Still not enough!

Hello,

I am using NOD32 as my virsuscanner, Spyware Doctor for offline scanning and Boclean for realtime.
......and my creditcard details have still been stolen a few day's ago as my credit card company phoned me today that they had blocked my card and the suspicious purchase amount will be refunded.....phew!!! At least good service!

Is the above configuration still not enough What do I need more? Any suggestions please as to what is regarded as the top products in their fields today other then what I am already running.

Regards
Dooku

 

do you have a firewall.if so which one?

 

Dooku,

You are not telling us very much... What browser do you use, your firewall, where you used your card online last (if in fact you did use it online). Or someone cracked into your box (highly unlikely).

Details man, details!!!

...screamer

 

I tell you what i would do, in order to stop thinking about it:

1-Backup all important documents, files, and programs.
2-Format and re-install Windows, followed by BOClean and NOD32, and a firewall. Use Opera or Firefox, never IE. I recomend Opera. Use IE for Windows updates.
3-Change what you need in your credit card account- start fresh.

This, to me, would be necessary to sleep again. I'm sure other and better advises will follow, so don't follow this blindly. Always think for yourself, and consider the possibility that your details were not stolen by a trojan or spyware. Consider normal things too.

In what conditions do you use a computer? At work, and what config, etc., at home, and if you have a router, other computers, etc.

2 cents

 

I second Someone's advise. Perhaps your system is currently infected and a rootkit is concealing it. That is why the reformat/re-install windows suggestion is a good idea. It's always best to start with a clean system to be positive nothing, not even malware remnants, remain lurking. Another thing to consider is that even if your system is currently clean, perhaps your credit card info was compromised (ie stolen) before you installed all your security apps and that the crooks simply didn't act upon the info until now. There are many potential explanations for this, so I wouldn't freak out. Your security setup looks sufficient for the most part. You might consider a content filter that stores your personal information in a vault of sorts and alerts you whenever that info attempts to be transmitted online.

 

Assuming that your identity was even stolen through your computer, I think it was done by other means like through the mail or trash, your set up is fine after you do a clean install and start from scratch just to be sure.

 

To reply to the requests of the post's:

- I use my pc for work and personal
- I only use the windows XP firewall, no other firewall....
- I do use credit card online regularly to purchase things online
- I have firefox installed.....but rarely use it, instead stil use IE7

In the last 2 weeks a couple of times the scanner found keyloggers and removed them....:-( but I guess the damage was already done.

Did run scan's again, pc is clean...or so the scanners tells me (NOD32 and Spyware Doctor). However I think I will restore a clean XP partition back just to be sure.

So do I only lack a good firewall? If so, which one to use? I hear Agnitum Outpost is good?

Regards
Dooku

 

Get a good router with built in hardware firewall. After your fresh install of XP, install Tiny Watcher its able to let you know of any file changes, creations even the hidden stuff, and modifications to the registry upon system startup and also good as an on demand scanner for use during and after your login sessions. Also a decent Antikeylogger and Antiscreen capturing program snoopfree

 

I did not see anyone suggest a credit report check for unusual actvity, do this as well.

Sorry for your troubles...a real bummer.

Edit: Deletion. I see you found keyloggers, with BOClean what a surprise! A good router excellent idea.

 

Given that there were keyloggers on his system, it is probably more likely that his credit card info was stolen via his computer rather than by physical intrusion or theft (ie trash digging).

I'll second the recommendation for snoopfree and for a hardware firewall, however Tiny Wather might be excessive depending on the patience and know-how of the user.

While typically a good idea, I think it's already been established that there has been unusual activity with his credit card (see below). However, if they acquired your credit card info via keyloggers, than it is likely they have your other personal info as well, so it might be a good idea to get in touch with the credit agency and have them lock or freeze your account so that no one can open new credit cards in your name.

 

TypicallyOffbeat: quote Given that there were keyloggers on his system, it is probably more likely that his credit card info was stolen via his computer rather than by physical intrusion or theft (ie trash digging). I'm sure you be willing to bet your life on it huh? Thanks for the remark.

TypicallyOffbeat: I'll second the recommendation for snoopfree and for a hardware firewall, however Tiny Wather might be excessive depending on the patience and know-how of the user. LOL you pretty fun man, please explain it to me and Dooku why having TinyWatcher on a freshly clean install of XP a bit excessive? The scanner takes but 10 seconds or less. I've personally tested Tiny Watcher with live malware samples and Tiny has been sucessful in detecting file creations and modifications to the registry as well as the hidden stuff. As for know-how you don't need to be a rocket scientist to be able to associate good files from bad, it's all about learning as you go. Besides nothing gets flagged from original snapshot that Tiny makes unless something has changed on the OS. I don't think wanting to know or be alerted of potentially unwanted activity on a freshly installed OS is excessive at all.

 

I'm not sure what your point is here.

Whoa, back up a sec, take a breath, and lets start over. It seems like you are taking my comments the wrong way. There was an obvious miscommunication here. My usage of 'excessive' might not have been the best choice. What I was trying to say, is that if the user has little or no know-how and lacks the willingness and patience to learn, then tiny watcher might not be the best choice. That is all, nothing more.

 

I guess my point be, expect a reply from me when you quote me be it good or bad that is all.
And I'll say again, explain to me and Dooku why Tiny Watcher would be excessive? Be specific and show some real examples of Tiny being a program that would require patience and willingness, also why it may not be the best choice, considering Dooku has shown interest in security being that some bad has happened to him.

 

While this doesn't make much sense to me, to each their own I guess. However, there is no need to be so defensive and hostile in your replies, this is simply a casual dialogue, nothing personal.

As I said before, the usage of 'excessive' might have been less than ideal and has evidently carried a different meaning than I intended. I never said it was a bad choice in general or for Dooku, all I said was that it might be a bad choice if the user has little or no know-how and lacks the willingness and patience to learn. I'm not attributing these traits to Dooku in any way whatsoever, I was just pointing this out so he might have a better idea of what to expect.

 

LOL defensive of course especially when quoted, I'll back any statement I have made with true real life facts. Hostile? To you maybe thats how you wanna take it go ahead I don't see the F word or any other language here being used LOL.
As for your second comment again you don't even give examples to your pointing out as to what to expect from using Tiny Watcher. Im gonna say to you, you gonna say something be ready to back it up with some facts or real life examples. Dooku came here for some help so give it to him and explain yourself if not shhhhh. I'm sure any one that reads our posts will know whats happening here. I'll say again explain to me what knowledge exactly one needs to have to be able to understand Tiny Watcher. Read the previous posts.
A little advice if you got something worth saying then say it and be ready for comments good or bad, if you can't deal then think before you post it.
I'm done with you unless you wanna keep at it.....

 

No Good! Install like is been suggested above a solid router or at the very least install COMODO, Kerio 2.15, Sygate, Outpost, there are many to decide on permanently but you don't have no time waste. XP Firewall lets viruses straight in uninvited, well it may if you're lucky show something went on but by then it's too late.

I did a new install 2 years ago with XP firewall enabled and i went online not even 5 minutes and got hit with a downloader that invited virus files. Needless to say i install Kerio 2.15 first before going online when doing that.

From the details i see you need a Solid firewall/router to keep something like that security breach from ruining your day and maybe even bank account.

 

One solution is to use a linux live cd. Once you've done your business simply restart and all details will be erased. Its so simple and best of all its free!

 

You all may be looking at this from the wrong viewpoint assuming that somebody got into the computer and stole the credit card information. Purchases were made with it over the net and the card information could have been taken by an unscrupulous employee of the company. Also, many business sites employ financial companies that process these credit card orders and somebody there may have stolen the card information. We don't know how the card was stolen but it may not have come from inside the computer at all.
When you use a credit card over the net, it's a crap shoot.

 

You may be right, but Dooku is asking what else should be added to his set up after doing a clean install. His topic is not about what do we think happened and how it may have happened.

 

Indeed. And exactly!

If a vendor or sales site doesn't have a public phone number then it's their loss not yours. You take an incredible chance entering CC numbers over the internet no matter how safe the sites might claim they are.

I call and transact with a rep where you can also receive a reference number for the transaction and an immediate email confirming the purchase.

Play it wise and smart. Don't gamble online.

 

As with many topics like this with the information provided user involvement can be expected to not only offer thoughts on better protection but also comments concerning how it happened so maybe it doesn't happen again.

I'll ask all parties to simply have a "casual dialogue" about the thread starters topic and do so without all the other dribble Please.

Thanks,
Bubba

 

Firstly, I don't see a firewall listed there. Secondly, who's to say that your info was stolen due to a virus or spyware? Maybe someone hacked a site you sent your number to. Maybe someone dug through your trash and pulled the info from there (are you using a shredder?)

Contrary to popular belief, there are far more incidents of identity theft caused by real-world security risks then on-line security risks (I forget the exact percentage, but it was pretty high).

 

fred128 makes a very good point in that Dooku's security setup may not be the problem. Piling on more security apps is a natural overreaction.

Nick

 

While I'm not sure if it is true that 'real-world' identity theft is more prevalent than online identity theft, I do agree that online identy-theft, while a legitimate threat, is in fact exaggerated and overhyped. Regardless, given that his system was infected, with at the very least keyloggers, and that he used his credit card online while he was infected, there stands a very good chance that his cc info was compromised via his computer. I'm not discounting the 'real-world security risks' of identity theft, but it seems in this case that his info was probably stolen via his computer. Am I the only one this makes sense to? Or am I missing something here?

Of course it's not a bad thing to defend ones position, all I was saying is that you seemed to come off overly defensive over something insignificant (see below for reminder). If it doesn't seem that way to you, then I don't know what to say, because it seems obvious to me. Regardless, lets move on. When I said hostile, I dind't mean using profanity, as that isn't what the word means. What I meant is that you seem to be taking this personally, and are making this between me and you when it should be about the topic and helping the thread starter. That being said, I'll leave this alone.

 

It is worth mention that phishing schemes can begin with contact "that your Credit Card has been compromised" to begin a dialogue to obtain your account details.