Security notice

[eirias]

Someone just tried to access my LiveJournal account, I think - I got an unsolicited "password reminder" email from LiveJournal.com, requested by someone using an IP in Plano, TX. It's possible that this is nothing sinister and the person thought that he/she owned this account. It's also possible that my email account has been hacked, in which case this person would have gotten ahold of the account. If so, as far as I know they haven't done anything underhanded with it.

At least I can be pretty confident that no one in Plano, TX has an actual reason to stalk me ;). But some of you maintain journals and journal entries that are not so public, so you should be aware that someone not-me may have had access.

Comments

[tla]

The obvious thing to do is change your password; if you get another request, you'll know that something is probably really up.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I've been under the impression that this sort of thing is a scam that people pull to *try* to get LJ passwords and, as long as you didn't respond to it, you're fine. LJ doesn't actually send out emails asking for passwords; in all likelihood the mail was not from LJ at all, since it's trivially easy to forge From: headers.

Which is to say, in all likelihood nothing happened at all, because you're too smart to fall for crap like that.

[eirias.livejournal.com]

Let me clarify - it was not asking for username/password; it was providing it. In plaintext. It was the "reminder email" you get when you click "Lost Password?". Which I don't recall doing, ever ;).

I have, however, changed all relevant passwords.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It's probably nothing. These things usually seem to be one of the following:

A typo by someone who wanted a similar name

Someone who thought they had some right to your name, but doesn't

Someone who is so clueless as to think that's all they need to do to get a password

... we get a lot of clueless people on LJ.
So, changing your passwords is good, but you're probably fine anyway.

mystery plano people

[cos]

Since anyone can induce a password reminder email for any LJ account without knowing any private information about that account at all, this doesn't mean anything. It's certainly not evidence that anyone has access to your account.

BTW my ex-housemate Lauren, who I was living with 1997-2003, is from Plano TX. I think you met her but I'm not sure. I also know a current Wellesley student who is back home in Plano for the summer.