My e-mail has been compromised. Again.

[the7k]

Alright, tried to log-in to my email, and the password has changed. So has the security question. This is about the third time this has happened.

It's not like I choose brain-dead passwords. Heck, according to one of those password tester sites, it said it would take years to crack the password I choose... and yet, it still happened.

I'm using hotmail, by the way. Is hotmail just notorious for that sort of thing? Because I don't recall this sort of thing happening with any of my other accounts. Honestly, after having to deal with this so many times, I'm planning to just close the account and headquarter myself elsewhere. Only problem is, I've got a lot of accounts that are locked to that email address.

Just wondering if there is anything I'm missing that you guys might be able to point out to me. This is seriously annoying me. Thanks.

[Zing]

Have you checked your system for a virus/keylogger/etc?

Do you always log into your email directly and not from clicking a link on a webpage or email?

[Hobie-wan]

Has it happened after you logged in from someplace other than your usual computer? A friend's, work, or a library or something?

[RyaNtheSlayA]

All the hotmail accounts I've had have been compromised.

I've not had any issues with Gmail so far. Perhaps you should switch.

[Zing]

My hotmail account has never been compromised in its ~15 year history. I stopped using it to send email around 2006, but I log in occasionally and its still going safely.

Hotmail, er "Windows Live Mail" or whatever they call it now, is often a target for attacks, since they are usually associated with Xbox Live accounts.

[o.pwuaioc]

My girlfriend's email was hacked the other day. After trying to secure it better, I realized that listing Harry Potter to the secret question "who is your favorite literary hero" (or something like that) was probably what allowed the hackers in. Now it's so complicated that even I forgot what it was, and I was the only one who knew it. :/

[BoringSupreez]

I've never had any trouble with my Hotmail account in the 4 or 5 years I've had it, except for it generally sucking.

[jfrost]

They say Hotmail is vulnerable, but I haven't had problems with my 10+ year old account.

[o.pwuaioc]

They say Hotmail is vulnerable, but I haven't had problems with my 10+ year old account.

Nor I.

[deathsled]

my primary gmail account was compromised a couple weeks ago. They hadn't changed the password yet, but it had been accessed from like 7 foreign countries before google locked it down themselves. I was able to get back in and set another password.

Not 30 minutes ago I logged into a secondary gmail account I use for junk and got a notice that it has been compromised. It showed it being accessed from Bulgaria earlier this morning. Just changed the password on it too.

I'm now scanning my computer for malware/viruses/whatever lol

If google would let me disable access from foreign countries apparently I would be fine....lol