Inundated with hackers - is this normal !!!

StressedDad · 01-05-2006, 03:53 PM

Hi everyone.
I'm ok with computers, but not brilliant,so bear with me

Being paranoid,i delete my files/cookies/history often.
I was on the net today and on some sites ( nowt naughty,it's the family pc! ) i was getting loads of them damn popups

Anyway, i had this disk from an old issue of 'easy PC' which i installed and it stopped the popups.Great!
So i found another disk, which was a 'BlackICE Defender' stop hackers thingy and installed it. I checked it later on and i had a list of hackers,with IP addys and all. I was suprised how many there were/are.Seems like loads of scummy hackers are bombarding my pc every minute or so.
Is this normal?!! Any help muchly appreciated. Dave.

p.s, I can print a screen view...but don't know how to attach it..

**Glaswegian** · 01-05-2006, 04:24 PM

Hi Dave

Might be best to post a HijackThis log, just to be on the safe side.

Follow Microbell’s 5 step process here and then post your log in the HijackThis Forum.

Regards

Teh_Bear · 01-05-2006, 04:26 PM

Hi Dad.

First off, I want to make sure that you understand I'm not a security expert by any means. However, I do know a bit, and I'd be glad to help out if I can.

I'm not familiar with BlackICE Defender, but what it sounds like to me is that this program has kept a log of all IP addresses which have attempted to contact your computer. These aren't necessarily all hacker attempts, in the sense that some person is attempting to gain direct control over your computer. They could be spyware, trojan horse programs, even legitimate attempts to access things on your computer (e.g. you attempted to upload a file to a website, initiated an online virus scan, etc.).

If you don't have them yet, download AdAware from http://www.lavasoft.de/, and Spybot S&D from http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/. Run these programs and MAKE SURE TO UPDATE them before scanning (you may want to run the scans in Safe Mode). These will help get rid the software that causes pop-ups - not just block them.

Also, if you have an antivirus program, make sure you keep it updated and perform regular scans - once a day at bare minimum. Most (if not all) anti-virus programs let you schedule when these scans will be performed.

If you don't have an antivirus program, then GET ONE!!! AVG is a free anti-virus program that can be downloaded at http://free.grisoft.com/doc/Get+AVG+FREE/lng/us/tpl/v5.

Once again, let me tell you that this is not expert advice, and you may want to confirm this with one of the experts here.

StressedDad · 01-05-2006, 05:09 PM

Wow,thanks for the quick response guys.
Glaz, i might have a go at a 'hijack this log' jobby, ( once i understand what the heck it is! )
Bear, thanks for the links.You phsycic?! My McAfee antivirus has indeed expired 6months ago.I'd love to just d'load all your links,but i'm a paranoid old git lol.
Mind you, my pc has been running slow the past few months so i don't think i've owt to lose by d/loading them.

p.s. ALL of my web pages sometimes just turn off while i'm reading them..as if i had pressed the red X / close box top right.( only since i installed these 2 programs ). Other stuff running, like my pictures etc are fine. Never done that before??..

tetonbob · 01-06-2006, 07:28 PM

Hi StressedDad -

You're getting good advice here. Follow it, and then post a HJT log in our dedicated forum, so one of the analysts can help you out. Sounds like you might have some issues.

All those links are to tools and procedures we recommend here.

StressedDad · 01-07-2006, 04:46 PM

Hi guys,quick update. First off - thankyou for the help.
My pc is definately a lot faster + smoother after following your advice :

First i deleted my out of date McAfee,Aladdin pop-up and black ice hacker programs.Then,first off, i installed the free AVG anti-virus from http://free.grisoft.com/doc/Get+AVG+FREE/lng/us/tpl/v5. This showed no infected files - nice!

Then i d/loaded Ad-Aware from http://www.lavasoft.de/ This found 25 bugs - ( 13 tracking cookies, 10 alexa/alexia? things, and 2 TROJANS !! )
I also d/loaded the VX 2 add on,but this reported all clean.

Next i d/loaded Spybot S&D from http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/. This found 22 sneaky little fellows.
Well they're all deleted into cyberspace now,lol.
Many thanks Teh_Bear for the links.U've made a stressed dad quite chilled..

I also d/loaded the 'Hijack this log' program,which i run and got a copy in notepad, but this was after i'd been messing with my pc for a while,so the log shows lots of , erm, words+numbers ( to me anyway,to someone else it might make sense!)
Should i clear my files/cookies/history etc, and THEN do a hijack log?
Once again thanks guys, top forum

tetonbob · 01-07-2006, 06:01 PM

DO NOT FIX ANYTHING WITH HJT UNSUPERVISED.

Please, just post a log in the HJT forum. What looks incomprehensible to you makes perfect sense to us, honest.

Those words and numbers are what we use to read what's on your system.

01-05-2006, 03:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
StressedDad Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradford,Yorkshire - UK Posts: 26 OS: XP Home 40gb	Inundated with hackers - is this normal !!! Hi everyone. I'm ok with computers, but not brilliant,so bear with me Being paranoid,i delete my files/cookies/history often. I was on the net today and on some sites ( nowt naughty,it's the family pc! ) i was getting loads of them damn popups Anyway, i had this disk from an old issue of 'easy PC' which i installed and it stopped the popups.Great! So i found another disk, which was a 'BlackICE Defender' stop hackers thingy and installed it. I checked it later on and i had a list of hackers,with IP addys and all. I was suprised how many there were/are.Seems like loads of scummy hackers are bombarding my pc every minute or so. Is this normal?!! Any help muchly appreciated. Dave. p.s, I can print a screen view...but don't know how to attach it.. __________________ No point crying over spilt milk

01-05-2006, 04:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Glaswegian Moderator/ Rangemaster TSF Academy; Analyst, Security Team; Oor Wullie; TSF Surgeon and Resident Comic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 25,489 OS: Win XP Pro SP3 / Win 7 Pro My System Blog Entries: 10	Hi Dave Might be best to post a HijackThis log, just to be on the safe side. Follow Microbell’s 5 step process here and then post your log in the HijackThis Forum. Regards __________________ Iain - Defender of the Haggis and all things Scottish. I don't help by PM - post in the Forums. PC Safety & Security::PC running a bit slow?::Donate::Photographers Corner

01-05-2006, 05:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
StressedDad Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradford,Yorkshire - UK Posts: 26 OS: XP Home 40gb	Wow,thanks for the quick response guys. Glaz, i might have a go at a 'hijack this log' jobby, ( once i understand what the heck it is! ) Bear, thanks for the links.You phsycic?! My McAfee antivirus has indeed expired 6months ago.I'd love to just d'load all your links,but i'm a paranoid old git lol. Mind you, my pc has been running slow the past few months so i don't think i've owt to lose by d/loading them. p.s. ALL of my web pages sometimes just turn off while i'm reading them..as if i had pressed the red X / close box top right.( only since i installed these 2 programs ). Other stuff running, like my pictures etc are fine. Never done that before??.. __________________ No point crying over spilt milk Last edited by StressedDad; 01-05-2006 at 05:20 PM.

01-06-2006, 07:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
tetonbob Manager, Security Center, TSF Academy; Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Transylvania County, North Carolina, USA Posts: 35,601 OS: 2000 Pro; XP Pro; XP Home	Hi StressedDad - You're getting good advice here. Follow it, and then post a HJT log in our dedicated forum, so one of the analysts can help you out. Sounds like you might have some issues. All those links are to tools and procedures we recommend here. __________________ Practice Safe Surfing PC Safety and Security--What Do I Need? Because what you don't know, CAN hurt you. Proud Member of ASAP since 2005 Proud Member of UNITE since 2006 Microsoft MVP - Consumer Security 2009

01-07-2006, 04:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
StressedDad Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradford,Yorkshire - UK Posts: 26 OS: XP Home 40gb	Hi guys,quick update. First off - thankyou for the help. My pc is definately a lot faster + smoother after following your advice : First i deleted my out of date McAfee,Aladdin pop-up and black ice hacker programs.Then,first off, i installed the free AVG anti-virus from http://free.grisoft.com/doc/Get+AVG+FREE/lng/us/tpl/v5. This showed no infected files - nice! Then i d/loaded Ad-Aware from http://www.lavasoft.de/ This found 25 bugs - ( 13 tracking cookies, 10 alexa/alexia? things, and 2 TROJANS !! ) I also d/loaded the VX 2 add on,but this reported all clean. Next i d/loaded Spybot S&D from http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/. This found 22 sneaky little fellows. Well they're all deleted into cyberspace now,lol. Many thanks Teh_Bear for the links.U've made a stressed dad quite chilled.. I also d/loaded the 'Hijack this log' program,which i run and got a copy in notepad, but this was after i'd been messing with my pc for a while,so the log shows lots of , erm, words+numbers ( to me anyway,to someone else it might make sense!) Should i clear my files/cookies/history etc, and THEN do a hijack log? Once again thanks guys, top forum __________________ No point crying over spilt milk

01-05-2006, 04:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
Teh_Bear Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 5 OS: Windows XP Home SP2	Hi Dad. First off, I want to make sure that you understand I'm not a security expert by any means. However, I do know a bit, and I'd be glad to help out if I can. I'm not familiar with BlackICE Defender, but what it sounds like to me is that this program has kept a log of all IP addresses which have attempted to contact your computer. These aren't necessarily all hacker attempts, in the sense that some person is attempting to gain direct control over your computer. They could be spyware, trojan horse programs, even legitimate attempts to access things on your computer (e.g. you attempted to upload a file to a website, initiated an online virus scan, etc.). If you don't have them yet, download AdAware from http://www.lavasoft.de/, and Spybot S&D from http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/. Run these programs and MAKE SURE TO UPDATE them before scanning (you may want to run the scans in Safe Mode). These will help get rid the software that causes pop-ups - not just block them. Also, if you have an antivirus program, make sure you keep it updated and perform regular scans - once a day at bare minimum. Most (if not all) anti-virus programs let you schedule when these scans will be performed. If you don't have an antivirus program, then GET ONE!!! AVG is a free anti-virus program that can be downloaded at http://free.grisoft.com/doc/Get+AVG+FREE/lng/us/tpl/v5. Once again, let me tell you that this is not expert advice, and you may want to confirm this with one of the experts here.

01-07-2006, 06:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
tetonbob Manager, Security Center, TSF Academy; Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Transylvania County, North Carolina, USA Posts: 35,601 OS: 2000 Pro; XP Pro; XP Home	DO NOT FIX ANYTHING WITH HJT UNSUPERVISED. Please, just post a log in the HJT forum. What looks incomprehensible to you makes perfect sense to us, honest. Those words and numbers are what we use to read what's on your system. __________________ Practice Safe Surfing PC Safety and Security--What Do I Need? Because what you don't know, CAN hurt you. Proud Member of ASAP since 2005 Proud Member of UNITE since 2006 Microsoft MVP - Consumer Security 2009