PC has been HAXED need advice

[FriendlyFire]

Had a tribunal court case yesterday (28th Oct 2011) by a landlord. During the case the landlord produced evidence which was taken from my PC which I didnt give him so he somehow managed to hax into my computer system and steal the files. Now we have a security problem since he might have access to a lot of files.

I've disconnected the PC off the internet and done a AVG scan theres nothing. Changed all my passwords using a different computer. Backup everything on HDD and DVD media as well

Suggestions ? Should I reformat ? Buy a new router ?




(court case was ok. I used the landlords falsified invoices which he used to obtain money fraudlenty and he shot himself by insisting he was in the right to order me to take the tenants money. Until the judge correct him twice and then said that what he did was fraud. And you cant instruct an agent to do something then six months later say you wanted to do the opposite done because of events later on. You cant take back the keys thus ending a contract then insist that the contract is applies. Just waiting for the court orders now Judge is probably looking at the files.

Just worried he might decide to retaliate against me again by haxing my PC again after he learns of the court decision. And this time doing malicious damage so doing everything I can think of to prevent this.)

 

[Abaddon]

How freaking bizarre! Can't you take him to court for hacking you? Or can't you prove he gained it by invading your privacy?

 

[Maniacal]

Good luck with the court case. Is it possible your landlord accessed your computer by entering your place (illegal probably) and using your computer and copying them off onto a USB drive?

 

[Cutlass]

Yeah, he might have had physical access to your computer when you weren't at home. That should be illegal. But just on the off hand that he could access it remotely, format and reinstall the operating system and set passwords on any accounts to access it.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I think perhaps after reinstall you should encrypt your data. Heres an open-source one:

http://www.truecrypt.org/

I agree with the physical access thing.

 

[innonimatu]

Someone has physical access to your system, it's usually game over for security. Yes, you can encrypt your data, but if the system you're using to access it is compromised your opponent can easily get your password as you type it. Or even drop a hardware keylogger between your keyboard and computer instead of messing with the system itself.

So, first secure the physical system, then the network. Might be difficult, from a landlord... Given your short description of the case, physical access seems the more likely vector. Or are you actually storing those files somewhere on the Internet, in some online service? Those more often that not suffer from very poor security.

 

[illram]

The simplest explanation is usually the right one. That is, your landlord entered your home and rummaged through your computer.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Landlord is my client and no landlord will ever have access to our PCs since they have huge amounts of sensative information (Like tenant details, accounts, years of personal financial data all password protected).

I think he must have put malware onto my PC when we conntected via FTP or at least stole my IP address. And since hes IT no doubt there will be very little chance of tracing the hax.

Iam going to do a scan, backup, reformat for now.
(AVAST and Windows defender picked up nothing. So I have no clue how he did the hax)

I have to read up on setting up my router firewall up which is going to take some time.

 

[mdwh]

Do you have any password protection to log in? (I mean sure, with physical access there are ways round it - but as others have said, chances are all he did was physically walk in and use your computer, not that he's some skilled hacker.)

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Connecting via FTP? Well there's an answer -- he might've saved your info and then logged on and grabbed the data.

 

[illram]

nevermind.

 

[Cutlass]

Yeah, a landlord has access to your office. That's a foregone conclusion. So while it's possible that he got into your system through the net, maybe the ftp, you shouldn't discount the possibility that he just went in when your office was empty and tried the computers until he found one he could access. Remember that the common security flaws are weak passwords, easy guessed ones, passwords that people leave written down someplace where they can refer to them easily. Check that you have strong passwords required on all PCs and that all of the people working know to keep them confidential.

 

[GoodGame]

I was immediately thinking physical access. He might even have installed a camera in your place, to watch your keyboard. I'd be interested in seeing how a hardware key logger installation!


Your last resort might be a biometric set-up. I'd move if the the lease allowed me. I'd definitely move valuable to a secure location that he doesn't have any means of access.



But since you may have an IT problem, why not consult with a professional? Probably more efficient and more productive to trust a licensed pro than to ask a bunch of amateurs and hobbyists.

 

[IglooDame]

I was immediately thinking physical access. He might even have installed a camera in your place, to watch your keyboard. I'd be interested in seeing how a hardware key logger installation!


Your last resort might be a biometric set-up. I'd move if the the lease allowed me. I'd definitely move valuable to a secure location that he doesn't have any means of access.



But since you may have an IT problem, why not consult with a professional? Probably more efficient and more productive to trust a licensed pro than to ask a bunch of amateurs and hobbyists.

Agreed about the efficient and more productive to trust a (licensed) pro - that you're paying for; not all of us here are amateurs and hobbyists.