GoToMyPC resets passwords following 'sophisticated' attack

Popular remote access application GoToMyPC has reset its users' passwords following the discovery of what the Citrix-owned company described as 'a very sophisticated password attack.'

GoToMyPC allows anyone to take control of any PC with the server system installed, much like Microsoft's own Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or the cross-platform Virtual Network Computing (VNC), providing they know the password for access. Naturally, the ability to control a host PC as though you're sitting right in front of it - including accessing local files, passwords saved in the browser, and installing any additional software of your choice - is of great interest to digital ne'er-do-wells, which is why keeping the service secure is of key importance.

GoToMyPC emailed its users this weekend warning of what it described as 'a very sophisticated password attack,' automatically resetting all passwords and requiring that everybody picks a new and strong password as well as activating two-step verification - a weaker form of two-factor authentication which nevertheless improves the security of a given account over a simple password alone.

The company has not yet announced the precise nature of the attack on its network, nor whether user passwords were directly breached from its servers. All users are advised to use the forgotten password form to choose a new password, without which they will be unable to log in to their account.