Teamviewer Users Say Their Accounts Were Hacked

A number of reports from users of Teamviewer gave indications that it was hacked as unknown third parties took control of computers attempting to steal money through eBay and PayPal. However, the allegations were denied by the company. The forum of the software was flooded by Reddit users asking for advice on what they can do.

Users reported similar situations wherein PCs were remotely accessed by someone else and signs into websites and email services. While Teamviewer is not a backdoor, it is a remote control program wherein a third party can control the mouse remotely.

According to Teamviewer the issue is with the individual credentials of users instead of the system. The situation is possible following the security breach at LinkedIn where millions of password and email combinations were released online, and people have the bad habit of reusing logins for different services and websites.

Teamviewer Users Say Their Accounts Were Hacked - image credit: glassdoor.com.au

However, there are proofs showing that the software may have some flaws. Some users indicated that they use unique passwords while others use a two-factor authentication. These users have indicated that they were hacked.

A statement released by Teamviewer denied that their systems were breached. It may be possible that carelessness on the part of the user may have caused the situation. Teamviewer emphasized that the system was not hacked and there is no security hole in the system. It also indicated that the software is safe with suitable security measures in place. Teamviewer also indicated that evidence shows that the issues resulted from careless use. It also said there are a number of steps to avoid possible abuse. But, the website of Teamviewer was down for a number of hours and the interruption was due to a DNS problem.

While the issues are being checked, users were given some tips on ensuring the safety of their machines. They were advised to log out of their accounts to prevent access through a username and password combination. Users can also uninstall the software as well as check the log for any unexpected connections. Users can check their eBay, PayPal and credit card accounts for any suspicious activities. Or they can change the password of their account.

Until the situation is properly investigated, Teamviewer has to work on assuaging concerns among its users. This is essential since the software touts its strength as its unbreakable security and a major security breach can spell the end of the product.

Posted by George Daniels on Thursday June 02 2016, 3:37 PM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Technology. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0