TeamViewer hacking?

[Jonetc15]

While only half awake I thought that I heard a news item early this morning saying that during lockdown TeamViewer had been hacked. I searched a bit for the story but couldn't find it.However here are some websites: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=team+v ... 0-2&ia=web and from that link:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/akdqxk/ ... ter-supply

https://thehackernews.com › 2020 › 08 › teamviewer-password-hacking.html

The reason for my concern is that a close relative abroad regularly uses TeamViewer to fix my mistakes that I (in my late 70s) make when using a MacBook. Indeed, our long-term strategy is that when I die or am incapacitated this relative will deal with emails, correspondence etc over TeamViewer for my wife (my age) who has only the faintest idea as to receiving and sending emails. The other day this relative living abroad gave me nearly two hours using TeamViewer to help me to complete a horrendously detailed document which required a huge amount of data, with supporting documents to be uploaded.

Should I (a) stop our current arrangement and/or (b) take action to check for any signs f hacking, or (c) stop fretting and carry on as usual?

TIA for any replies

Jon

[Infrasonic]

Any software that allows another computer to remotely take control of its target host will potentially be open to abuse if hackers find holes in the security.
Updates to software will fix those bugs generally -if it is a serious 'zero day' issue currently being exploited then the updates will be rushed out asap.

There are ways of making things more secure via teamviewer settings but you'll need technical assistance to help set it up - is your relative abroad technically minded at all?
If so get them to have a read of this... https://community.teamviewer.com/Englis ... -statement

If possible get them to set up 2FA (two factor authentication) and whitelisting (if not already used) so that only they can remote into your machine from a specified machine at their end. Everything else would be blocked.

[Gerry557]

The safest way would be to contact your friend and get the password changed.

[PhaseThree]

The source of today's story is the FCA

https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/screen-sharing-scams
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-relea ... scam-signs

Basically people being tricked into downloading software like Teamviewer and then letting strangers loose on their PC.
Nothing wrong with the software per se, but its use by scammers to target the vulnerable.

[Infrasonic]

The source of today's story is the FCA

https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/screen-sharing-scams
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-relea ... scam-signs

Basically people being tricked into downloading software like Teamviewer and then letting strangers loose on their PC.
Nothing wrong with the software per se, but its use by scammers to target the vulnerable.

Scammers have been using Team Viewer for ever - there's some funny videos on Youtube where the scammers get reverse scammed and have their PC's wiped...