Calif. man used Facebook to hack women's e-mails

[The Straight Story]

Calif. man used Facebook to hack women's e-mails

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In a cautionary tale for users of social-networking sites, a California man has admitted using personal information he gleaned from Facebook to hack into women's e-mail accounts, then send nude pictures of them to everyone in their address book.

The California attorney general's office said Friday that George Bronk, 23, commandeered the e-mail accounts of dozens of women in the U.S. and England. He then scanned the women's "sent" folders for nude and seminude photos and videos, and forwarded any he found to all the women's contacts, prosecutors said.

Bronk coerced one woman into sending him more explicit photographs by threatening to distribute the pictures he already had. One victim told authorities the intrusion felt like "virtual rape."

Bronk, who lives in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights, pleaded guilty Thursday to seven felonies in Sacramento County Superior Court, including computer intrusion, false impersonation and possession of child pornography.

....

Prosecutors said Bronk would scan women's Facebook accounts looking for those who posted their e-mail addresses. He would then study their Facebook postings to learn the answers to common security questions like their favorite color or father's middle name.

He contacted the women's e-mail providers and used the information to gain control of their accounts. He also often gained control of their Facebook accounts by hijacking their passwords, then posted compromising photographs on their Facebook pages and other Internet sites.

http://tinyurl.com/4reog74

[Tunkamerica]

1. his picture

Lots of guys are doing this. They get city of birth or whatever and a few other details and can get into most people's email accounts. Especially if you have no idea this is going on.

[NaturalHigh]

15. Kind of a creepy-looking fellow.

[hlthe2b]

2. California AG has posted safety tips to prevent this on website...

From the article: "The attorney general's office advised those using e-mail and social-networking sites to pick security questions and answers that aren't posted on public sites, or to add numbers or other characters to common security answers. Additional safety tips are on the California attorney general's website."

Of course the article didn't include an actual LINK to the information on the California AG office... And, no, it is not a simple matter to find the information. I was curious so I did a search. Thus far I haven't found it but will come back and post a link if I do.
Damn, who writes these stories. :mad:

*****************
On edit: From the CA AG press release: Attorney General Harris reminded users of e-mail and social networking sites that security questions and answers need to be as secure as passwords. There are steps people can take to avoid being victimized by "security question" hacks. These steps include:

-Pick security questions and answers that do not involve any personal information that is available from social networking sites or any other sites.

-Try to switch the security questions you choose for password protection on e-mail services and social networks.

-Add numbers or special characters to your security answers. For example, the question "What was the name of your High School" could be answered "Middle02High@School."
Here is a link to precautions against security theft: http://ag.ca.gov/idtheft/

[Le Taz Hot]

20. I think that everyone ought to do this except

willing old fat broads like myself. You want a pic? Here ya go, big boy, come and git it! Not only would it discourage him from such actions, he would go blind in the process. It's a win/win!

[seabeyond]

23. i dont think the guy is about getting turned on, but humiliating women....

dont think he would care what the woman looks like. that isnt what he is about

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. So he sent HER pictures out?

She put nude and semi-nude photos and videos on the internet and this guy sent them out via her email account?

Am I understanding this?

Sure he shouldn't have hacked into her email but if she had not put these pics up he couldn't have sent them out, right?

[Statistical]

4. He hacked her email and accessed sent mail folder.

Likely she sent a private nude pic to a single person. He then sent them to everyone.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. My point is if she had never put that picture on the internet,

he couldn't have found it when he hacked into her email. I don't feel too sorry for her.

No he should not have hacked into her email and deserves to be prosecuted.

Anyone hacks into my email, they won't be finding any nude pics. LOL

But this story did prompt me to change my email password. So I guess it is serving a useful purpose.

[Statistical]

6. You have the wrong attitude.

You have personal information on the internet, maybe not nude pics but personal information. Hopefully most of it is secured on websites that our protected. If someone breaches that people should have sympathy.

"I don't feel too sorry for her. "
If someone hacked your health insurance account online and public posted all your claim info unless you agreed to blackmail should nobody feel sorry for you?
What if then google picked up on that (automatically) and it became indexed with your name forever should that rise to feeling sorry?
What if the information in question was a cancer diagnosis and then as a result of HR doing a google search of your name prior to employment nobody would ever hire you again is that enough that someone should feel sorry.

People have a right to privacy. A password protected account is no different than a locked door. If the suspect broke into her home and stole nude photo that he scanned and put online would deserve sympathy?

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Did you read my post? I said he should be prosecuted.

But putting nude pictures on yourself on the internet is just stupid, IMO. So no, I don't feel sorry for her.

[seabeyond]

10. so i send a naked picture to hubby..... someone gets it from email and put on net

you wont feel empathy for me?

i think it is pretty crappy a gf will send naked to bf and then he puts it out, but it is a reality for our girls to understand, ergo, tough luck bfs, the privilege abused. but this is even worse. the person is trustworthy, it is a total anonymous hacking.

i feel sorry for her. i think the guys that do this are totally disgusting filthy slime. but then i think the same of a bf, or x that send out to friends.

like i told hubby, no whining cause no picture... the privilege has been abused.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Actually no I wouldn't

I would feel badly that someone hacked into your email. But if you put nude pics of yourself on the internet you need to assume that many other people will be able to see them.

[petronius]

13. There's a fine line between discussing how victims could minimize risk, and

saying they got what they deserved. Your posts are on the nasty side of that line...

[seabeyond]

14. you are consistent.

really, before realizing that even email could get out, i would be operating out of ignorance, thinking that is a safe route. but have heard otherwise so i would tend to your thinking. but.... i know there are others out there not aware and think it is safe. ya, i would feel bad for the person.

[Tunkamerica]

16. just like if you put something in a locked safe you need to realize that someone might

break into it. And if they do, it's your fault for putting it in the safe because there was always the possibility someone could break in.

[MattBaggins]

24. Why are you so adamant about "posting these on the internet"?

If these were on cell phones or sent user to user they were not exactly "posted on the internet".

Say if I break into the postal carriers truck and make copies of your mail can I say it's your fault for using the mail system?

[boppers]

19. You sent a naked picture to hubby over the public internet?

Maybe you shouldn't do that if you don't want it public.

[seabeyond]

22. no, i didnt. but in the past i would have thought email was a private

arena and i would not have been at risk it getting out. that is all. i know better now, i didnt in the past.

[MattBaggins]

25. Why are you saying public internet?

Sending a photo phone to phone or email to email isn't the public internet.

[boppers]

28. Phone to phone isn't usually over a mix of public and private servers.

Of course, if we're talking about cell phones, you're broadcasting it on public airwaves, which are (and have been) quite easily "tappable" by anybody with time/resources.

Email, OTOH, typically travels on other people's wires and servers, therefore, not yours, not private.

"Public", in this context, means that you shouldn't have the same privacy expectations as if it were on your home network, or even what you have over phone land lines.

[madinmaryland]

8. Comparing health insurance information which is NOT posted by an individual is NOT the same

as someone who emails someone a nude pic of themself.

Sheesh.

[Tunkamerica]

17. but it is the same. it's private information stolen.

maybe you mean that a bad person emails nude pictures and therefore deserves them to be stolen.

[boppers]

18. "secured on websites"

There is a huge, massive, logic flaw, with those three words, when used in that order.

If it is on a website, it is not secure. When people stop posting crap into public spaces, they can claim privacy violations, but a website is not a private space.

[Statistical]

21. You are aware your banking info, social security info, medical info, and other private info

is online right now this very second.

Lets not even get into shopping history from online stores, checkout history from public library, your political leanings from DU, etc.

By your logic you have no expectation of privacy for anything.

"When people stop posting crap into public spaces, they can claim privacy violations, but a website is not a private space."
The courts disagree with you. As long as reasonable precautions have been taken it is. If you need to hack a password to gain access it is (and should be) no different than "hacking" someone front door (more commonly called picking the lock).

[boppers]

27. I don't bank, haven't seen a doctor in 20 years, etc....

There's precious little about me on the 'net that I didn't put there.

[MattBaggins]

26. You say it's not private space

I say neither is the back of a mail truck.

Luckily the law says otherwise.

[boppers]

29. USPS has very specific laws about that.

The internet, not so much.

[petronius]

9. What a complete asshole. (And I'm not super-fond of any attorney who

can use the excuse "he's a 23 year old boy going on 15" with a straight face either.)

[seabeyond]

11. i have a 15 yr old boy. he would be insulted. nt