Yikes! I think I've been hacked.

[CindyDawg]

Those evil SUVs again:')

[AdamSelene235]

What else should I do?

Carry a digital camera in the future so you can get pictures of people and license plates. Some people will object. Carry a Glock too.

[js1138]

You'd have to have a pretty fast connection to find and download all that. Most likely they were just lily padding.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Looks like you've got a good start, i.e. changing account info. Otherwise look for naked lady mud flap purchases on your credit card statements.

[Petronski]

It's called 'wardriving.' They don't want your documents, they want access to the internet via your IP address and WiFi network.

Someone will come along here and tell you how to lock it down tight, but if all else fails, check out www.techtv.com/screensavers.

[DouglasKC]

If you had your network setup to accept only connections from machines with you MAC address then it's doubtful they hacked into your system. If they got your MAC then they probably would have had gotten physcial access to your pc. Unless there is some program that dupes MAC addresses somehow.

[CindyDawg]

'wardriving

????????

[bootless]

Argh. Sorry to hear about this. Call all three credit bureaus immediately, and ask for a notation on your credit report that you may be a victim of identify theft. That way, if these people try to open new accounts under your SS#, it will be red-flagged. I've never had to do this, but do know that the credit bureau people can be really helpful.

Good luck!

[NonValueAdded]

I'd say there is a good chance you are totally and completely compromised. I would immediately notify your credit card companies (STOP READING AND PICK UP THE PHONE, NOW!!!!).

OK, now that you've canceled them all, let your bank know (again, right now if there is a 24 hour phone number). Secure the daylights out of your network. Using a dial-up connection and a borrowed computer, change your passwords using random ones (remember, your personal data was compromised so they have clues to crack your mnemonic-based schemes). Copy only data files that you need to save to a CD and then reformat your hard drive and reinstall from original CD's, not backups. If you were thinking of buying a new computer, maybe now is the time assuming you have any money left.

[PFKEY]

Excellent question concerning wireless security. I know when I set up my wireless LAN I was all concerned about security but now that I think about it I don't believe I did anything too special to prevent intrusion via the wireless access.

I've adequate protection (I think) for preventing intrusion from the internet. Like hardware and sortware firewalls but I'm sure there is much more that can be done.

I do not keep any financial or personal data on my pc's but my wife has reports on the pc's that contain confidential information about others.

Any advice from knowledgable FReepers is appreciated.

[tdadams]

Well, not to dismiss your fears, they're certainly justified considering what information you had available, but in all liklihood, this is nothing to to concerned about.

Most likely, they simply found that you had an open wireless network and were freeloading your internet and nothing more. This is far more common than you would believe.

In the meantime, start using WEP. That's what it's there for.

[Petronski]

Yep, Wardriving.

Perverts who want do download kiddieporn anonymously, kids who want to hack/phreak other sites, peer-to-peer hosts, etc. The only reasons to wardrive are (a) curiosity (b) steal documents/info from the host/victim, or (c) cloak nefarious acts under the internet ID of someone else.

[ican'tbelieveit]

or a leather bustier

[Petronski]

Knowledge is power.

The link takes to you a TechTV article about 'airsnare,' software that will tell you when unauthorized persons are using your wifi access point.

[lizma]

Thanks for the reassuring comments.

I wouldn't be so paranoid, but my 9 year old daughter was sitting in the back seat. She thought she saw our bank logo (which was present on some of the scanned bank statements on the possibly compromised machine) on the laptop in the evil SUV. She independently asked me why our bank logo was on the other person's computer. Of course, she could have been mistaken, but I'm not eager to take chances.

[tdadams]

You should also give your system a security "health check". Use the ShieldsUp feature at Gibson Research.

[PFKEY]

Thanks for the link. I will give that on a try. Should be interesting to see what devices are around the neighborhood.

[js1138]

In the meantime, start using WEP. That's what it's there for.

WEP seriously degrades your signal range. At least on the units I've tried.

[Petronski]

You certainly want to talk to that bank ASAP, you cannot be too sure.