272 replies to this topic

[konnerjr]

In response to post #12836203.

if a hacker can run an executable file on your computer, he can do ANYTHING you can... alter your files, steal your information, send data on your behalf, overclock your processor and make your pc explode (ok im not 100% sure about that one)... viruses are a sinister thing born from greed and propagated by the lowest and most disgusting of humanoid creatures which dwell in the darkest reaches of their mother basement... the worst thing is that its so hard to avoid them.

you wanna watch a video? you need to run a plugin... once you do that you put yourself at the mercy of the people who coded that plugin. so the only way to really avoid viruses is to either not use the internet or learn how to identify and nullify them... iv spent the better part of my life learning about computers as a whole, and about 5 years coding... i still cant dodge them all

my advice? buy a copy of windows... not an upgrade, but the version which performs a full install on a new drive (known as an "OEM" disk (Original Equipment Manufacturer). these are more expensive but when your pc starts to act up, just pop the disk in and wipe everything (this is where cloud backups become particularly useful). you will be left with windows as it come on a brand new pc...

indeed an antivirus helps... imo open source AVs are the best (since there is no monetary motivation to allow viruses to spread, thus increasing demand for your software and increasing profits)... i find that a firewall (NOT WINDOWS FIREWALL) is the most effective defense against the effects of viruses... if you get infected, the virus cant use the internet...

idk... the internet is a dangerous place... a place not meant for those who dont understand it....

[konnerjr]

In response to post #13234813.

that is a truly daunting task... to scan each file means the PC has to devote its attention to that and not to the files actually being uploaded... they would need a supercomputer to do this and they probably dont make enough money to buy a supercomputer...

[Afromelon]

In response to post #13037818. #13265383 is also a reply to the same post.

"they risk to go to the jail (or take just a fine)"

Stop right there criminal scum! Your stolen goods are now forfeit!....

10 seconds later..

YOU SHOULD HAVE PAID THE FINE!!
YOU SHOULD HAVE PAID THE FINE!!
YOU SHOULD HAVE PAID THE FINE!!
YOU SHOULD HAVE PAID THE FINE!!
NYEHAAAAAAA (power attack)
YOU SHOULD HAVE PAID THE FINE!!

[LeeSama]

February I was hacked getting a mod program from Nexus.
The Hacker stole my Steam account and got access to my e-mail and from there got all my passwords.
I managed to recover my e-mail and change all my passwords but took me and my wife help more than 10 hours in her computer.
The paypal support, the steam support, the support here on nexus and all my friends and my dear wife had to help me.
No anti-virus will help you even some firewalls will not help you because the hacker program will be inside your network.
The description of common sense practices that Dark0ne did above is the unique way to prevent you from what happen to me.
The consequences of my mistake was:
1 Almost lost sums of money;
2 Caused inconvenience to my friends, because the hacker tried to get they through Steam chat and my e-mail;
3 Waited 10 days to recovery everything;
4 Lost my computer data (I had to format);
5 Earned the title of dumb given by myself.
One tip for users of gmail: I was double dumb because I didn't use in that time the 2 step security (token).
Don't forget to use the token. It prevents hackers to get access to your e-mail that is the main source to stole of all your information.

Edited by LeeSama, 26 March 2014 - 11:49 PM.

[giannis196]

can i ask if those hackers after all that finally are go to the jail??
if not the what are they have to lose anyway?

[Grasmann]

In response to post #13317403.

They're certainly not going to jail.
Nobody knows who they are and it doesn't have a high priority for anyone to find it out.
In our society hackers usually just get tracked down if they harmed somebody who has enough money to do anything about it and if the damage was high enough.
I'm sure nothing will happen to them XD.

Although I also have to say: If you store your paypal passwords and what not in your browser it's a tiny bit your own fault if somebody gets them.

I mean you wouldn't leave your keys in your car and wonder why somebody stole your car, would you?
There are some passwords you simply shouldn't save on your computer.

Just saying.

[Grasmann]

In response to post #13234813. #13266143 is also a reply to the same post.

Not everything that can harm your computer is detected as a virus.
I'm a hobby programmer.

I could make a program for you that just deletes everything on your harddrive and I'm pretty sure no anti virus program would detect it.
It's a simple recursive loop.

It's really complicated to make a filter for an anti virus program that can detect something like that without giving an alert for every program you use.

[Grasmann]

In response to post #12836203. #13265928 is also a reply to the same post.

No, no, no you can't let a computer explode XD.
The computer must contain an explosive to let it explode.
You can probably overclock a computers to the point where they are destroyed.
But modern computers have security features for something like that, so it's really hard to do.
I wouldn't waste any thoughts for that.

But, yes you gotta be carful what you download.
Don't trust the website? Don't download anything.
If you spend enough time on the internet eventually you will know which websites look legit and which don't.

[Grasmann]

In response to post #12836203. #13265928, #13322823 are all replies on the same post.

Actually the windows firewall is pretty good and powerful.
Most people just don't configure it correct.
I would like to recommend the program "Windows Firewall Control" here.

I'm using the windows firewall for years now and the past several years I used it together with Microsoft Security Essentials.

Now I switched to Panda Cloud Anitvirus, but only because it's such a hassle to set up exclutions in Microsoft Security Essentials.

But seriously the common believe that the Windows Firewall MUST be bad is just wrong.
It just gives you more freedom, while others tend to just block everything unless you allow it.

However if you're using Windows Firewall Control it acts more like other firewalls.

Actually I would recommend to use the Windows Firewall over every other one I used so far. Because the Windows Firewall is part of the system. It has much better control over everyting that is happening than other firewalls.

[yOuw1shyOuhadth1snam3]

Or to be safe, you can use a program called "Sandboxie" to run suspicious exes in. The program is run in a virtual environment so if it crashes your computer it does nothing to anything. Simple. No anti-virus needed, no firewall, if its a trojan from the start you can simply terminate it from the beginning and end it. Best of all this tool is free! (sorry if it seems like i'm advertising)

Edited by yOuw1shyOuhadth1snam3, 28 March 2014 - 12:59 AM.