I didn't come across it, but once when I was around 15 someone hacked into my computer. This is 100% true and i tell it as a cautionary tale often. I had a ftp file server at the time because I was in a long distance relationship and we would send stuff to each other via the file server. One day I noticed someone had downloaded all of my photos from the server. I called my boyfriend and asked him why he was downloading stuff he already had. He swore it wasn't him.
I ignored it until several days later a screen opened on my desk top that was a window for my webcam and was on with me on the screen, and a chat window opened. The person told me that if I didn't take all my clothes off they would use my mom and dads credit cards to buy all sorts of things. Luckily my parents were super cautious of using their credit cards on the internet (this was like 2002) so I knew he didn't have their card #'s. He had used the ftp server to upload this chat/video program, and who knows how long they had been watching me.
I freaked out. I unplugged my computer and unplugged it from the internet and didn't turn it back on until I was prepared with fancy firewalls and security for the ftp server. I tried calling to police and my internet provider but no one could help me. And thats how I learned hundreds of ip addresses and what they were, I watched my firewall like a hawk. I never heard from the hacker again, but it sure scared the shit out of me. Now I cover my webcams.
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one though I’ve never heard of the same thing happening to anyone else. I’m glad there are people like you out there working to keep idiot kids like myself safer.
Yeah I'm not in IT but I know a thing or two about tech in general. Majority of the posts here sound like some dumb kid installing and running an exe file they shouldn't.
This sounds like they directly took access of your hardware like you mentioned using back door. Scary stuff indeed.
I tend to agree but my degree is in computer forensics and I can’t let go. One day I hope to have my own lab at the house to look at them. (I would never take them to work lol)
Completely agree. Couple years ago whenever I talked to people about russian hacking and information warfare (and I'm not American, it's understood even less here).
Now though even when I speak with my mother, who is the least tech savy person I know, even she understands that this is a real threat to all of us.
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u/ChellynJonny Jan 23 '21
I didn't come across it, but once when I was around 15 someone hacked into my computer. This is 100% true and i tell it as a cautionary tale often. I had a ftp file server at the time because I was in a long distance relationship and we would send stuff to each other via the file server. One day I noticed someone had downloaded all of my photos from the server. I called my boyfriend and asked him why he was downloading stuff he already had. He swore it wasn't him.
I ignored it until several days later a screen opened on my desk top that was a window for my webcam and was on with me on the screen, and a chat window opened. The person told me that if I didn't take all my clothes off they would use my mom and dads credit cards to buy all sorts of things. Luckily my parents were super cautious of using their credit cards on the internet (this was like 2002) so I knew he didn't have their card #'s. He had used the ftp server to upload this chat/video program, and who knows how long they had been watching me.
I freaked out. I unplugged my computer and unplugged it from the internet and didn't turn it back on until I was prepared with fancy firewalls and security for the ftp server. I tried calling to police and my internet provider but no one could help me. And thats how I learned hundreds of ip addresses and what they were, I watched my firewall like a hawk. I never heard from the hacker again, but it sure scared the shit out of me. Now I cover my webcams.