Possible Hack in my computer???

[ChristianKitsune]

Hey guys, I have a HUGE question...
Earlier today my sister got an email from a forum she and I are both a part of.. a forum that had gotten hacked last week.

I got the same email two days ago, but I immediately knew that it was probably a bad email, so I deleted it without opening it. My sister hadn't visited the site in about a year and a half...in fact, I didn't even know she was a member... ^^; and she checked it on MY computer...

The message was pretty much "Haha your system has been hacked.."

I'm kinda freaking out right now...

I have AVG anti-virus software, and nothing seems out of the ordinary. I also ran a system restore and backed up to yesterday.

Everything is working correctly from what I can see...

My question is this: My sister checked this email through Hotmail... would this affect my computer? IF so... what should I DO?

I do have a firewall enabled on my computer as well...

[SusanTheCat]

Was there an attachment on the message?

[Mithrandir]

It seems somewhat unlikely that you would have been infected, but we can narrow it down. What is your OS and browser? From the setup you describe, it seems like you really only need to worry if you are using IE on Windows. Even then, was it your computer that said this, or the website? I'm guessing the website probably was either hacked, or had someone going around posting PMs that tell people their computers were hacked. I can't say much more than that without some information about your setup, though.

[ChristianKitsune]

=_= I use IE 7.0 on Windows XP.... and it was an email message that my sister received through her hotmail account... There was no attachment to my knowledge, however I didn't see the email... I just heard about it second hand... but I think now I will start using Firefox.. I use both anyways...but since I know IE better than FF I have just stuck with that... ^^;

Apparently the forum had this really terrible troll wave? I dunno... ^^; I wasn't even an active member on the forum to be honest... I just heard from somewhere that it was hacked into, and I checked the website and there was this huge message from the admins about it...

I'm very frusterated and I even had a nightmare about someone taking over my computer and Talking to me XD. I don't even know if that's possible... O_o But it FREAKED me out...

Nothing has happened yet though... would a hack be an immediate thing?

[Mithrandir]

Not always, no. Do you have any anti-spyware/malware scanning software? Try lavasoft's adaware (free): http://lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

That should pick out most spyware/malware you're likely to have gotten.

[ChristianKitsune]

Not always, no. Do you have any anti-spyware/malware scanning software? Try lavasoft's adaware (free): http://lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

That should pick out most spyware/malware you're likely to have gotten.

I have AVG.... and it has an anti-spyware thing and it says I'm protected...if I download this will that interfere with the program I already have?

Is that all a hack would do? Is add spyware/malware? (although, I know that's pretty serious... my computer crashed last Fall because of malware... because apparently my Norton Antivirus that I HAD was fighting with another antivirus software that came with my computer but had expired but I couldn't uninstall...)

[Mithrandir]

Unfortunately, I'm not really very familiar with AVG. If it's anti-spyware/malware and it says you're OK. Chances are you're probably not in any major trouble.

[ChristianKitsune]

Unfortunately, I'm not really very familiar with AVG. If it's anti-spyware/malware and it says you're OK. Chances are you're probably not in any major trouble.

Thanks for all your help, Mith! ^_^ I feel a LOT better...it was just a really creepy thing. I'm not familiar with hacks.. I don't know what happens, or what all they can do...

So I apologize if it seemed like I overreacted.

[Warrior4Christ]

Adaware is very unlikely to conflict with AVG, so it shouldn't hurt to give it a shot.

[uc pseudonym]

I actually do use AVG - very often along with Adaware. All of those computers seem to have no problem running both, so I imagine it will work well for you. And as Mithrandir said, your computer is probably fine; keep up basic protection and unless you notice problems you can generally rest easy.

[Mithrandir]

I apologize if it seemed like I overreacted.

Is this a common feeling - that being nervous about this kind of this is bad? I ask because a recent survey found that the overwhelming majority of SPAM (and 'net worms) are the result of old computers run by people who just don't care enough to keep their computer secure.

I for one applaud* your conviction to be concerned.



* Why does that word look so weird to me...? I dunno.

[ChristianKitsune]

Thanks you guys! I went ahead and downloaded it...

Is this a common feeling - that being nervous about this kind of this is bad? I ask because a recent survey found that the overwhelming majority of SPAM (and 'net worms) are the result of old computers run by people who just don't care enough to keep their computer secure.

I for one applaud* your conviction to be concerned.



* Why does that word look so weird to me...? I dunno.
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Ehh... I think it's more the fact that I don't know a lick about being hacked, or what hackers will do... and that I probably should know, but never thought to learn about it? Because I have a firewall, an antivirus program and I don't usually open suspicious emails like the one my sister ignorantly checked...

Thankfully, it looks like the email that was sent out was probably just a message that the hackers sent to the members, new and old, active or inactive that their "precious" little forum had been hacked...

Again thanks for your comments, guys! I hope my sister learned her lesson, haha.

HAHA! applaud is a strange looking word XD