17/08/2025
An apology, a thank you and…two factor authentication
On 16th June, my Outlook account was hacked through a brute force attack. The individuals systematically guessed my password and, with no extra security in place, gained full control. Once inside, they reset passwords for every account linked to my email—Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn—then added their own 2FA, locking me out. They also created email rules to divert replies to their own address, hid originals in obscure folders, and changed the language to Russian. It took days to regain control of my email, by which time they had seized my social accounts.
Getting help from these platforms was impossible. After sleepless nights trawling Reddit and battling useless support links, I found an article suggesting becoming a ‘verified user’ for better support. Paying for it let me speak to a human and secure some accounts—though it was frustrating that payment was the only route forward. The experience left me stressed, anxious, and sleep deprived. I felt helpless, watching emails vanish in real time as someone halfway across the world acted from my account. It affected my mood, work focus, and home life. During the takeover, hackers posted about luxury cars and bitcoin profits under my name. I apologise if anyone was misled and thank those who reported the posts or warned me. Messages from friends, family and colleagues were a surprising bright spot amid the chaos.
Weeks later, most accounts are restored—except Instagram. The content posted by the hackers breached the platform’s community guideline and my account was disabled (permanently after my appeal was rejected). So, if you were one of the 7000 connections on Instagram, do feel free to reconnect.
It seems a poignant time to share a new drawing - ‘Oak Tree’. For me, a reminder that the natural landscape around us has existed longer than the internet, social media and digital passwords. When things catch you by surprise and life feels totally overwhelming, time outside, amongst nature is powerful medicine. So that’s all…but some parting advice… take digital security seriously, change passwords regularly and set up 2 factor authentication.