Archive for the 'Private Investigator' Category

I always use the subject’s known email addresses as search terms. I assume that any good Investigator would do the same. However, where you search matters.

Have you ever searched an email address and found that it was compromised? Groups like Anonymous and Lulzsec sometimes post lists of compromised email addresses along with the associated passwords. Do you know where to search for this and how to report it?

“I didn’t post that! My account was hacked!” is a common ‘Weinergate’ inspired excuse. If the Investigator doesn’t make a reasonable effort to search for the possibility of a compromised account, then he may be judged incompetent or negligent.

Without the co-operation of the subject, the Investigator must start an organised search for indications that the email account has been compromised.

Always search for the name of the email service provider and the words ‘hacked’ and ‘compromised’ along with  ‘accounts’ and ‘email’. If you find something, then compare the date of the security breach to the time of your own Weintergate.

Next, search shouldichangemypassword.com, pwnedlist.com, and hacknotifier.com. The first two only tell you if the account might be compromised, while the last one sometimes links the searcher to online information about the security breach.

Of course the Investigator should document the search and explain the sources that were searched.