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Hundreds of GMAIL accounts Hacked

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Written by: CyberFreek

Category: Information Security

Published: 02 June 2011

Well it has happened again.  GMAIL has been hacked and hundreds of accounts stolen by some hacker in China.

For more information Click on this Link

What is interesting is how targeted this attack seems to be. What also concerns me is that major US Officials are openly using a free Mail service.

Where is the Cyber Security people within Government on this?  Why is this happening that US Officials are doing this? But most of all, what sort of information and emails are being sent via a free service?  This blows my mind as it should yours also.

I know, shut up, drink your kool-aid and go away.  But this is exactly the reason so many within the Security world are concerned.  No one is minding the mint on this stuff. Or if they are, they are being ignored.

No ranking official should be using a free email account for any reason. Period. Use a more secure email account or your own assigned one for the organization you belong to.  If it is send emails of a personal nature, then use one anonymously! If you are a high ranking individual in a Corporation, a Government Position, State or Federal, use an anonymous email address that does not point back to you.

Example: If Fred Smith was the Vice President of Country X, do you think that  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is appropriate? I know, its an EGO thing, I am who I am and I am proud of it because my name throws weight around.  So what.  Your name is also a target for Cyber Criminals.  Be smart!  If you used an anonymous email address, for example  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  ONLY those private to you will know this is you.  The Cyber Criminal has no clue.

In this case, Security by Obscurity does work and is better than "This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.". But ultimately, use a more secure email account for business or personal needs.  You'll be happy that you did when your name never shows up in the news as your colleagues name will.

Steve