If you received an email from me on Thursday afternoon regarding a Google document and this email did not contain my corporate email signature, then I have a suggestion: delete it.
For the first time in my 19 years in business, my email was hacked. Thank you very much, Google. So much for their security. No, I did not send you a Google document which required your email address to open. If you did receive this message, and you actually surrendered your email, congratulations; you, too, have probably been hacked. If you opened the Google document link and own a PC, I would recommend checking your computer for malware to prevent giving a gift that keeps on giving.
This hack job only affected our Google-based email accounts, not our database.
What really irritates me is that invasion was through no fault of my computer — a MacBook Pro — or my iPhone. A candidate sent me a message. Thinking it was a release of information, I opened it, was transported to a remax.com web site and the rest, as they say, is history. More than likely, these high tech thugs — Ok, I will tone it down — these high tech bozos were only interested in collecting email account information. The extent that they may have penetrated the Google corporate mail servers is unknown. We did change all our passwords to ensure that confidential information was protected. There were no known breaches.
To my colleagues who called and emailed once they received this bogus message, thank you. I appreciate the heads up. In addition to the password revisions, we have taken various steps to attempt to thwart future attacks attack including notifying Google security. If you continue to receive this bogus email from the hack bozos, let me know.
To say that this does not leave one feeling a wee bit violated would be an understatement. But, alas, this is will become increasingly part of the digital world, the quality and security of your computer notwithstanding. Over the next several days we will take steps to strengthen our processes to ensure it does not happen again.
I guess one time in 10,220 isn’t a bad record, but it only takes one to elevate the frustration.
Today, mine remains pretty high.
© 2012 John Gregory Self