Punked Out!!!!

[Verb]

Man I got my computer hacked today.

They gone through all my e-mails and stole all my cd-keys from my software and games.


I have now installed 2 firewalls and Norton AntiVirus on my computer with a additional Norton Anti-Spam.

Anyone have this problem before? Expect Victoria-Lee??

 

[Verb]

Thanx Man

 

[Privan]

Happens to the best of us. Although the two firewalls is a bit overkill, and it helps to use a less well-known AV program although not by much. It's just a lot of recent viruses and worms stop AV processes if they are activated before action is taken against them. The names of the processes they stop have to be hard-coded, so most writers just cover the popular ones like AVG, Norton, and Macafee. Minor concern as it's very rare, and usually only happens on brand new worms/viruses that haven't been out long enough to have signatures written for them.

Just make sure you contact all the companies and explain the situation, normally they'll give you another cd-key (if it's a product that requires online authentication).

 

[VanIslandGuy]

I'm curious ... how did you find out you'd been hacked ?

 

[D Duk]

Yeah, one of my two computers has been down for 2 days due to a hack plus adware and spyware B.S. that was downloaded without my knowledge (I think it came from an adult site I was sent to through a popup window).

This has been really disruptive, especially during tax time.

If your computer has been hacked, I also recommend that you first clean out the problem (the only surefire way to be 100% sure all of the crap is gone is to back up your data, wipe your hard drive and then reload a clean operating system, AV & firewall, and then restore the data and software).

Once this is done, I highly recommend that you change all of the passwords to any of you online sites and also any software running in your computer.

During the hack, someone stole my eBay ID and password and tried to convince me to open a direct debit transfer to a swiss bank account. They used all of my private invoice records from eBay to try to convince me that it was eBay requiring me to set up the transaction. Clever trick but not good enough for this cookie.

Try using things like ad-aware, spybot and x-cleaner to also see if there is any spyware or adware that is floating around your system too.

Needless to say, hackers should receive max penalties if caught. Data theft isn't an innocent crime and it is extremely costly and time consuming to repair the damage done.

Good luck innoculating your computer.

 

[D Duk]

sometimes the keys are stored in the software once unlocked (like Quick books will list the reg key and serial number if you check the "about" option in the help menu)

Often the keys are just the serial numbers which are often stored and viewable so that if you loose the original sheet of paper or sticker that has the key on it, you can write it down from the unlocked software in your system.

A good hacker can rip off anything he/she wants once inside a computer since every software lock is just computer code and all the data is just code as well. This is their domain.

I still say burn them all (well maybe not the cute female hackers if they pay SPECIAL penance to their male victims).

 

[Calgary69]

OUCH Verb,

Sorry to hear about your problem but that has never happened to me yet. I operate behind 2 routers with a builtin firewalls and of yet been hacked (knock on wood). It would be extremely hard for general hackers to access my computer and only a pro would be able to figure it out. But that is improbable cause what would a pro want with info on my computer.

Rules of thumb that I use:

1- never accept any of those popup installs or ads...You never know exactly what they are doing to your computer. They can take control of your browser or worse...open a backdoor to your computer.

2- emails.... I personally use webmail but if you are using Outlook, you are better off having it prompt you for a password everytime instead of opening Outlook and automatically getting/seeing your mail. Pain in the butt but it makes it more difficult to hack your email. Watch out for worms, trojans etc in your email.....lots of those going around lately.

3- more but I cant think right now....

As for CD Keys, not much you can do about protecting it. Yes L2L, they are actual stickers on the CD Case but when you install your software you have to enter the key in order to install it. Any decent hacker knows where to look for that kind of information on your computer. If its something expensive.... guaranteed that it will be used on some hack site to validate ripped software.

 

[MoeTheBartender]

You can also download a program call 'StopZilla', this one serves sort of a 'firewall' to all those nasty pop-ups by grab all of them and putting them in a folder which serves as 'trash files' and you can delete them all once your finished using your PC.



Here's how to set up Outlook to do away with your junk e-mail:

1. Go to the Tools menu, click "Message rules" and then click "Mail."
2. Click the "New" button.
3. Under "Select conditions for your rule" put a checkmark next to "Where
the subject line contains specific words."
4. Under "Select the actions for your rule" put a checkmark next to "Move
it to the specified folder" or "delete it," depending on your preference.
5. At the bottom of the window under "Rule Description," it will now say:
Apply this rule after the message arrives
Where the Subject line contains specific words
Move it to the specified folder

6. Click where it says "contains specific words", and it will give you
another window that asks you to put in a phrase. Type in "***SPAM***" (the
stars and capital letters are important here, but leave out the quotation
marks) and then click "Add," then click OK.
7. Click on the word "specified," and it will give you a list of folders
that you can use for storing your junk e-mail.
8. Create a new folder by clicking the "new folder" button, and name it
"Spam," click OK.
9. Highlight the spam folder in the folder list and click OK.
10. You should now be back in the window named "New Mail Rule." The last
step, if you choose to do it, is to name the rule whatever you like. This
is in the field at the bottom named "Name of the rule."

11. Now you're done. Click the OK button in all the windows you have open.
Check your mail to test the new rule, and check your Spam folder to see if
it collected anything.

 

[Calgary69]

I'd be as bold as to suggest that a good hacker looking for serials would be in an out of your computer without you knowing it.

If thats the case, which I highly doubt.... they are welcome to it...
90% of the software I use are rips....hahaha... and are already out in public domain.

 

[Calgary69]

just a thought to remember ,.... to all that say .... "never been hacked"

the best hack is, when you do not know that you had been hacked

sleep tight

Not to go into details but I have a series of triggers set up that lets me know of intrusions so.........yes I sleep tight