how did a friend on my facebook hack me so quickly?

[Sarzzzz]

I had an argument with this guy ive chatted to for ages on FB. He told me to not wind him up otherwise he'd hack my account - anyway, i didnt listen and within 5 minutes he'd got my password and sent me a message to prove it.

I won't report him because we are normally good friends... but he wont tell me how he did it, all he keeps saying is 'never underestimate anyone;

does anyone here know how he's done it? thanks... it was so very quick and its bugging me lol

[Ben]

He didn't "hack you in 5 minutes". He already had your password.

Most "hacks" are actually just social engineering tricks- they don't steal your password from Facebook (who doesn't store your password anyway- they store the result of a one-way mathematical function performed on your password that takes way more than 5 minutes to reverse even if he did have access to Facebook's servers). Instead, they either guess your password from information you've already given them or they trick you into giving them your password, often without even knowing it. It's also possible he managed to get a keylogger installed on your computer, which told him what you were typing. All that's needed for that to happen is for you to run a program he sent you (which could be disguised as something else) or for him to have physical access to your computer for a few seconds.

[miniaturebrain058]

Well if he knew you email address, he could have reset your password. It's possible he guessed your password too, if you and him have been chatting a while, he could have guessed it. Maybe your password is too easy to figure out, Example would be:

Using your last name and birth-date, dogs name, children names, something familiar about you, and something you think nobody would guess, like your birthday is a prime example. Passwords should have nothing to do with you, your name, or anything connected to you by association.

To make your password strong, think of a book you might have read, use the authors name spelled backwards and the last numbered page. Or maybe think of a place you always wanted to visit, or a car you wish you could own. Reverse the spelling, add in the price or even distances, anything.

Example of a good password: tibohdrolfoehtsgnir = Hobit lord of the Rings...lol

[Mousie]

you probably gave him your password without even realizing it by giving him general information about yourself. its really not rocket science to hack a friends fb page if you know them well enough.

[Brash]

133t h4x07.

[Stella]

Your password is probably something easy for a friend or family member to guess at. You say this is someone you speak with a lot on Facebook, so he probably figured out your password over time. He just didn't say anything. In fact, he probably does the same thing with everyone he knows on Facebook.

First thing I'll say is that you need to change your password to something random that no one will be able to guess at. Make it a mix of upper and lower case random letters, numbers and symbols. Whatever you do, don't tell anyone, or even hint to anyone, what it could be.

Second, I need to tell you that this is NOT your "good friend". You need to lose him. He has already proven to you that he can't be trusted and that he will stop at nothing to control you. End the friendship before he does some real harm.

[Lacey]

This guy basically threatened you and you still consider him your "good friend"??? That's unbelievable to me.

He had probably been trying to guess at your password since you first started contact with him. He was just waiting for an opportunity to show you how "powerful" he is and finally got his chance.

I agree with Stella. Change your passwords for everything and block this guy. He's bad news. If he can threaten to hack your account for something as minor as "winding him up", then he's capable of worse.