Local Blogger urges web safety after MP’s site hacked

PRESS RELEASE: April 6, 2009, for immediate release

Alan Collins, a local blogger, has urged web users to be safer after a local MP’s website was hacked.

Mr Collins, whose blog focuses on Twydall and the wider Medway Community alongside his own personal musings, has issued the warning after Paul Clark, Labour MP for Gillingham and Rainham, was hacked by ‘red virus’, leaving an explicit message.

Even users of social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, are at risk. As many employers check Facebook for current or prospective employees, the wrong comment by the profile owner, or a hacker, could get the profile owner into deep trouble with their employer and damage future job prospects.

Mr Clark isn’t the first victim of the web hacker. Last year, Harriet Harman, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, had her official website hacked with a blog post pointing to a spoof website indicating that she was supporting Boris Johnson for Mayor of London and had defected to the Conservative Party.

Mr Collins commented,
‘The fact that Mr Clark’s website was hacked so seemingly easily shows exactly why people need to be safe and secure on the web – even if it is just changing your password to something more secure.

‘Whether you are running a high-profile website or have a profile on a social networking site such as Facebook or Myspace, there is always a need to protect yourself from hackers, and by using stronger passwords you make it harder for them to be successful.

‘Passwords should be lengthy, containing a combination of letters (both small and capitalised), numbers and other characters. Many websites now have a feature which shows you the strength of your password – so use it wisely.

‘It can take a hacker a matter of minutes to undo all your hard work, so I urge everyone to be safe and secure.’

ENDS