Is hacking into someones email illegal?

wolfman

Keyloggers can hide deeper than Add/Remove programs, and Anti-spyware apps.

The safest solution would be to re-install the system if you think you have a key logger, especially given you don't know what is on the system, and what he has setup.

everythingblogcast

Hacking means force.

If the ex husb had her username and password, it is not hacking and is not illegal, however if he force his way into the account but using a software or someone else then it is illegal as if the email is using the web browser he is hacking the servers of the email service and as such it is illegal. Note that if you have been locked out or forgotten your password on Hotmail/MSN/Windows Libe and use on of these services that hack into your account. They are breaking the law (Computer misuse act 1990) and as such illegal and Microsoft can sue.

ReadyBet

Wolfman which keyloggers can not be detected by a good anti-spyware? would like to know as I have never come across one and have to remove them in my line of work.

But I do agree with wolfman if she has the ability or knows someone then a complete re-install of the machine is the way to go.

blue_monkey_2

Just to add onto this, the ex did not know her password so he must have guessed. However, he is still reading information that is not addressed to him. If you had moved would you open letters in the new house not addressed to you? I can't see it is any different. I can't do anything as my friend contacts me as I can't find her number. Typical. Doubt she has got the email I sent her as he is intercepting them all. Great!! I shall pop a letter in the mail instead. I think I have forgotten how to write a letter, LOL!!

Thanks all.

MadCowMan

guessing email passwords is easier than you'd imagine. They are often not especially secure and rarely changed.If he is removing mails from the server before they are read then you'll have to use an alternate method of contacting your friend to advise her to address the security issue she has.

johnmc

If you don't want to be bothered by him you can use a Rule in Outlook Express to permanently delete all mail from him without reading it. You can even send an automated reply that says "Sorry, this account is no longer active. Please contact <one of those "Mr Nasty" type 0898 phone lines>"

He's the only one who will receive it.

I wouldn't worry too much about your personal situation at the moment, although he does sound like a bit of a nutter, obtaining the sort of information you are talking about is - as you've now discovered - quite easy. It's what he does with it that matters.

But the first thing is to tighten both lots of security by changing both sets of passwords to random characters, something we should all do every month or so anyway! Never done mine though :-)

Avoriaz

Write to him requesting that he ceases contacting you my phone or email or any other means. Inform him that you are taking legal advice and are reporting him to the Police for harassment. Make the letter brief and unemotional.

Write a brief dispassionate letter to your local Police outlining what has happened and attach a copy of your letter to him. Send him a copy of your letter to the Police.

That will probably be enough to scare him off. If not you will need to encourage the Police to act. I think they take potential harassment quite seriously, and usually a letter or a visit from the Police stops matter going any further.

As above, make sure your computers and passwords etc are secure.

Good luck.

wolfman

ReadyBet wrote:

Wolfman which keyloggers can not be detected by a good anti-spyware? would like to know as I have never come across one and have to remove them in my line of work.

None of the top of my head, not really something I follow.

You're playing a cat and mouse game. The anti-spyware can only remove what it's aware of, and different anti-spyware apps often produce different results.

I always thought there were certain cases where it was ignored or not even found. Professional software, that requires the person to be at the pc when setting it up.

Had such a case myself with my brother, who installed one on my machine (when I locked out his router access). It was a real pain (Spyware Doctor and CounterSpy didn't pick it up, nor did Kerio, it was only upon him telling me), and I was never certain if I'd completely got rid of it. I had to follow a list of instructions I found online. It seemed quite heavily embedded into Windows as it would start prior to the login screen appearing. Was lucky in that I had a ghost image to revert back to.

MadCowMan

Something installed with a proper rootkit would be very difficult to detect

I doubt thats the issue here , its most likely a case of social engineering (because theres no patch for common sense )

magyar

MadCowMan wrote:

Something installed with a proper rootkit would be very difficult to detect

I doubt thats the issue here , its most likely a case of social engineering (because theres no patch for common sense )

Quite agree. I used to have responsibility for IT security at our place and found I was :wall: trying to point out that if you wanted to steal our company secrets, you wouldn't try hacking through our industry-standard firewall, you'd get a job as a cleaner.