Hackers-Help Please

[Pamela]

I was hoping someone out there would know what my options are with a problem I am having.

A hacker has been trying to get into my system. My firewall has stopped over 700 attempts from the same IP address. And that was just the other night! Well, almost the same IP. He is on a router with 2 computers, and the last 2 digits are 1 number off from each other (38 & 39). So, I assume that's him.

What can you do about a hacker? Does anyone know? Has anyone else had this problem before?

Thank you so much for any help you guys can give me.

 

[aminal]

if ther firewall software you have has blocked it its probably just someone randomly portscanning you - so see if they could get access to anything

your best bet is just to update and run your antivirus software, and leave it as it is.

the firewall is supposed to block attacks, so everything should be okay still.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Firewalls.

And disconnect from the internet when you're not using it.

The last thing you can do is find his ISP and make complaints to it about his attempts to access your system. ISPs frown on that sort of thing. Include copies of the firewall logs. I forgot how, but I know tech help at your ISP will be able to tell you how to do it. Maybe someone here.

 

[Dillinger]

Good advice from KM and aminal. Unless you have reason to believe that someone has it in for you (personally or your business) then its unlikely you're being specifically targeted. Hackers regularly run random port scans - especially against cable modems which are particularly insecure. The fact that your firewall is blocking these is goodness.

You might try going to the "SheildsUp" website - https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 which you can use to test the security of your computer's connection to the internet.

 

[RosaD]

I would give the same advice - good luck ! And I hope the bastard gives up on his childishness !

 

[mritsme]

One or more ports on this system are operating in FULL STEALTH MODE! Standard Internet behavior requires port connection attempts to be answered with a success or refusal response. Therefore, only an attempt to connect to a nonexistent computer results in no response of either kind. But YOUR computer has DELIBERATELY CHOSEN NOT TO RESPOND (that's very cool!) which represents advanced computer and port stealthing capabilities. A machine configured in this fashion is well hardened to Internet NetBIOS attack and intrusion.

Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.
All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.) Relative to vulnerabilities from Windows networking, this computer appears to be VERY SECURE since it is NOT exposing ANY of its internal NetBIOS networking protocol over the Internet

thanks for the link i feel better

 

[Spinaroonie]

Well.. number one, it's not a hacker... it's a cracker.

two: you can use a hardware and a software firewall together, will be more secure.... I have no idea how a small firewall will cost.

Hell.. you have his IP, hit him back.

 

[LukkyKnight]

Oh yeah, SD, that's bright, hit him back. Draw attention to yourself, look like a challenge, look like a contest... what the HELL kind of advice is that?

So, you're logging a lot of door-knocks, and that probably means everybody else on your system is, too, and that PROBABLY means the traffic is not going un-noticed by the system security people. Meantime, if you're using something such as BlackIce or ZoneAlarm and you're not running your own HTTP server to send out pictures there's probably nothing this kid can or will do.

You might send a note to your ISP with a snippet from the log, or you might take note and say well isn't it cool that I noticed and isn't it stupid of this dweeb to try my machine which has nothing interesting on it?

 

[KillerMuffin]

I have cable. When I'm not on the net the 'puter is either turned off (hack that baby!) or I disconnect the data cord that runs from the puter to the modem (hah!). I've got two software firewalls (I used to play around in IRC with script kiddies. I actually had four of them running at one time...). People bounce off my computer all the time. I ignore them.

Going back against an IP usually isn't a good idea if you're not a hacker yourself. The best thing to do is take it up with the ISP, not the IP. Usually what you're getting is some freaknut sniffing for open ports to read info off the puter, like registry and whatever you're dumb enough to stick in your puter "wallet" like name, number, social security number, credit card numbers, what have you. Sometimes you'll get sniffers who plant ad-ware on the computer. Some websites will cookie your puter and plant ad-ware or spy-ware on it just be hitting it. If you surf porn, you're going to get sniffed.

Actively: talk to your ISP about your options.
Passively: firewall up and disconnect your computer--manually if you must--from the Internet source when the 'Net is not in use.

Well, I'm an hour late for trig. Oops.

 

[bluntforcemama]

One or more ports on this system are operating in FULL STEALTH MODE! Standard Internet behavior requires port connection attempts to be answered with a success or refusal response. Therefore, only an attempt to connect to a nonexistent computer results in no response of either kind. But YOUR computer has DELIBERATELY CHOSEN NOT TO RESPOND (that's very cool!) which represents advanced computer and port stealthing capabilities. A machine configured in this fashion is well hardened to Internet NetBIOS attack and intrusion.

Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.
All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.) Relative to vulnerabilities from Windows networking, this computer appears to be VERY SECURE since it is NOT exposing ANY of its internal NetBIOS networking protocol over the Internet

thanks for the link i feel better

That's what it told me, too, and I have absolutely NO firewalls or antivirus programs on this computer. I believe I've been given a false sense of security. I use a cable modem.

 

[Spinaroonie]

Oh yeah, SD, that's bright, hit him back. Draw attention to yourself, look like a challenge, look like a contest... what the HELL kind of advice is that?

Because with the type of atack they're trying, it's most likely that they're an inxperienced script kitty.

Hell.. I wouldn't be surprised if they were trying WinNuke.

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

That's what it told me, too, and I have absolutely NO firewalls or antivirus programs on this computer. I believe I've been given a false sense of security. I use a cable modem.

Some broadband modems have a firewall built into them - my sat. modem does, along with the sat. software. I also run ZoneAlarm. If you don't have a firewall you should get one - ZOneAlarm has a free version that works just fine for most people.

 

[LukkyKnight]

That's what it told me, too, and I have absolutely NO firewalls or antivirus programs on this computer. I believe I've been given a false sense of security. I use a cable modem.

Typically a home computer only answers on one "port" at most actually, and that's the NETBIOS (which it's not clear to many people that they don't need to enable.) It's not at all impossible that you're not responding to door-knocks without a firewall in place - which simply means you didn't turn on anything like NETBIOS or an HTTP server as part of your configuration.

 

[fgarvb1]

Sounds like some good advise.

I remember a jerk from korea who was pinging the hell out of my computer. One of the programs i was running at the time was pinga (i think) so i pinged him back one time. That was the last i heard from him. I supose he knew that i knew where he was and was afraid i would hack him. I did have a neat picture of his apartment building.

I traced another pinger to their home in houston, ran their shit through Yahoo and got their name, address, telephone number ans assorted other stuff.

There was a man and wife with a teenage son and dauther.
I thought about calling and asking why they were pinging my computer at one-thirty in the morning, but then i thought oh what the hell it's only their son doing a little prospecting.