[careerdisaster]

Hi:

I see you have malware removal guides, while I need help first with definitions. I am not quite sure I want to remove the problem yet.
There is the real possibility the person(s) know me. I want to file a complaint and I need help with terminology.

The usual high-jacked password attributable events have occurred: my Facebook has changed, and email
lists I follow have been spammed or my status discontinued. I am able to define for complaint purposes easily how this might have happened, while I haven't
run programs to remove the re-occurring problem yet.

The following are the two issues which are most troublesome. I don't know how to attribute the occurrences:

1. Saved text documents have been altered.
2. Email messages are altered AS I write and proof them.

For obvious reasons, I need to cease this truly malicious behavior. I just don't know how to define it.

I would be grateful for any recommendations about how this might happen and what sort of hacking protocol achieves it. Is it a truly sophisticated or difficult hack?
Does it depend on if the person(s) might have had access to my computer (they might have).

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First and foremost, welcome to Geeks To Go's forums! I hope you stick around after we've assisted you in resolving this issue, as there is a lot of great members and information available on Geeks To Go's site. Now that the pleasantries have been said, let's take a look at your issue and see what we can do to resolve it!  
WARNING: Educated Guesses - Not To Be Mistaken
Now without having proper logs or having gone through your system in anyway, I can only take educated guesses at what this may be. So please do not take what I am about to say as being factual or of complete accuracy, but rather as possibilities. Alright now that that is out of the way, what sounds like happened is some form of a keyboard related software event. This could be malicious or something as silly as a faulty driver sending wrong keys/user-error. If you're quite certain it's not the latter two options, lets take a look at some malicious/hack related items that have keyboard events.

Keyloggers:

• Keyloggers are exactly what they sound like. They are 3rd party software that can be installed on a system to record all keystrokes, including but not limited to passwords and account details. Many keyloggers also have additional features which I have listed some of the most common below:
• Online form gathering (saved passwords, accounts, etc)
• Online history and current site gathering (in-case you use bookmarks or other options that don't include typing in the site)
• Email out logs of your actions on your PC to the installee (hacker, administrator, etc)
• And the most common feature is 'stealth' options so it is hard to find/detect

RAT's:

• RAT is short for Remote Access Tool or Remote Administration Tool (depending on who you speak to and what generation they are). Either way, the end result is the same. RAT's often will have a full keylogger system built into them, however their features do not even come close to stopping at what keyloggers can do. RAT's could be considered unlimited or full access software. By this I mean that the machines I use my RAT's on, I have full control over that system as though I was sitting in-front of it. Now RAT's was originally meant for IT Administration to be able to remotely access, manage and control the systems they provide support for. . . However with such a powerful tool set and the unlimited access they provide, hackers have since taken an interest in them. I'll list out some of the most common features, however this only scratches the surface...
• Remotely connect and control your PC, as if they were sitting there using your mouse and keyboard
• Built in keylogger options and features
• Can be set to take screenshots of your system on timed intervals or every time you do something (event based)
• Install or uninstall programs without your knowing
• Have access to all of your files, can even download them to their machine without any indication of it on your screen
• Enable your webcam and/or microphone without your knowledge
• Use your computer to initiate Denial of Service attacks (this is a feature becoming more common in hacker/non IT Administration RAT's)
• Etc

Beyond these there are other items, such as a proxy server being setup that is logging all your packets and deciphering them (thus getting access to your online accounts and such). There is also phishing and other methods of dumping your saved passwords through a scripting program onto a server or Email that is relayed to the original creator of said script.

I can list more, however I think you are seeing my point and why I had that 'WARNING' section. There are many things that fit your described issues, without having us look over your system and remove all malicious software with you - It's really hard to give you anything more than a 'it could be one of these many things'. Now I hope you utilize the keywords or types of malicious software I provided to 'define' what you need well enough, and/or that you make a post in our malware removal sections to have a trained professional assist you with removing the infection and possibly shedding some light on what exactly happened.

[PhrantiQ]

First and foremost, welcome to Geeks To Go's forums! I hope you stick around after we've assisted you in resolving this issue, as there is a lot of great members and information available on Geeks To Go's site. Now that the pleasantries have been said, let's take a look at your issue and see what we can do to resolve it!  
WARNING: Educated Guesses - Not To Be Mistaken
Now without having proper logs or having gone through your system in anyway, I can only take educated guesses at what this may be. So please do not take what I am about to say as being factual or of complete accuracy, but rather as possibilities. Alright now that that is out of the way, what sounds like happened is some form of a keyboard related software event. This could be malicious or something as silly as a faulty driver sending wrong keys/user-error. If you're quite certain it's not the latter two options, lets take a look at some malicious/hack related items that have keyboard events.

Keyloggers:

• Keyloggers are exactly what they sound like. They are 3rd party software that can be installed on a system to record all keystrokes, including but not limited to passwords and account details. Many keyloggers also have additional features which I have listed some of the most common below:
• Online form gathering (saved passwords, accounts, etc)
• Online history and current site gathering (in-case you use bookmarks or other options that don't include typing in the site)
• Email out logs of your actions on your PC to the installee (hacker, administrator, etc)
• And the most common feature is 'stealth' options so it is hard to find/detect

RAT's:

• RAT is short for Remote Access Tool or Remote Administration Tool (depending on who you speak to and what generation they are). Either way, the end result is the same. RAT's often will have a full keylogger system built into them, however their features do not even come close to stopping at what keyloggers can do. RAT's could be considered unlimited or full access software. By this I mean that the machines I use my RAT's on, I have full control over that system as though I was sitting in-front of it. Now RAT's was originally meant for IT Administration to be able to remotely access, manage and control the systems they provide support for. . . However with such a powerful tool set and the unlimited access they provide, hackers have since taken an interest in them. I'll list out some of the most common features, however this only scratches the surface...
• Remotely connect and control your PC, as if they were sitting there using your mouse and keyboard
• Built in keylogger options and features
• Can be set to take screenshots of your system on timed intervals or every time you do something (event based)
• Install or uninstall programs without your knowing
• Have access to all of your files, can even download them to their machine without any indication of it on your screen
• Enable your webcam and/or microphone without your knowledge
• Use your computer to initiate Denial of Service attacks (this is a feature becoming more common in hacker/non IT Administration RAT's)
• Etc

Beyond these there are other items, such as a proxy server being setup that is logging all your packets and deciphering them (thus getting access to your online accounts and such). There is also phishing and other methods of dumping your saved passwords through a scripting program onto a server or Email that is relayed to the original creator of said script.

I can list more, however I think you are seeing my point and why I had that 'WARNING' section. There are many things that fit your described issues, without having us look over your system and remove all malicious software with you - It's really hard to give you anything more than a 'it could be one of these many things'. Now I hope you utilize the keywords or types of malicious software I provided to 'define' what you need well enough, and/or that you make a post in our malware removal sections to have a trained professional assist you with removing the infection and possibly shedding some light on what exactly happened.

[mcarchy]

Hi the unfortunate thing in this day and age is even if you do report any hacking on a home users network the chance any one will do anything is ZERO as the company's like face book, twitter, email company's, IP providers ect don't really give a hoot unless you are very important or a celeb with money and influence to make a high profile nuisance of your self. This is because hacking is a massive problem and so many do it.
I can almost guarantee they will end up saying change all your passwords and that will be that, they will not do much more. With that said I would complain and make as massive a fuss as possible to the companies that have been effected, be polite and calm as getting mad will still get you no where. If you have money there are companies that will try to track the culprit for you but this isn't always possible.
Advice for the future is
Use a different passphrase for every account you have the password should be 14 char's long or longer if its an important account, using upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.
Never let your browser remember passwords.
Make sure your computer is always upto date Ie your os, browser, firewall, antivirus and malware definitions ect.
Check out things like MVP hosts, spywareblaster, malwarebytes, antiexploit, bitdefenders traffic light, these will help secure your browser a bit.
I'm new to this site but I bet somewhere under a rock I haven't turned yet there is a section on this type of thing.
There is a lot you can do to boast security, but one thing to remember is no matter what you do if connected to the net you can be hacked even if you are the most tech savy person alive, no one and no machine connected is amune.
If you want a more in depth chat on how to more secure your pc give me a shout i'd be happy to help you.
One last thing I'd scan your pc for password stealing software, if this site is like others you'll need to ask in the malware section for help as they get funny if people try to help, understandably.