Ruined Christmas for myself

[WereBear]

If people think they're safe please visit Have I been pwned? Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach and enter your username and/or email address, a large proportion of people will be shocked and then finally they may take password security more seriously. Also these are only known leaks, there are obviously a lot more.

TIP: To manage secure unique passwords for every site on the Internet that is important to you, I recommend using a password manager such as LastPass (freeware) or KeePass (open source), but please ensure that your master password is especially secure and you don't lose it.

Thank you, that was valuable information.

Myself, I create a few tough passwords and change them up frequently. I use 2 step authentication (where you put in a password and get a code on your phone) where I can. I also have Password Wallet to keep track because it does get confusing.

@Nikolas Di Domenico , creating and remembering and tracking tough passwords is a skill which I have been cultivating my whole career in IT. It is also a skill that people do not get taught, so they wind up using simple stuff that makes them vulnerable.

I like phrases that come to mind when I am on a particular site, with symbols where appropriate (like ! For “L”) and numbers that have meaning to me. There’s an art to it, and it can be fun.

I think a great gift this year is a little password course from you to your parents that will be helpful to all of you. Why not teach your parents how to do something?

What may be stopping them is not knowing how to do it.

 

[WildCat]

Should have kept it under wraps (no pun intended) instead of telling them straight up. At least, that's what I would have done and only well after the fact would I have then discussed anything security wise. No doubt they're upset, but I'm sure they'll get over it soon enough.

Also, to those here complaining about the breach of privacy, come on. It's not like someone broke into a government database and bragged about it to his buddies. Seriously, all of this was between family.

 

[Mathalamus]

No offense, but you are never allowed to hack into your parents accounts for anything, and i fully understand why your mother flipped out. its incredibly wrong to hack into your parents account, at all, and then lecture her on security.

know this: what your parents do, is up to them and them only. they can do as much or as little to their security as they please. you aren't even supposed to lecture them at all. frankly, you very much deserved to have Christmas ruined, on your shortsighted actions.

and wildcat, its a breach of privacy regardless, it doesn't matter if its a government website, or amazon. its the same thing: a breach of privacy. and, family doesnt matter in this case, its still considered extremely rude to hack into another persons account.

 

[Keigan]

So you went the distance to prove that you are right, now reap the results and the consequences.

 

[Nikolas Di Domenico]

An update to all!

I am still getting my DSLR camera and my parents got a lesson in cyber security again......... I also went ring shopping with my mom and sister for my girlfriend!

 

[Judge]

Sounds like the OP lucked out with his getting his Christmas loot. I suppose it could have been much worse. Alex, give me computer crimes for $100!

'Jeopardy!' winner charged with computer crimes in Michigan