Please help me with my packet filtering problem

Hi everyone,

While I was surfing to find answers to this what is an apparently never ending problem I have had for roughly the last two years I happen to stumble across this forum and via a google search. Anyways, hopefully one of you folks could help me re-secure my system.

Here's my problem...

My ex-employer wanted to keep tabs on me while I was working for him however, I resigned a while ago and he still stalking me to the point where it's starting to make me upset. After much trial and error as well as asking a few security techs here in town on how I should go about fixing this problem none of those ideas have worked.

I've went as far as changing my IP providers, used proxies, changed nicks to the point where it was nothing close in spelling in order to avoid detection but, yet again to no avail.


Anyways, This last tech that was helping me told me to download a program called "wireshark" and see if anything unusual was happens. Well after doing that I did happen to notice that some type of packets were being sent at about anywhere between 90-100 packets being sent per minute to the point where I can't even leave my modem plugged in anymore for longer than 3-4 hours before having to reset my MAC and IP.

Since I'm just a computer dummy when it comes to stuff of this nature. I really need some help here and would be very grateful to any and all help that you folks can provide to me.

Thanks in advance

 

If you have been bugged, you may not be able to locate it at all. You will need to run a virus scanner on your documents, get your documents off the computer, format the hard-drive, reinstall the operating system, and then put only the documents you need back on your computer.

 

Well I can try even though you have not provided much technical information.

It sounds to me as if your setup is under attack by someone who has not installed a virus/trojan but is sending packets rapidly against your router (do you have a router? if not it is mandatory as it is a good FW for incoming and takes traffic load off your own PC.)

1) Have you installed a main line Firewall? OA, OP etc?

2) If you have the packets sent it should be possible to id the IP addresses of all these packets and have that range of ip's blocked thus they get dropped by the FW

3) You can set up some modern routers to only allow access to the router by your MAC leave it that way for 3 months he will go away.

4) are you wireless? If so you can set your security WPA2 highest possible level change you SSID to not broadcast

Does this boss live near you?

What he is doing if it is him is probably illegal so consult the police or lawyer and a strong letter will warn him off.

5) Turn off your PC for a week and use the library he will get bored..


That's all I can think of

 

Thanks for the advice and yes. I pretty much reformat about once a week and keep my computer pretty much kept to the basics to ensure quarantining the problem as much as possible until I can figure away to fix the problem one and for all.

 

Yes, I am currently under attack by somebody an no I don't have a router setup at all because I was advised it would create another problem during my troubleshooting process. Everything is just hardwired due to the fact that my entire system before was compromised when I was running a wireless security behind a 256 bit encryption VPN and was still compromised.

To answer your questions above.

1. Not exactly sure what you mean by "mainline firewall." I am running a firewall however, not a stand alone model like hardware firewall and or smooth wall.

2. Like I mentioned in my original post above. I'm pretty much a computer dummy however, I've been trying to learn how to go about doing this process and and saving the logs in order to block any suspicious activity.

3. Not really sure how to go about doing this. If you could please point me in the right direction in regards to a few "how to" threads. Again, my apologies for being a computer security dummy.

In regards to him/them just "going away". I can't/won't go into details on a public forum however, I will say this much. That won't ever happen because I know to many company secretes and they lost "millions" when I resigned and the boss is rather paranoid, vindictive, ect, ect.

4. No I am not with my explanation being written above (see below)

5. Been doing that for roughly 3 months now and it's still continuing. What I had to do was ditch everything and all my contacts because my ex-boss would stalk them in order to get to me. Which actually added another element into the mix. It turns out this guy went so far over the top that he even bugged my cell phone but I did manage to evade that problem successfully I think.

To summarize... My situation feels like I'm Jim Carey in the movie "The Trueman show".

 

Sorry but your situation is well beyond technical issues alone. So my advice is as follows:

1) Seek legal advice ASAP
2) You have been poorly advised on the router, go out today buy a router and place it between your modem and your PC.
3) Get a professional IT person in ASAP to set up your Firewall Software you do not have the time to learn what you need to learn yourself.
4) Stay off the PC as much as possible until 1,2 and 3 have been done.

 

Thanks for the advice.

1. Legal advice is not an option unfortunately.

2. I will go out and pickup a router and set it up accordingly.

3. I think I will have to do so considering you were the 3rd person to tell me this info in the last 24 hours.

4. That's what I've been doing and will remain to do so until I can resolve this problem.

 

I can't see any problems with fixing this.

1. reformat to ensure there is no viruses on your pc

2. If u get your ISP to change your change ip address how would he be able to know your new IP if there is no viruses on your pc?

But make also make sure you don't send him any emails and if you happen to have him on your msn list delete him, because he can get your IP with these.

3. when you use a proxy it needs to be a encrypted connection so he cant sniff your traffic.

 

I think you need to give us more details about this. What kind of stalking are you talking about? What are the visible effects on your computer? (in other words, how do you know he is stalking you)

 

I have done the reformat thing and their are no viruses and I don't have him on my MSN list at all anymore either (changed out all my old nicks, pw's, ect). Also, I only use VPN's and proxy clients like Tor these days. However, this guy is still getting me somehow.

The problem I'm having here is that in my line of work I have to go to certain websites due to the fact that my work requires it and he knows it. So he has been staking out those particular sites in order to find me.

I had this problem solved actually until I met my new girlfriend who happened to have an IPhone. Well, to make a long story short. They got me again through her. I know it sounds crazy however, as everyone here knows. You give a non-script kiddie hacker an inch and they'll will take a mile. BTW: I did end up dumping her a few months ago due to her jealous friends.

Anyways, I've going to take Escalader's advice and beef up my security to even a higher degree.

 

No visible effects on my computer at all however, lets just say I know he still is and leave it at that. ... I'd love to tell you how I know but I would rather not in a public type setting. I will say this much though. My IT guy did happen see it with his own eyes as well and was amazed/impressed how I found out. Heck, it even stunned me at first because even I was skeptical and borderline paranoid at the time I discovered the flaw.

 

I suspect that you need to either get better IT support (and whatever hardware and software they recommend) or change your line of work (and perhaps your identity).

 

I have changed my ID however, I can't change my line of work unfortunately.

 

Are you sure that what you think is happening is actually happening? If you reformat your computer and use a good VPN, like Xerobank, how could this be happening? If you are clicking on something in an email accouunt and getting some spyware or something maybe?? Maybe you could use something like Returnil that will prevent any permanent changes from being made on your computer. There is a Returnil forum right here on Wilders.

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=103