general security questions

sierramuse8 · 08-01-2008, 02:10 PM

Can email accounts be monitored on home pc's? Like from outside persons? local police, etc? I am just curious if this is possible. I have aol and cable internet. also have yahoo mail.

Also is there a way to know if my computer is being monitored in any way?

I have a firewall and a spyware program. Would it be advisable to have anything else?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

**af3** · 08-01-2008, 02:23 PM

If someone is on your network, meaning connected to your router either wirelessly or through an ethernet cable, they could intercept and read your mail. They could also do this if they installed malware on your PC as the malware will do whatever they want it to.

Unlike before, GMAIL is only encrypting the login. GMAIL used to always remain in SSL which provided encrypted transmission of your e-mails to you, but I guess it was too expensive resource-wise to keep such a configuration in place. Your messages can only be intercepted as you view them.

If someone had physical access to you computer while you were logged in, they could specify an address for GMAIL to forward a copy of all your mail. Unfortunately, there are so many ways security can be breached but this would only happen if you were the target of someone's interest. It is my opinion that no one cares to bother with this kind of thing unless there is money involved, or they are severly bored.

I would advise an Anti-Virus program... AVG is good, and free.

08-01-2008, 02:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
sierramuse8 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1 OS: Windows XP	general security questions Can email accounts be monitored on home pc's? Like from outside persons? local police, etc? I am just curious if this is possible. I have aol and cable internet. also have yahoo mail. Also is there a way to know if my computer is being monitored in any way? I have a firewall and a spyware program. Would it be advisable to have anything else? Thanks for any help you can provide.

08-01-2008, 02:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 1,173 OS: XP32, the gaming OS. My System	Re: general security questions If someone is on your network, meaning connected to your router either wirelessly or through an ethernet cable, they could intercept and read your mail. They could also do this if they installed malware on your PC as the malware will do whatever they want it to. Unlike before, GMAIL is only encrypting the login. GMAIL used to always remain in SSL which provided encrypted transmission of your e-mails to you, but I guess it was too expensive resource-wise to keep such a configuration in place. Your messages can only be intercepted as you view them. If someone had physical access to you computer while you were logged in, they could specify an address for GMAIL to forward a copy of all your mail. Unfortunately, there are so many ways security can be breached but this would only happen if you were the target of someone's interest. It is my opinion that no one cares to bother with this kind of thing unless there is money involved, or they are severly bored. I would advise an Anti-Virus program... AVG is good, and free. Last edited by af3; 08-01-2008 at 02:26 PM.