Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google hacked account

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 169 posts

Re: Google hacked account

#141

Post by danielweber »

mikegioia wrote: post #19
hmoghnie wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My mistake was that I didn't enable 2 factor authentication. I contacted them and offered to supply a copy of my password and driver license, they said the only way is to go through the dysfunctional online method to recover the password. I did create another account, they still send the link to cancel the request to the original account!!!

If you didn't enable 2FA, how on earth is Google or anyone for that matter able to verify it's you that owns the email address? Anyone at any time could claim they were hacked, and it's not like they require a drivers license ID when you register. Honestly I'm not sure what Google can do here that (a) doesn't require them to now individually support users ($$$) or (b) doesn't open them up to thousands of erroneous cl…

I would prefer a system where I can pay $100 to Google to get a competent human to look at the case versus now where I can hope I have a friend of a friend to make enough noise to get someone's attention.

Re: Google hacked account

#142

Post by jokr004 »

smtddr wrote: post #130
jokr004 wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your nitpicking isn't helping anyone.

Nitpicking? I had no idea what this submission was even about. I thought maybe Google, the company, was hacked by outsiders. That was my best guess. Or even "Google hacked" could imply "Hacked by Google", I don't even know. The current title is ambiguous at best; just plain misleading/sensational at worse - especially now reading that this is really about just one person losing access to their Gmail. _____ EDIT: In c…

It's just so not important.. from the content of the guys submission it strikes me that English may not be his first language.. he's here asking for help with a problem and the top response he gets is some ass berating him over the wording of his title.

But oh right, you woke up this morning and the sky was falling, all because you had to take an extra 30 seconds to actually read the fucking post

Re: Google hacked account

#143

Post by nmridul »

27182818284 wrote: post #137
larrys wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"You had two step verification, or not?" Upvoted you but... A company offers a free service. "Your aunt" does know know or understand the need for "two step verification" nor do almost certainly a large percentage of people using gmail. This idea that companies resolve themselves of all responsibility to provide reasonable customer support for a free product with such wide adoption is ridiculous. Google derives benef…

>"Your aunt" does know know or understand the need for "two step verification" I wonder more and more if we need to make it mandatory in some form, but maybe more formal. Like you can use your phone, but also here is a plastic, officially-sealed set of codes we'll mail to you at a verified address just in case.

>>> officially-sealed set of codes we'll mail to you at a verified address just in case.

And then people would start crying ... "google now wants to know your home address .... "

Re: Google hacked account

#144

Post by fixermark »

batou wrote: post #104
fixermark wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems phishable. I wonder what method Microsoft uses to verify that I'm not calling in to steal someone's account.

They send you and email and you have to click through it.

Do they send an email to an address of the attacker's choosing?

Re: Google hacked account

#145

Post by danielweber »

creyer wrote: post #17

I guess is all about: how can you prove you're not the hacker?

If a human looks it would be trivial for me to do the legwork to prove I own the google account.

I've had more than one job that uses gmail in the office, including my current one. My boss's account is presumably authenticated and if I bugged him he would vouch for my identity.

I have correspondence with a bunch of people in my google account going back years. I could bug any number of them to vouch for me.

I've had, in the past, a few work accounts that used google, that mad my picture associated with it. I can do a google hangout to show that that is still my face.

I have a driver's license with my real name on it, which matches my google account.

I control the phone number associated with my google account.

. . . A hacker could compromise one or two of those, but it would be hard for him to get a majority of them, even if he had my phone and email in his control.

Re: Google hacked account

#146

Post by fixermark »

larrys wrote: post #78
finnjohnsen2 wrote: post #20

You had two step verification, or not? I'm hoping you'll say no, because my feeling of security comes from the fact I've enabled TSV.

"You had two step verification, or not?" Upvoted you but... A company offers a free service. "Your aunt" does know know or understand the need for "two step verification" nor do almost certainly a large percentage of people using gmail. This idea that companies resolve themselves of all responsibility to provide reasonable customer support for a free product with such wide adoption is ridiculous. Google derives benef…

The fact that "your aunt" can access the Internet at all without some moral equivalent of a driver's license is testament to the fact that our societies have balanced the freedom of information made available by accessing the Internet with the individual's responsibility to understand the basics of the tools of accessing said Internet.

... and stories such as this are the consequence we shall have for taking the Libertarian solution. Not that I disagree with the solution taken! I just have a hard time swallowing the argument that it's always the provider's responsibility to account for total user ignorance at all times. A solution has been provided for this attack vector, and if the end-user chooses not to use it then perhaps at some point the onus is on the end-user.

(Or perhaps Google should just make 2FA mandatory for everyone, "your aunt" included).

Re: Google hacked account

#147

Post by EGreg »

The right way for these companies to restore your account would be several of the contacts you've added long ago to verify that it is indeed you, in some way a machine can use, such as you signing in with your OLD credentials (which are kept around), filling out a form with their contact details (which were in the addressbook on the service and to which you have sent at least a few emails long ago) and them forwarding you the generated keys to your email by some method they choose to reach you -- only by collecting 4 or 5 of these keys could anyone unlock the account. Presumably you choose the people to whom you've reached out another way and explained how to tell you the code to activate your email.

This is like an alternative to two-factor communication. It can only be defeated by someone actually hacking your account and then convincing 3-4 of your close friends to send him the keys to your account when you start the dispute.

I'm a big fan of using information obtained easily and casually in the course of doing something productive (like often emailing someone) for good purposes.

PS: I have disclosed it publicly on this date so no patenting! :-)

Re: Google hacked account

#148

Post by larrys »

finnjohnsen2 wrote: post #136
larrys wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"but technical strong people like yourself" I like the sound of that. I actually have run my own mail servers since the mid 90's [1] but I am more of a business guy who knows computers than a strong technical guy the way that I see it. I don't use gmail (for anything important I do use it for unimportant things) I don't like the idea of my mail sitting on their servers. [1] Actually if you include non internet mail d…

How do you deal with spam when self hosting?

I don't filter any spam at all.

I have found it helpful and have done deals with people that would normally be considered spammers. Wish I could provide details but let's just say that some people who spam actually are legitimate buyers of certain products or services and respond quite well to reply emails.

How much spam do I get and have to go through? Easily 3000 messages per day. You will have to trust me when I say I have not regretted not doing any filtering in terms of what I do [1]

[1] And no I do not sell a product or service to spammers...

Re: Google hacked account

#149

Post by mikegioia »

danielweber wrote: post #141
mikegioia wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you didn't enable 2FA, how on earth is Google or anyone for that matter able to verify it's you that owns the email address? Anyone at any time could claim they were hacked, and it's not like they require a drivers license ID when you register. Honestly I'm not sure what Google can do here that (a) doesn't require them to now individually support users ($$$) or (b) doesn't open them up to thousands of erroneous cl…

I would prefer a system where I can pay $100 to Google to get a competent human to look at the case versus now where I can hope I have a friend of a friend to make enough noise to get someone's attention.

I think we all would, but the OP knew this when he registered! This is not a new revelation about Google support.

Re: Google hacked account

#150

Post by Burritamos »

jokr004 wrote: post #142
smtddr wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nitpicking? I had no idea what this submission was even about. I thought maybe Google, the company, was hacked by outsiders. That was my best guess. Or even "Google hacked" could imply "Hacked by Google", I don't even know. The current title is ambiguous at best; just plain misleading/sensational at worse - especially now reading that this is really about just one person losing access to their Gmail. _____ EDIT: In c…

It's just so not important.. from the content of the guys submission it strikes me that English may not be his first language.. he's here asking for help with a problem and the top response he gets is some ass berating him over the wording of his title. But oh right, you woke up this morning and the sky was falling, all because you had to take an extra 30 seconds to actually read the fucking post

It didn't really sound like kazinator was berating in their reply. It actually sounded rather helpful. Please be more mindful when replying to people here. Less tendency to jump to vitriol would be helpful.
Post reply on HN