How I Got Hacked and How Sticky Password Saved the Day

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, the perfect time to share a real-life story submitted by “Cindy”, one of our users, about how Sticky Password saved the day after a social engineering hacking incident. In social engineering attacks, hackers don’t use brute force or complex code, instead they rely on trust and human error to achieve their goal. Targets are victims of manipulation - typically undone by misplaced trust and inattention.

Cindy’s Story

It was a regular evening, just like any other, when I received a message from a friend asking for my phone number. While I wasn’t in close contact with this person, we knew each other well enough for the request not to seem completely out of place. But then came the odd request: "Send me the code from the message you’ll receive." It was a small moment of hesitation that could have saved me from what was about to unfold. But I went ahead and shared it.

What followed was a terrifying few hours as I realized that I had just become the victim of a social engineering attack.

What Happened:

Social engineering is one of the most effective tactics used by hackers today. It preys on trust, familiarity, and the natural tendency to want to help friends or acquaintances. In Cindy’s case, the attacker posed as a friend and manipulated her into sharing not just her phone number but also verification codes that gave them access to Cindy’s most personal accounts.

After receiving a message from my supposed friend, I began to second-guess whether this was a legitimate request. When I asked if it was spam, the hacker reassured me with a casual, friendly response: “It’s not spam. 😊 ” That small smiley face made me drop my guard, and I sent my number along.

Before I knew it, I was forwarding verification codes to the hacker. It wasn’t until I sent the second code that I realized what was happening. By then, it was too late. The hacker had gained access to my Facebook and Messenger accounts and was beginning to target my email.

The Aftermath:

What happened next shows how our own actions can impact an avalanche of reactions: positive or negative. Because they were aware of her typical online behavior, many of Cindiy’s friends sensed that something was up and were able to act appropriately. It’s a great reminder that our own security awareness can either unleash additional waves of the expanding avalanche, or help slow it down when we respond appropriately.

As I scrambled to regain control, messages poured in from friends and contacts, all asking why I was sending strange messages from my accounts. Panic set in when I tried logging back into my Facebook and email, only to discover that the hacker had already changed my passwords. I felt helpless, knowing that my most important personal accounts were in someone else's hands.

The worst part? The codes I had sent had unlocked access not just to my social media, but to my email. Years of correspondence, personal information, and sensitive data were suddenly vulnerable.

How Sticky Password Came to the Rescue:

Here’s where my story takes a positive turn. For years, I have been using Sticky Password to manage my passwords. Luckily, the passwords I used were not weak or easy to guess, but rather strong, long and randomly generated passwords that no hacker could easily crack.

When I realized what had happened, my instinct was to change all my passwords. Sticky Password made this process quick and painless. The app’s password generator gave me new, strong passwords in seconds, and I replaced the compromised ones.

But the real game-changer was the Sticky Password cloud backup. When I had overwritten one of my old passwords, I thought I had lost access for good. Fortunately, Sticky Password allows users to restore previous password databases through their StickyAccount online. I quickly rolled back to a version from two days prior, and voilà—I regained access to my email.

This event really highlighted for me how essential it is to use strong, unique passwords for every account and to have a reliable password manager like Sticky Password to keep them all safe. If I hadn’t been using Sticky Password, the situation could have been far worse.

Conclusion:

Social engineering attacks are a powerful tool in the hacker's playbook, and no one is immune to falling victim. Even the most tech-savvy among us can be fooled by a cleverly disguised message from a trusted contact. Cindy’s experience underscores the importance of vigilance, using strong passwords, and having trusted tools like a password manager to protect what matters most.

Stay safe out there, and remember: never share verification codes with anyone, no matter how convincing they seem. Your digital security is in your hands, but with the right tools, like Sticky Password, you can keep hackers at bay.