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/08/turn-on-gmails-2-step-verification-now/260822/

[kinboshi]

With PokerStars (don't know about any others), you can add a second-level of security using either a security dongle (which there's a one-off payment for), or with a simple 6-digit pin that you can add to the login process so you need to add that as well as your password.  The 6-digit pin is entered via your mouse on a randomised keyboard to stop keyloggers from being able to 'grab' the PIN.

Worth doing that as well if you haven't already.  Will keep your 95c safe.

[booder]

With PokerStars (don't know about any others), you can add a second-level of security using either a security dongle (which there's a one-off payment for), or with a simple 6-digit pin that you can add to the login process so you need to add that as well as your password.  The 6-digit pin is entered via your mouse on a randomised keyboard to stop keyloggers from being able to 'grab' the PIN.

Worth doing that as well if you haven't already.  Will keep your 95c safe.

yeah got one of those thanks.

[booder]

Good news about the gmail account.

Have you set up the 2-step verification for it? 

My gmail account was hacked (about a year ago now) via an app that had been compromised on my android phone.  Scared the shit out of me as I use that account for a lot of stuff and have emails in there going back well over 5 years. Fortunately, I was alerted to the hack and managed to get in, change the password and lock the hackers out within 5 minutes.  They'd already spammed loads of people in my contacts and had moved 12 months of emails into the Bin (but fortunately, hadn't deleted them permanently).

Anyway, have a look at the Google two-step verification as that makes your gmail account a LOT more secure to this sort of attack.

http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=180744

and this is worth a read:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/08/turn-on-gmails-2-step-verification-now/260822/

Done.Thanks.

[Free_Rollin]

It's often done using keys loggers, programs that are installed on your machine and record your key strokes (and report them back). Usually install themselves at the same time as you install some dodgy software, or they're installed as part of a virus / Trojan infection.

There are also vulnerabilities in certain programs that can be exploited (such as programs that store or send passwords in plain text).

Ah ok, thanks Dan.

[kinboshi]

It's often done using keys loggers, programs that are installed on your machine and record your key strokes (and report them back). Usually install themselves at the same time as you install some dodgy software, or they're installed as part of a virus / Trojan infection.

There are also vulnerabilities in certain programs that can be exploited (such as programs that store or send passwords in plain text).

Ah ok, thanks Dan.

After I wrote that, I realised I missed another way they get your password: http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=60068.msg1701013#msg1701013

Which is why the 2-step verification is even more important for those who access their Google account via their mobile, especially on android where your google account is 'built-in' to virtually everything you do on the phone.

[kinboshi]

Another reason why gmail is probably a better bet than Yahoo for your email:

http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/01/how-yahoo-allowed-hackers-to-hijack-my-neighbors-e-mail-account/

[booder]

Got my stars account up and running eventually. Had to send front and back scans of picture ID , photo of myself holding said ID and then had to wait for phone call from stars security department to verify some account related questions.

Looking forward to playing again this weekend.