Hacked?

[maui_hawaii]

How can I tell for sure if I am hacked? My computer I mean.

I run several anti-spyware programs on a regular basis...such as Adware SE, Spybot, the new Microsoft spyware program, and I have Spyware Blaster on my machine.

I also run Outpost firewall on block most mode.

I clean my computer's junk files regularly, and check for spyware often and up until now no real problems.

However, I am noticing that the icons on my desktop are moving around at random. I move them back, then they get shuffled again. If its not a hacker, then why?

I completely disconnected from the internet today, and shut the computer down entirely...but when I booted again after coming home from work my icons were again in the wrong order...

I am running XP Home...

Oh yeah, and I run that Leak Tester software and it came up as a tight ship...

Also while we are at it on my firewall, sometimes it lists IP addresses under the attack detection screen.

What exactly does that mean? And what does "Port Scanned" mean?

(On the last one lets start with "What is a port?")

[maui_hawaii]

Does anyone know anything about Avast! software?

[Prime Choice]

The only thing even remotely 'weird' that happened to my machine is that I got a funky email. It was blank....

I get blank e-mails all the time. Most of them are spam probes. Though you are courting disaster if you're using Outlook. I'd recommend Eudora or another mail client. Outlook is nothing but a virus-friendly, trojan-friendly, worm-friendly piece of Microslop junk.

[Prime Choice]

Does anyone know anything about Avast! software?

I personally recommend Grisoft's Free AVG Anti-Virus program to Windows users. It's free, updated regularly, and it's worked well in every situation in which I've implemented it. You can check it out here: http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/.

[JoJo Gunn]

A blank e-mail might have what's called a "web bug", an image that only has to be one pixel in size, and if it's white, it'll never show, though who will normally notice one tiny speck of any color?

For example, take this smiley:

I paste an image link, which is a command telling your computer "access this image from the server/computer JoJo specified", and when you access this page again and see the smiley, your computer downloaded it into the cache from the server it's hosted on. A "blank" e-mail in HTML format can do the same. (Look at the source code).

Spammers can keep a record of how many times that little bug was accessed, giving them an idea how much coverage they're getting, if your e-mail account is currently active, and they can also have a record of all IP addresses. Take that blank e-mail and click Edit>Select All and squint and see if there's not a tiny speck on the page. Your highlight color will reveal it.

If I'm right about the web bug, your only real protection is to set your e-mail program for plain text only, or to only open mail while OFF-line, so the signal to "phone home" won't be sent.

[Roses0508]

You can download a trial copy of The Cleaner which will locate and remove any Trojan Horses or zombie software.

I don't know your firewall, maybe some one else does. I have used Zone Alarm since they came on the market and would recommend it for a home user since I know it does the job and doesn't mess with other software.

Is it possible for you to upgrade to XP?

[maui_hawaii]

I run XP already...

You have a link to the software?

[holymoly]

If you believe you may have a virus/trojan/worm (which your full-time AV possibly missed) you may want to scan your system with one of these free on-demand virus scanners.

Antidote Superlite is an on-demand virus checker. It does not require installation; i.e. no registry changes, added .dll files, etc. Simply download the exectuable, run it, make your choices and scan.

MicroWorld Toolkit is another on-demand virus scanner, similar in use to Antidote.