[quetzalcoatl]

11 sure signs you've been hacked

1) Fake antivirus messages
2) Unwanted browser toolbars
3) Redirected Internet searches
4) Frequent random popups
5) Your friends receive fake emails from your email account
6) Your online passwords suddenly change
7) Unexpected software installs
8 ) Your mouse moves independently and makes correct selections to run particular programs
9) Your antimalware software, Task Manager, or Registry Editor is disabled and can't be restarted
10) Your bank account is missing money
11) You get calls from stores about nonpayment of shipped goods

More detailed info here.

Antivirus/antimalware programs are necessary, but not perfect. If you notice any of the problems listed, you need to take immediate corrective action.

[SolarCross]

I've never had any of those problems but then I use linux.

[fuser]

Taxi, your politics is disgusting but your OS is great.

I have never been hacked and I don't use any anti virus, anti malware etc (linux on my home pc) but then may be I am not important.

[AFAIK]

5) Your friends receive fake emails from your email account
6) Your online passwords suddenly change
10) Your bank account is missing money

Very subtle. I'll keep an eye out for these 'symptoms'.

[Rei Murasame]

The subtlety. If anyone were to wait until that stage to take action, then they are already owned. Sign 11, which is presumably something like, "Why are you buying RPGs and why is the shipping address in Ukraine?", is symptom of ownage more than anything else.

Also, no smart opponent is going to announce their unauthorised presence on a machine by doing any of the first 6 things on that list. It would be an immediate giveaway. No one is like, "Oh, now that access has been gained and privileges escalated, let's generate a fake popup which will make it visually obvious that something is happening." Only if the attacker happens to be 12 years old or a clown, would that happen.

[AFAIK]

Signs your house may have been burgled;

1- The door is off it's hinges
2- The lock is smashed
3- Items are not where you remember leaving them
4- Furniture has been moved
5- Money, jewelry and other valuables are missing
6- "Robberz waz ere" is painted on the wall

[Rei Murasame]

7 sure signs that you are under attack by Islamists:

• 1. All street lights in the province have gone out, and the water supply may only be working intermittently.
• 2. Leaflets saying that 'when the Mujahedeen arrive on a territory all other institutions are dissolved', are blowing around in the streets.
• 3. Checkpoints are now manned by Mujahids rather than your own soldiers.
• 4. When you call the police station no one answers.
• 5. The television and radio are playing only Nasheeds and all journalists have fled.
• 6. Armed militants are carrying a black flag on your lawn outside your operations centre and yelling "Takbir!" and "Allah hu Akbar!"
• 7. You receive a bill which is saying that you owe money for Zakat.

SIGINT, HUMINT, and COIN programmes are necessary, but not perfect. If you notice any of the problems listed, you need to take immediate corrective action.

[quetzalcoatl]

Very amusing. A realistic expectation of what the average computer user is capable of understanding seems to be missing. She won't be installing linux, not even Ubuntu or Mint. If he has a firewall it's only because it's included by default and because he gets a glaring red icon if it's off. What percentage of computer users have virus protection after the pre-installed trial expires? I suspect it won't be a high number.

[ThirdTerm]

2) Unwanted browser toolbars
3) Redirected Internet searches
7) Unexpected software installs

My browsers were hijacked by Babylon Search when I installed a free programme designed to download video contents online and forgetting to uncheck the option to install the Babylon Search toolbar will result in being taken over by a browser hijacker. Several applications distributed on CNET's download.com have Babylon Toolbar bundled in and we need to be very careful when we download new programmes from unofficial websites not endorsed by Microsoft.

[Solastalgia]

Anytime I feel like I'm being hacked, I open up word pad and type "I know you're hacking me, stop now motherfucker!"

[Rancid]

You guys laugh, but yes, some malware does do stupid shit like, and yes, many computer users are fucking stupid to get themselves infected with such ridiculous malware.