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Thread: MSN Messenger adding contacts

  1. #1
    Senior Member Zorolord's Avatar
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    Sep 2001
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    MSN Messenger adding contacts

    Hello Guys

    My parents have a bit of a dilemma, yesterday my parents neighbour approached them, and complaining that my young sister had added his address and hacked him. He was not very happy as she is only 12!

    The problem that I have is how could she hack him as she is only 12, and I know for a fact she has limited knowledge of computers and hacking! She not one of them script kiddies, unless she has a friend who may be one?

    Also if she didn’t hacking him, how does he have her name in his contact list and how does she have his name in hers! Now the only thing that I can think of is that he has a friend or has somehow came across knowledge which has enabled him to add her address without prior approval! It would be easy for him to find her details online as she has a nick name which she uses as MSN Account!

    I would basically like to how this is possible and is this due to vulnerabilities within MSN Messenger itself!

    If you need technical details I believe she is running Windows XP Home with SP2 unsure about updates, her MSN version must be 7.5 I believe?

    Has any one heard or came across this kind of problem before, as I would like to clear my sister's name, and then contact the authorities as I believe this guy is some sort of nutter or pervert!

    I would appreciate any input in this matter, as I want it cleared up for my parent’s sake and my sister’s – As she is reasonably mature for her age and wouldn’t do this kind of thing! I am not sure what kind of trace I can do or forensics I can perform on her machine, as I am no security expert I am currently pursuing different avenues to fine a result!

    Many Thanks in Advance!

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    FIrst of all, are you sure that your sister actually added him to her contact list?

    Or has she fallen victim to a phishing attack and had her password hijacked by someone else? I have seen this many times before, and it is especially easy on preteens with little to no knowledge of such attacks.

    This would be my first guess, and if so, this has nothing to do with any vulnerabilities in MSN messenger. You sister should definitely change her MSN passowrd immediately. Adding someone to a contact list without prior approval is a trivial task for anyone with minor knowledge of the subject.

    Go through the message history, see ifr any links have been offered to her where she may have clicked them, perhaps a "enter your password to avoid account deactivation" kind of thing... I would bet my bottom dollar that this is exactly what happened. Educate her about the dangers of following unknown links, encourage her to change her password, and all should be said and done I hope.
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Zorolord's Avatar
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    Hello Striek

    I don't think she did add this guy, that is problem unless she is lieing (she's not like that)

    Its seem odd that she could of been phished by this guy, when he live's down the street it could be a possibility though!

    I will see if I can check her message history, I will educate her on this matter even if she hasn't been phished!

    Thanks for the information

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