[E90-4life]

Originally Posted by Squawks

Wow, then you obviously know nothing about the world of viruses.

Almost all of today's viruses are installed into your computer without you knowing. For obvious reasons.

Trojan Horses work the exact same way. People download programs, install it, carry on with their lives. Hackers can embed their viruses into such programs.

Once the TH is in, the user never knows.

Once the TH's seeder logs into the user's computer, the user STILL is unaware. The seeder can, from that point, control the user's computer or simply steal/delete crucial files.

Now, if the seeder makes the user's cdrom drive open/close, move the user's mouse pointer, or spawn random system messages on the user's screen, then that will obviously let the user know that he's been infected with some sort of virus.

But the stealthy seeder isn't stupid. He goes in, copies personal/important files, leaves. If he wants to impart serious damage, he permanently deletes important files off of the user's computer.

Note that all the while this is happening, the user is carrying about his/her typical computer tasks as normal...and the ONLY way to tell something is awry is if you are monitoring your bandwidth (e.g. through a very good firewall).

No, I just didn't know how a TH works. Thanks to you now I do! Where did you learn all of this stuff? I use my comp quite frequently but I ever so often do I look into security issues. I do live updates all the time for obvious reasons of security and scan once a week. I'd like to think I'm being smart.

[Squawks]

You don't know about Trojans? They are seriously the worst things you can find on your computer.

In fact, upon the advent of Trojans, they spread like wildfire. I would not be surprised if 3 out of 4 computers in this country has been or will be infected with a TH.

Google the Trojan Horse virus. There are literally thousands upon thousands of variants.

How do I know? I used to use it when I was a kid for fun. I would embed the virus into a cool freeware application (like an optical illusion program) and send it to my friends. They open the program, see the optical illusions, say "hey, this is pretty damn cool!" They then send it to their friends. It spreads.

Little did they know, the program (which was also available at freeware sites such as Tucows) spread to everybody. TH's were so advanced back then that even Norton's AV couldn't remove them. In fact, if you were infected back then, you had to download a third-party software that primarily aimed at removing purely TH's.

The follies of Windows...and it gets worst because Windows XP is the easiest system for Trojan Horses to exist in for the simple fact that now Windows XP has its own built-in remote access/control program which can be easily exploited.

[E90-4life]

So that would be an anti virus system unable to quarantine or remove a "virus" from your comp? Crazy, I remember there was a huge Trojan Horse scare at my school back in my sophmore year of highschool.

[Squawks]

Most anti-virus software work well against TH's.

Most of the TH's I've seen, however, are so good that if you remove them, you seriously damage your computer and end up having to re-install the operating system.

My laptop actually has a TH on it. I don't know how long it was there - probably got in there when one of my amateur siblings ran suspicious programs over the 'net but regardless, if I deleted this TH, Windows Explorer would become corrupt and nonfunctional.

I had to eventually quarantine the TH and let it be - I also had to block all ports via a firewall which I felt were suspicious.

[E90-4life]

Right on. You sound like you could write a book, on a bunch of random stuff, including Trojan Horses. Smart indivdual, your word usage at times can be qutie elaborate as well.

[Squawks]

Heheh. I don't care if I get a virus that crashes my computer or deletes my files (which I occasionally back up anyways). They can always be cleaned out easily and the files replaced with backups.

But the thought that some of my stuff has been stolen through a TH (i.e. personal files, resumes, contacts, important financial documents, correspondences, etc.) is horrifying.

[E90-4life]

Originally Posted by Squawks

But the thought that some of my stuff has been stolen through a TH (i.e. personal files, resumes, contacts, important financial documents, correspondences, etc.) is horrifying.

Easy sol = type and print.

[eleven24]

Don't worry about it. I have a static IP address (never changes) at home and my IP can be easily found by anyone who knows how to use the command prompt / terminal. If you run XP service pack 2, then you already have a firewall. If you run Mac OSX, you're even safer.

Don't worry about it.

[Hej]

Originally Posted by sharp1183

Hey, I was fooling around with wikipedia.com. I was amazed that anyone can edit any article to make it more helpful. Well anyway, like i said I was playing around and just now I noticed that my IP address was logged and it's now posted under the revisions for the particular article.

Can someone get a hold of this and use it against me somehow? I know that your IP address is logged on pretty much every site you go to, but this is creeping me out a little bit. Can anyone offer any insight?

It could conceivably be used by the police to track you down if you were doing something illegal (they'd need alot of cooperation from your Internet provider). Beyond that, I wouldn't worry about it.

[voltron1011]

Originally Posted by E90-4life

Moral of the story: Don't type your IP adress!!!

He didn't type his IP, the server at Wilkepedia does a reverse lookup on his computer and puts it there automatically. Depending on what kind of broadband one has, you may get a new IP assigned everytime you reboot your computer. If you have DSL for example, everytime you hit the 'connect' button you get a new randomly assigned IP. That is unless the ISP is using MAC reservations, but usually you get a new IP everytime. However, if you are using a cable-modem you will more than likely have a staticly assigned IP. Sometimes you can call the cable company and ask them for a new IP reservation.
Either way, someone has to be very IT savvy to be able to launch any kind of attack on your computer. Especially if you are NATing behind a broadband router (like a Linksys or something similar).

[wheeler]

Not 100% sure, but I am fairly certain I have a non-static IP address, as I run behind a wireless router on a cable connection. I think it assigns a different IP address at every hook-up. If so, its a non-isue. Anyone with more computer knowledge know if this is accurate?

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by sharp1183

What should I do?

Buy a Mac, no worries about anyone hacking into your computer then.

No need to buy anti-anything software.
No viruses.
No pop-ups
No spyware.
No scary warning messages.
Nothing but easy safe computer bliss

[shimshimhada]

Rofl, if you guys are that paranoid, you can use a PROXY, duh! Or just buy GhostSurf, if you're too lazy or don't know how.

[Squawks]

Originally Posted by wheeler

Not 100% sure, but I am fairly certain I have a non-static IP address, as I run behind a wireless router on a cable connection. I think it assigns a different IP address at every hook-up. If so, its a non-isue. Anyone with more computer knowledge know if this is accurate?

That's not accurate, as it depends on your ISP.

Even though you will be assigned different IPs by your router, your router will be assigned a fix, static IP (assuming your ISP is also utilizing static IPs).

Using a router is pretty safe - as routers have some of the toughest firewalls out there...most of which you can't even disable fully.

Hackers can still, nevertheless, get into your computer through your router if they are that good and that persistent. Your network IP will change, yes, but it's not hard for them to track you down through your router.

[gmcwv]

Think of an IP address just as you do your house address and think about your firewall and anti virus as your doors and locks. Anyone can get your address, the question is can they get in. If you run a descent firewall and keep your anti virus definitions up to date you'll be alright. Just about everywhere you go keeps a record of your IP address (even this site)and if someone wanted it bad enough they can get it. And if your really worried about it, shut your PC off when your not around or limit the access it has to the Internet, get a router with a built in firewall windows as software version of a firewall that is decent. Most cable, dsl ect ISP's rotate IP address so what you have today might not be what you have next month. Only if you pay for a static IP will it ever remain the same. wikipedia.com most likely keeps it around because it relies on users to update the site and if you post crap or wrong info on something it can be changed or deleted very quickly.