Hacked through Network IP address? Help!

[Willabe]

Sorry long story, but I really need to figure this out and learn how to protect my computer.

~3 days ago, my computer wouldn't let me go on line, internet explorer. So I called Comcast, my internet provider, they sent a test signal and said my modem, theirs, was out dated. So I traded in the old 1 and got the new modem, Docsis 3.0.

Hooked up the new modem, called Comcast to activate and still no internet. And since I didn't have a 2nd browser I couldn't get on line to ask here or on line anywhere.              (I have a 2nd browser now, Google chrome for back up.)

Took Comcast ~3+ hours to get me back on the internet with me on the phone.          

Once my internet connection was back they ran a scan and showed me the results on screen. They showed 7 or so devices hooked up to my computer through the network in different states and a number of people/computers were listening to our phone calls. We have a land line that comes through the co-axe  cable with the internet from Comcast.

They said they hacked in through the network/IP address and showed me that my network protection was shut off. They also showed me ~50% of my computer programs/drives were not working/shutoff.

Had to reload the whole operating system, including all the drivers to fix my computer and get the hackers locked out, thank fully I was able to find the disk that came with my computer. Took another ~3 hours and $300 to do this.   

I just tried to download a free program to see if any bodies still hacked in, nirsoftnetwork watcher, I found online at computer forum when searching ' IP address hack', but Symantec Endpoint Protection (which the tech installed) won't let me download it.

Anybody know of a free safe program to scan for hackers?

I had been using Kaspersky, Malwarebytes anti-malware and System Mechanic.

Did I get scammed? I watched the tech the whole time and he did redo everything.


                Brad   

[EL34]

Microsoft security essentials is what I use on all my PC's
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5201

It's free and I have never had a problem with any of my computers on my network

What OS are you using?
Windows 7?

[Willabe]

Windows 7, 64 bit.

[EL34]

That's good
XP is no longer supported

Security essentials is rated pretty good for free security

[Willabe]

So can a computer be hacked through the network with your IP address?

I did some searches for it and most said yes and a few said no.

2 of the sites that came up in the search were hacker sites telling you how to hack in the IP address.

Something about that there's over 65,000 ports in a computer and they use a program to look for ports that are open?


              Brad          

[EL34]

The smart guys like PRS would have to chime in on that


I am thinking that no one can get through your hardware firewall unless there's a program on your computer that is allowing them to
Your hardware firewall is your router or modem/router


MS security essentials will do scans every day and let you know if there are any problems and prevent you from opening attachments and other harmful stuff

[Willabe]

Ok, thanks Doug.   

The smart guys like PRS would have to chime in on that

What, your not smart?  You've run your own web site/web store for years and program your home built CNC rig.   



               

[EL34]

I know enough to get by 

[Willabe]

          

[kagliostro]

I use MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials), but sometime (for my fault) I must use Adwcleaner (that is a good program and do his job)


Franco

[Willabe]

Thanks K. I had A friend over today and he brought up Microsoft Security Essentials, in his opinion it's very good.

He also said that going 6 years without my computer getting hacked and crashing was very good.     

Said "sooner or later they all crash."              
             

Brad     

[John]

Said "sooner or later they all crash."

The hard drive spins at 7200 rpm. Sooner or later...... ;)

[Willabe]

The hard drive spins at 7200 rpm. Sooner or later...... ;)

         

Ya' know I felt like my house had it's front door kicked in and they went through our things. Felt violated, robbed.

But my friend, Mark, who came by today said, basically, every body makes mistakes, just learn from them and move on.   

So............    it's time to learn more on how to protect myself.


               Brad     

[kagliostro]

going 6 years without my computer getting hacked and crashing was very good.     

"sooner or later they all crash."

holy words

Franco

[EL34]

The hard drive spins at 7200 rpm. Sooner or later...... ;)

Not mine , I have a solid state hard drive here on my work pc 

[John]

Oh, stop showing off!


My hard drive is so old I installed a grease fitting.

[DummyLoad]

save yourself some headaches in the future: use windows to make a system image backup and system repair disk. making a system image backup saves you from having to re-install all the apps and re-validate apps. 

win7 32 or 64:
start > search: getting started > click backup your files > click create a system image. follow the instructions.

you also need to create a system repair disk, usually this is a DVD or USB thumb drive.

start > search: getting started > click backup your files > click create a repair disc. follow the instructions.

if your storage subsystem fails, then after repairs you boot with the system repair disk and use the system image disk to restore the apps and user data. suggest you build a system image disk every 2-3 months: backup user data every couple of weeks. 

backup to an off-board SATA/USB HDD. the HDD does not need to be as large as the HDD in PC, but it needs to be larger than the contents.

i use on of these with a 3.5" 300GB SATA HDD for the system image backup. your requirements will likely vary.

--pete

[Willabe]

Ok, thanks Pete, I'll right all that down to save it.     


I have a friend coming over tonight who says I'm getting hacked through a 'proxy server'. Says he can fix it in ~20 minites.     




                      Brad         

[EL34]

I don't pretend to understand all that hacked stuff but something seems fishy to me


No one should be able to penetrate your hardware firewall

Unless there is some trojan program on your computer?
Have you done scans to see if your computer is clean?


I am curious to find out how this is being done

[DummyLoad]

I don't pretend to understand all that hacked stuff but something seems fishy to me

No one should be able to penetrate your hardware firewall

DNS redirect, or direct connection to a malicious site, or you open an infected file. usually UDP is used to alert attacker. the virus checking sw is disabled or a hole punched in it http (TCP) connection to infected URL is made, and the hardware firewall is is out of the picture since there's a HTTP TCP connection. code is downloaded in the background and executed. no direct attack on the hardware firewall needed.

--pete 

[EL34]

There ya go,
clicking on links you should not and code executing on your local machine

Opening email attachments is another

Not saying any of that is what you did Brad 

Chrome seems to do a good job of warning about a malicious site
My ISP does a great job of screening emails and quarantining them

[Ritchie200]

Are you gonna bring up the "no porn" thing again......

Jim

[Willabe]

I don't pretend to understand all that hacked stuff but something seems fishy to me

Yep, me too.

I think I've done fairly well since this is the 1st major attack on my PC, (although I really think at this point there have been lower levels of attacks going on for a long time) which is my 1st and only PC, since I bought it in the fall of 09.       (I new absolutely nothing about PC's when I got it.)

(BTW, I showed my friend, Matt, what you, Doug and DL/Pete posted and he agreed.  )

I am curious to find out how this is being done.

Me too!               (See below.) 

Have you done scans to see if your computer is clean?

Yes I have, they came up clean, Kaspersky Internet and Malwrare Bites.

There ya go,
clicking on links you should not and code executing on your local machine

Opening email attachments is another

Not saying any of that is what you did Brad 

I think I did, and I think I have in the past.   

And I'm sure I did open a few attachments in emails that said they were from like, UPS (when I had parts ordered) or ComEd (our electric company). I got hip to a con when I got an email supposedly from UPS saying they couldn't deliver my package when I knew I had nothing coming. Then a friend told me to never open those attachments. I figured at the time, well, I have programs to block any virus, so what harm could be done, they catch it if it's a virus, right?.         Now I don't even open emails like those let alone open any attachment in it.     

I've turned on my PC a few times over the years and my home page had been changed. I just thought it was a glitch or I did something wrong downloading a new program and didn't uncheck a box and just put my Yahoo home page back up.

My Matt, who came over tonight, said that's when the 'proxy server' got in, they changed my home page. I clicked on some pop up box I shouldn't have and when I did I let in some spyware/malware program.

So I let it bypass the fire wall.         


So here's what Matt did tonight, took ~4 hours;

Copied my files to a thumb drive, wiped the whole system clean, reloaded the whole system from the CD disks that came with the PC, installed Mozilla Foxfire instead of Internet Explorer

(Matt's stand is that out of the web browsers that are out there, that Mozilla is the least vulnerable and that Internet Ex is the most vulnerable for attacks. He was very strong on this as he feels Mozilla stops/blocks a lot of 'bad stuff' from getting in the 1st place.    ) ,

made Microsoft Security Essentials my default security (which is what he has always used, like you Doug), installed (the free) Malwarebites anti malware, and Glary Utilities (free version) as my cleaner program, I was using CC cleaner (free version) and a number of other (free) programs, including 2 CAD programs he gave me.

He said everything he downloaded into my PC is what he uses and said he's never been hacked.


Which is great because for the last few years I was buying (250+$) Kaspersky Internet Sercurty and MalwareBites anti malware and System Mechanic.
And I still got hacked, even if it was my own fault!           

 He also handed me a WD 500GB which he will install next week, said he's got dozens of them. (Matt is the head computer/code writing/Juke box designer guy of a major digital juke box company.)   

I'll see how it goes and let you know. Right now every thing seems to be fine.           

I also talked with my bank and I think we will be able to get our $$ back from last Fri. as fraud.     

Matt has a SF Fender SR that he'll bring me to look at that I will gladly look at and fix for him if this fixes my problems!     

This my friends, I can do.   



                 Brad        

[Willabe]

Are you gonna bring up the "no porn" thing again......

Jim, I sent you a PM with an attachment, please, open it up!       


             
                 Brad             

[Ritchie200]

Gosh Willabe, I keep telling you - I dont want to see you naked!


Jim

[Willabe]

Gosh Willabe, I keep telling you - I dont want to see you naked!

          

[SILVERGUN]

Not sure if this was covered above or if your guy took care of it, but here's one move I make on most computers where security is an issue.

Set you're firewall to block all incoming connections. If you have no network connected accessories (printers, etc.), than you get away with this without it creating an issue.
Windows firewall comes set to a default level of incoming protection but you can usually get away with blocking ALL incoming connections.

[Willabe]

Ok, thanks, I'll look at my settings.

So far my PC is running as fast as the 1st day I got it, in fact I think it's faster.

No bogging down on anything. When click on something it's loads without a hitch and I can scroll down smooth as silk on any screen.


             Brad     

[SILVERGUN]

One other change I make for people is to make the user account that you are always logged on as a "Standard User" only.

Most people don't realize that they are always logged on as an "Administrator", and by doing so they are allowing anything that hijacks you to take administrator privileges, which can do lot-o-damage.

At least if you are logged on as a standard user you will be prompted for the admin. password when something tries to make a change to your computer.

Sorry I don't have more time to expand, but you should ask your computer guy about it.

[Willabe]

Thanks SG, I do know about that and how to create/change user accounts.


              Brad