Hacked

“Check your blog. Funky unpleasant links embedded in the text.”

This is not the kind of text you want to get from sister at 5:55 AM.

Yesterday morning, my website got hacked. I was suddenly doling out both supposed wisdom and links to stuff I don’t wish to print here.

I was momentarily and all-at-once overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, paranoid, devastated, offended, angry, sad, unsure and vengeful.

Momentarily.

Then I got this text:

“So sorry but thought you’d want to know. Praying for a quick solution!”

And then …

“Oh no. Don’t feel bad. Happened to the CIA too. Just means you’re important!”

Wow. A barrage of encouragement. It’s a nice to thing to get anytime, but especially after you’ve been overwhelmed before you finish your first coffee.

Big sisters rock.

You know what else rocks? Four things:

1) Complex passwords – Using an application like 1Password has brought a lot of security to my life over the last couple years. I never use the common passwords, nor do I include things like my children’s names. They are long strings of unpronounceable letter, symbol and number combinations. If you don’t do this. Start.

2) Rebooting sometimes – I had complex passwords on my website, database and server. Something went wrong. I had a choice – I could wail and rend my garments, or I could get to work. I got to work. I changed all the passwords and updated all the double-secret keys and even modified the parallax files. I can’t tell you about them. Sorry. I’ve already said too much … (looking over shoulder) … did you hear something?

3) Geeeeky friends. I believe I’ve mentioned I’m 3e geeky: Geeeky. However, in this instance, I needed a professional 4e fellow. He prefers to remain anonymous (4e fellows usually do for a mix of reasons). But, he was there for me and walked me through the problem.

4) A daughter’s love – “Ohhhhh, Daddy. I luhz you.” Baby Sarah makes everything better. She is the perfect blend of snuggles, energy, chocolate and pizza. She digs me. She digs her big brother pretty hard, too. Her big brother’s finally coming around to the fact that, well …

Little sisters rock.

Stuff happens. Get over it. Get back to work and learn the differences between a real problem and mere inconvenience.

Have a good day. Change your passwords. Backup your data. Hug your sister.

Which reminds me – this was the last text I got from her yesterday morning:

“Don’t be discouraged. Press on. This has been an incredible 6 weeks for your blog. You’ll get through this challenge! (shake cheerleader pompoms here)”

Thanks, Lynn. I luhz you.