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Home » Family » Why do hackers hack?…..and a BOOK and WEBSITE update!

Why do hackers hack?…..and a BOOK and WEBSITE update!

 

Before anything else……..if you noticed, my site was a black screen for most of yesterday.

 

 

 

 

Here’s why. 

 

Someone from Kosovo hacked into my site and froze up my entire site.  If you tried clicking on anything, a facebook login box would pop up (or it would direct you to a whole new facebook login page).  I’m assuming he/she would then steal the facebook info and use it for his/her own ugly reasons.

 

Here’s what the little box looked like…..did you see it?

 

 

 

 

SO LISTEN……if you visited my site early yesterday morning and tried clicking on something and then a facebook login page popped up, hopefully you clicked away.  If you did log in (and were kinda confused but didn’t think much of it, because you know I’m not some crazy person and figured I was linking my site to facebook or something)…….then CHANGE YOUR FACEBOOK PASSWORDS right away!  And I’m so sorry if some of you did get caught up in the hacker’s game….that’s what was making me the most sick.  I’m not really sure what info they could gather though by hacking into facebook (I don’t have credit cards or addresses or anything very personal in facebook….do you?) but I have heard of strange stories of people hacking in and sending messages to your friends, posing as yourself, and asking friends for money, etc.  So…..if you see a message from me, asking for a wire transfer because I’m stranded in Paris, ignore it.  I’m not.  Grrrr.  However, once they hacked in, I changed passwords, put a double security on it and am actually putting some software on my computer that continually generates new passwords that are a lot more secure.

 

BUT, this hacker found an old email address, found the info he needed and placed the facebook screen on my site.  The moment I noticed, I shut the site down and put it in maintenance mode until I figured what in the world was going on.  (Because at first, I hadn’t connected all the dots yet.)  So, very few of you should have actually seen that login page.  I spent most of the day researching and reset the site, removed the malware, had my host run extra scans, and polished her up all pretty again.

 

Whew…….and yes, I change my passwords pretty often but I guess I’m not adding enough crazy symbols ($$%%@@??) and lower/upper cases and mumbled up mess.  I guess anything that is semi-recognizable isn’t good enough.  Uggggh.

 

However, in all the 4 years (or has it been 5??) that I’ve been blogging, I’ve never had someone hack in.  So this kinda shocked me (and gave me a little anxiety……and you know me, totally an emotional eater, so that bag of cadbury mini eggs?  Gone.)   But…..lesson learned.  Better safe then sorry, my friends!  So……go change those passwords to all of your online accounts.  And throw some funky symbols in there. 

 

And to the hacker in Kosovo (I know it was Kosovo because every time they attempted to change a password, add a user, etc…..the attempt was logged in my accounts)……….I’m kind of surprised you chose a craft site.  But hey, maybe you really wanted to know the inside scoop of making baby leggings!

 

Whew……on today’s agenda?  A hot bath. :)

. . . . .

 

 

 

In other news….and a lot more cheery and exciting……my BOOK!

 

I wish, I wish, I WISH that I could share a little more about it.  But I joked on Instagram that my editor Kristen said she’d take my unborn child if I leaked any info about it.  I can’t stand keeping a secret, so this is killing me!

 

But do you know how close the book is to being done?  Reeeeeeeeeally close!

 

In fact, I received the printed manuscript a few days ago and for the first time saw the layout with all the pictures, the chapters, the intro……all of it!  (Except for a few templates in the back.)  I have been flipping through pages and editing this sucker for the 87th time.  However, this time is different.  This time I get to hold her in more of her book form.  And I couldn’t be more thrilled about how it’s looking.  That little designer of mine (okay, she’s not mine…..she works for Running Press/Perseus, my publisher) is working her magic and it’s as if she took a peek in my brain and figured out exactly how I wanted it.  Oh, I want to hug her!  And her name is Ashley too……so I like her extra!

 

But the last few days I’ve been up to my eyeballs in finishing up last bits of this book.  A few photo re-takes, several re-edits, and some re-arranging.  But I’m almost completely done with my part.  (However, I’m learning that when you write a book, you think your part is about done, and then hey…..why not throw one more edit in there?!!  Ha.

(Picture from my Instagram account)

 

 

Anyway, in the coming months……..I’ll finally be able to share more about this project.  And share more pictures.  And actually tell you what the book is about.  (You might be a little surprised…….oooooh, I can’t wait! :)

. . . . .

 

 

 One more thing.  I’m realizing that I must really hate sitting idle.  Because wow, there’s a lot going on right now.  And it’s as if my body is already “nesting” and getting all of the big things that I have wanted to do done now, because this summer will change things a bit.  Okay….so be it.  Because I can’t wait to sit and love on the little guy this summer.

 

But…….I’m changing a few things on this site.  Nothing crazy.  It will look mostly the same.  But I’m adding something kinda fun to the site and am working with a designer to take care of all that coding and smarty-pants stuff.  So, you may see the site go into maintenance mode (but I don’t want anyone to worry that the Kosovo hacker is back….ack!).  But when it’s done, you’ll see a few new things around here…….but still the old stuff too.  Don’t worry.

 

More on that in the next few days. 

Okay……now I’m serious about that hot bath. 

 

Talk to you soon!

-Ashley

 

Ashley Johnston

Administrator at Make It & Love It
Ashley Johnston is a professional DIY costume maker, sewist, crafter, and owner of Make It & Love It. She is a mom of 5 and a wife to a very patient (with the craft clutter) husband. In case you’re wondering, she always chooses crafting/sewing/designing over mopping/dusting/wiping base boards……but bathrooms/laundry/full bellies are always attended to. Whew!

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Hi, I'm Ashley

Hi, I’m Ashley—the DIY-enthusiast behind this crazy blog!

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