Internet Security!!!

[carrigansghost]

I have a Mac and have challenged a few computer savvy friends to try crack it through my wireless connection and they have been unsuccessful. I do take some security measures, my favorite is copying and pasting my passwords into the appropriate places rather than typing them in to foil keystroke programs if one should manage to slip by.

Rawn

[FrankWakefield]

1- I don't think Macs are hack-proof. I think that most hackers focus on and develop an expertise in hacking regular PCs because there are more of them out there. Kinda like more folks here know more about T206s than they know which of the T222 Fatimas are in the higher number and scarcer series. As a kid I spent some time in an automotive garage, and to keep me occupied one of the mechanics taught me a bit about lockpicking. We started with Yale locks, because they were more common. He started with easy ones so that I'd have a sense of accomplishment. He progressed to some difficult ones (normally I'd start with the back tumbler and work my way out, but he then offered a lock that I could not open at first, it had a spring loaded ball bearing that would follow the pick out, resetting the tumblers I'd set, this lock had to be picked from the outside in, necessitating care when weilding the pick). My point, you work the easy, familiar ones, the IBM based PCs... but you're fooling yourself if you think Macs can't be picked. Some guys out there focus on Macs, the other machines are too easy...

2- copying and pasting passwords does foil keystroke tracking software. But a hacker who gets into your PC, even a Mac, could roam around and find the file where you have your passwords from which you copy and paste, then they can do the same.

[carrigansghost]

My passwords are not kept in a folder labeled "passwords". They are different sets of random letters and numbers/symbols located in documents. I don't feel that any brand of computers are without their faults.

Rawn

[brookdodger55]

I live in a 3000 units co-op development in New York and there are about 300
unsecured wi-fi routers/network unsecured in my community, pretty scary. I don't have a wire-less rounter/network and my paypal account was still hacked.

[mcap100176]

1. Use a security software that has wireless network monitoring. I use Trend Micro and it is set up to notify if there is someone else not trusted on the wireless network.

2. Use alpha/numeric/symbols for all passwords, at least 8 - 12 characters in length.

3. Never, ever have your browser save passwords.

4. In your browser, enable deleting of files upon closing & do not save encrypted files to disk.

5. I never check "remember me" or "keep my logged in"

6. If you are hacked, get a new modem as information is stored there.

7. Use proxy browsing

8. Run CCleaner on start up

9. Occasionally run SIW for Windows

10. Run Trend Housecall once a month

11. Use Ad-aware & Malwarebytes once or twice a month

12. If you have been hacked, thought you cleaned the system and got hacked again, time to wipe the hard drive. And not just a reformat, completely shred the drive.

13. Use multiple email addresses. One for regular activities, one for public forums like these, one for banking, etc.

Concerning hackers breaking into a computer to read what another collector might be buying.....
I would have to see this to believe it. While the collectible market (all collectibles, antiques, stamps, etc) has high-end material and can get competitive, I do not see this, for lack of a better term, "crime wave."

I would be more concerned about PayPal, Ebay, bank cards and other items than someone wanting to acquire a Ty Cobb card.

You state..."I’ve been battling this sh@t for sometime now trying to figure out how they are gaining access to all of my families personal info."
If this true and your family's personal (banking, etc) info is out there, you need a new computer, modem, everything and start from scratch.

[jbbama]

You can certainly do things to make it harder for those who wish to commit such crimes. However, in the world we live and all the information that is out there the bottom line is this: If they want it bad enough they will find a way to hack your system period! Just do not let them walk-in with the front door wide open. Good luck and be safe.

[collectbaseball]

Honestly if someone has your ip address it isn't too big of a deal... you can also change your ip address with relative ease. They can be hidden via proxies. Also, use a firewall.

Additionally, copy and pasting a password into a password field actually may be less secure. Doing so would mean the password is in your clipboard and unless you clear that out after every instance, it would probably be more obvious. Keyloggers aren't incredibly common means of password-stealing anyway, I don't think. Generally it's more brute force I believe.

If you get an email from eBay/PayPal/your bank, PAY ATTENTION. Do not click through links in the email and enter your username and password. It is much more likely that a "hacker" is going to get your password through a phishing email than by someone breaking into your system, placing a keylogger, and monitoring it. If you are unsure if an email is legitimate or not, go to the institution's website an log in through that. If there is really a problem with your account, it will probably tell you there. Alternatively, call the bank/whoever and ask if it is real.

Spybot Search and Destroy and CCleaner are great programs. Firefox is a more secure browser than internet explorer. You can also add extensions to it to block potentially malicious things embedded in websites. Finally, just because you are using a Mac don't be stupid (this is coming from a Mac user). Any computer can be hacked, and you should always be careful. Just because you're driving a car with a five-star crash test rating doesn't mean that you should drive more recklessly or that you won't get killed in a car accident, despite whatever precautions you may take.

[drc]

At home, I have dial up. Many laugh when finding this out, but there are safety advantages. My abacus doesn't get any spware and works in the rain.

One of my favorite 'old school' calculating systems is the ancient Chinese rod system. The system used several identical length rods, and the mathematician formed the rods in different formations on the ground to depict the numbers and make calculations. Black rods were used for positive numbers and red rods for negative numbers. When done, the mathematician simply dusted off the rods and put them back in the bag. Someone today can fashion their own black and red rods and learned the system.

[obcbobd]

Dialup doesn't buy you too much safety. I've been doing IT for 25 years and have rebuilt many a PC which got infected or other wise compromised through dialup.

[V117collector]

Originally Posted by mcap100176

1. Use a security software that has wireless network monitoring. I use Trend Micro and it is set up to notify if there is someone else not trusted on the wireless network.

2. Use alpha/numeric/symbols for all passwords, at least 8 - 12 characters in length.

3. Never, ever have your browser save passwords.

4. In your browser, enable deleting of files upon closing & do not save encrypted files to disk.

5. I never check "remember me" or "keep my logged in"

6. If you are hacked, get a new modem as information is stored there.

7. Use proxy browsing

8. Run CCleaner on start up

9. Occasionally run SIW for Windows

10. Run Trend Housecall once a month

11. Use Ad-aware & Malwarebytes once or twice a month

12. If you have been hacked, thought you cleaned the system and got hacked again, time to wipe the hard drive. And not just a reformat, completely shred the drive.

13. Use multiple email addresses. One for regular activities, one for public forums like these, one for banking, etc.

Concerning hackers breaking into a computer to read what another collector might be buying.....
I would have to see this to believe it. While the collectible market (all collectibles, antiques, stamps, etc) has high-end material and can get competitive, I do not see this, for lack of a better term, "crime wave."

I would be more concerned about PayPal, Ebay, bank cards and other items than someone wanting to acquire a Ty Cobb card.

You state..."I’ve been battling this sh@t for sometime now trying to figure out how they are gaining access to all of my families personal info."
If this true and your family's personal (banking, etc) info is out there, you need a new computer, modem, everything and start from scratch.

I'd like to thank you and others for your posts, very informative!

[V117collector]

Please beware this hacking problem is getting out of hand! All systems should be checked and rechecked for this so called curious on lookers.

My Email has just been hacked...and who knows what else?

[Myachelydra]

Regarding PayPal, I opened a separate account for PayPal transactions only with NO overdraft protection. I transfer money to the account when I need to make payments only.