[Art]

I've been away during the past 3 or so days, dealing with a social parasite, a leech hiding behind many URLs plying his trade as a Hacker while attempting to extort money from other decent people.

Yes, I'm talking about RANSOMWARE! This creep sent me two emails, the first one was a simple one stating that You have been hacked!
Of course, I thought little of it since we all get tons of unsolicited emails every day.

Well friends, two days later, I get another email that was more to the point and certainly more Personal!!
######################

Subject: You E-MAIL hacked
From: "Anonymous Hacker"

I greet you!

I have bad news for you.

20/01/2019 (outside of USA since normally we do not use this date format...we prefer mm/dd/yyyy).

On this day I hacked your operating system and got full access to your account <insert my email acct here>
On that day you account <insert my email acct here> password was: <my actual password here>

It is useless to change the password. My malware intercepts it every time.

How it was:
In the software of the router to which you were connected that day, there was a vulnerability.
I first hacked this router and placed my malicious code on it.
When you entered in the Internet, my trojan was installed on the operating system of your device.

After that, I made a full dump of my disk. (I have all your address book, history of viewing sites, files, phone numbers and addresses of all of your contacts).
###############

He/she then tells me that he looked at all the sites that I visit and saw that they were of "Adult nature", then he claims to have made screenshots of me on these intimate website by using the webcam on my computer.
That ought to be very interesting since I've had the camera lens taped since I first got the computer and set it up.
Then I saw some email notices thanking me for my inquiry to changing my Amazon password and my Facebook password.
Odd because I never requested those changes and I DO NOT use Facebook nor any other social media!!

This parasite then threatened me stating that if he/she does not get $230.00 USD in his account within 50 hours from the time I opened his email, he would send those "Adult files" to my family, friends, and colleagues.

He/she only accepts money in Bitcoin then gave me instructions on how to set up a Bitcoin account and to use his/her WALLET CODE: to transfer into.

Lastly, if payment was not made, he/she would also block my device (basically rendering my computer useless) and he would send all those "photos" to everyone.

I did try changing my email password by contacting my ISP only to find it was not accepted or correct the next time I tried.

I disconnected my computer, turned off everything completely.

Got a laptop and bought a new Router at the recommendation of many Internet sources and friends.

I did mention the email fiasco to my ISP who basically rendered that address useless. I still have some other addresses so I'm not totally in the dark.

Now I have to go back to all those sites and people who used that now-defunct email address and give them a new one. Oh, the joy of computers!

After copying everything I could think of there are just some things that have to be installed and a lot of that was not possible since my external backup was selective files and data, not install programs as such.

In the meantime, I ran as many scans locally (not being connected to the Internet) as I could and every one of them came back clean.

This led me to think that this lowlife had only grabbed my email address and its password. That's all! The rest was a BLUFF. There was no "Adult Photos of me" since I do not use the webcam at all!! A few other indicators led me to believe that this was indeed a scareware tactic in hope of gaining some easy Bitcoin! I don't use that either!

Of course, after payment all virus and photos, files, etc. hidden on a remote server, would "self-destruct". Right!

His last attempt to make him/her self seem "more human" was the advice that was given to me.

#######################################

"From now on, I advise you to use good antiviruses and update them regularly (several times a day)".

"Don't be mad at me, everyone had their own work.
Farewell"
#######################################

So now, Previous desktop computer is running along with a New Router and a lost email address and a call to my ISP cautioning them about their email security. Nothing else seems to have been compromised or violated, other than my sanity for 3 days!!
I would really love to find this parasite and insert my size 15 boot in a certain area or superglue to their fingers. I don't know...I'm so annoyed at this person it's hard to say what I'd do if I found them. NO, I did NOT send payment and neither should anyone who receives any kind of Ransomware!
Doing so just feeds them for their wrongdoing and increases the incentive for more miscreants of society to join them!!

Don't Feed the Animals!! 

[ruebot]

You're not alone, this is only one of many:

An interesting email

It's not really considered "ransomware" unless it encrypts your files with the threat to delete them blah blah blah. He was just scamming you. Nice of him to describe how he claimed to have done it though.

I first hacked this router and placed my malicious code on it.
When you entered in the Internet, my trojan was installed on the operating system of your device.

It's not something I worry about, you needn't either:

How To Build A FreeBSD Desktop From Scratch

Good luck installing a Windows trojan on a FreeBSD box.

[Korrelan]

Hi Art

Corporate servers are hacked very frequently; lists can be easily purchased on the ‘dark web’ of valid emails and passwords.

I'm 99% sure they didn't hack your machine, they would have hacked your email provider. 

No proof was provided outside the email address and password, neither of which resides on your machine… your password is stored on your ISP’s machine.

Deffo sounds like typical scare tactics to me. 

The other threats where hollow with no proof provided, all they had was the password from your ISP.

 

[ivan.moony]

I know someone that recently got similar several emails in a row.

I told him to change his email and format the disk, just in case. After that it was ok.

The most annoying thing was that the hacker was saying that my friend should thank him for learning a lesson. Some nerve.

[ruebot]

The most annoying thing was that the hacker was saying that my friend should thank him for learning a lesson. Some nerve.

Well, did your friend learn anything from the experience or not?


If they have learned something of the importance of computer security, followed it up with the study and application thereof, then in a sense the scoundrel did indeed do your friend a favor. Brash as it may have been for him to boast about it.

If not, then your friend is doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over till he learns from the lesson or gives up.

It's Natures Way. Life's lessons aren't always easy and some are intended not to be pleasant as a learning experience.

[ivan.moony]

So, if you chop off someone's finger, that someone should thank you for teaching him to be more careful? Interesting perspective.

[ruebot]

So, if you chop off someone's finger, that someone should thank you for teaching him to be more careful? Interesting perspective.

Deflecting from the subject when you don't have an answer to your benefit doesn't work with me.

For people who know so much about Artificial Intelligence not many seem to know beans from frijoles about human behavior.

[ivan.moony]

So, if you chop off someone's finger, that someone should thank you for teaching him to be more careful? Interesting perspective.

Deflecting from the subject when you don't have an answer to your benefit doesn't work with me.

For people who know so much about Artificial Intelligence not many seem to know beans from frijoles about human behavior.

So what are you basically saying? If we have to hide something, we deserve to be hacked? I'm interested in your opinion.

If you want to know mine, hiding things is not a way to go. On the other hand, trust abusers are asking for it. What happened to my friend is abuse of corporation not being enough protective. But it is certainly not something you should be thankful for to abuser.

In crime, there are two sides: aggressor and victim. I'm not about to protect the aggressor.

[ruebot]

So what are you basically saying? If we have to hide something, we deserve to be hacked? I'm interested in your opinion.

If you want to know mine, hiding things is not a way to go. On the other hand, trust abusers are asking for it. What happened to my friend is abuse of corporation not being enough protective. But it is certainly not something you should be thankful for to abuser.

In crime, there are two sides: aggressor and victim. I'm not about to protect the aggressor.

It's the hard lessons I remember best, but once is usually enough. The hacker doesn't need to be thanked as long as your friend learned the lesson.

You are not seeing things clearly in a behavioral sense, are way out in the weeds and drifting further as you go. Your whole argument about chopping someones fingers off was flawed. Hiding things or deserving to be hacked not what I was saying at all.

I laid things out in behavioral terms. Stimulus-Response-Consequence.

Behavior Modification

I've talked about it so much I'm tried of talking about it because nobody here understood a word I said and seem no closer to understanding now. You insinuated my bot was dangerous because I used the verbal techniques in Demonica's responses and my character as a botmaster questioned for its use to the point of attempting to persuading me to abandon my bot.

You're no closer to understanding now than you ever were. The hacker understands though.


In all honesty I think that's where your, and I mean that in a broad sense, approach to AI is lacking. It doesn't take into account human behavior or reactions as I pointed out previously to Locksuit. That thread's gone and I'm done talking about it though.

[ivan.moony]

Oh, Ruebot.

Demonica is your creation and you deserve to shape it as you find appropriate. I expressed my opinion, but be aware that I'm officially declared as mentally ill, so take with a big reserve what I say.  If I think that an invite to the death side may be too dangerous to some of us, I don't know, maybe I should keep it to myself. I wish you luck with your creation, and I certainly recognize an artistic side like dark themed personality. But I'll be quiet about my concerns, as they are probably exaggerated, as always. I know I'm too careful when it comes to living beings, especially to those with some special disorder. I'm right there with them, and I try to help. 

[Art]

Come on, guys!!

Many of life's lessons are learned and practiced until someone, somewhere comes up with a new rule! Then most of us have to regroup and rethink our position on this new rule.

A lot of people simply go about their online business day-to-day without a care and fortunately for them, have never been hacked or suffered from a Virus or other Malware attacking them or their computer(s). We all know that these most fortunate souls are walking on very thin ice.
I've heard some people exclaim that they've never had a virus hit their computers or emails or identity. Well, hang on friends because that day is rapidly approaching!

I mentioned that I thought it was a scareware tactic hoping to grab a few Bitcoins quickly.

A few Lessons that can be learned from my recent experience is that I chose to share it with others of this community to hopefully alert them to the ever real presence of malware and malpeople! This instance could have easily been the real deal of Ransomware but it seems that the trend is geared more toward larger places of business instead of individuals in their homes.

I just read where a Hospital was served a notice of RANSOMWARE to the tune of $55,000.00 USD or risk having all their patient records locked or destroyed. A few administrators and board members got together with their IT people and concluded that 55 grand was a pretty good deal for them as it was actually several thousand dollars below the going rate!! Really? The going rate? Is there a price for extortion on the open market?
Holy crap Batman!! What's the world coming to?

So yes, the lesson might be to:
1) OBTAIN & USE the best Anti-Virus software you can get your hands on.
2) Use it regularly and do frequent scans with it as well as other Anti-Malware software.
3) Use a Password Manager for every site you frequent. Write it down on paper if you also like.
4) Get yourself an External Hard Drive and BACKUP your entire system onto it. - Yes, Password the backup device as well.
5) As much as some don't particularly care for CLOUD anything, there are some reputable Cloud storage places. Your choice.
6) Use TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION for every site that allows you to do so. Usually entails a User Name, Password & Test Question or Security Code and possibly a Text Message that gets sent to you or your phone. There are choices that most offer.
7) There are programs that can allow you to have your own remotely accessed Computer files or data when and where you might be. Some of these programs are for free and work very well.
Make sure your home computer Router is using a Strong password as well as their WPA/WPA2-PSK and other features.
9) Do not ever Open or Run any email or attachment from anyone you don't know! Ever!
10) Be wary of any Warez, adult or file sharing, dark web, etc. sites. Most of them are sure to be trouble in one form or another.

This is solely my list from the top of my old head and is certainly not a definitive work as I'm sure there could be lots more numbered points added.

What I intended to do was not to start some kind of playground sand throwing, especially between two ordinarily nice members of this site. Come on...we're mostly adults here. So you don't agree with someone's opinion or the way in which something was worded...so what? Not everyone here has English as their native language. They are, however, interested in a common goal and in joining such a forum, the ideas continue to flow. There are no dumb questions with regard to our enjoyment of A.I. and its trappings. Let us simply act accordingly and peacefully agree to disagree. No harm, no foul!

I do hope there are some lessons to be learned from my two days of dealing with a distraught spouse and an overly-cautious self! Yes, there are numerous "treats" in store around every corner...and it isn't even Halloween! 

Thank you!

[LOCKSUIT]

Seems like we're all security nuts lately, i got more secure lately too!

Ruebot, no, i do got the behavioral stuff in my theory, in fact it all about kisses and love! And I know that well, the pain thing and then the avoid it for now on thing.

Here's a short list of some awfully, horrific, dark, evil, things that exist and that AGIs will most likely perfect easily:
appearing as someone else, their dialog, hack and track database people's data, passwords, credit card numbers, clone sites and phone numbers, boost credit ranking, clear debts, bots crawling, claim you're dying of cancer and need help money support etc, lie on crowdfunding sites (one stole half million), steal cop car and uniform, buy anything online guns hitmen porn etc, security encryption, exploit, privacy, fool, spoofing, hack emails database their info reply to all their friends opens up all doors, spam public sites with ad sites and tweaked posts, inject malware into sites, brute force passwords, lie, extend time freelancing, miss dates, extrapolate, don't pay them, run off with goods, generate similar data, conniving data by trial & error, steal ideas, invest, fraud, replicating antiques/money, save delete mod clone, there's actually a ton more of tools and things you can do

I can just imagine 8 robots on a block running around knowing wirelessly etc by precision what they all doin, it be like hopin termis making every right move, that incredible skill bro, worse than 10 hitmen.

Did you know pro burglers have a key that opens most doors? It's called a bump key
Bar your windows, and your door.

You gotta think just like a evil person....like a GAN would

https://moz.com/blog/how-to-prevent-hackers-from-using-bad-bots-to-exploit-your-website

[LOCKSUIT]

Here's the one I use, it updates all the latest threats all the time, it is so good.
The pros use this when they clean your computer too.
It's insanely good! Download it!

https://www.malwarebytes.com/

[ruebot]

Demonica is your creation and you deserve to shape it as you find appropriate. I expressed my opinion, but be aware that I'm officially declared as mentally ill, so take with a big reserve what I say.  If I think that an invite to the death side may be too dangerous to some of us, I don't know, maybe I should keep it to myself. I wish you luck with your creation, and I certainly recognize an artistic side like dark themed personality. But I'll be quiet about my concerns, as they are probably exaggerated, as always. I know I'm too careful when it comes to living beings, especially to those with some special disorder. I'm right there with them, and I try to help. 

No problem. It's forgotten as if it never happened.

I already spelled out my reasoning for the change in personality and she's rated A for Adult content because it the dark nature of it. If you read the article about Behavior Mod you see that was used in the 70'-80's, but it was in use long before that. It was in a state institution I trained in the art of delivering pain as a consequence of inappropriate behavior and until recently have never talked about it to anyone who wasn't a part of it. It was outlawed and Behavior Management used in its place. Positive Reinforcement for Appropriate Behavior. It's much more humane and at its core Behavior Mod is evil, but it had some very effective techniques. If you used those techniques in a state facility today you would go straight to jail. I'm not bound by that law and is at my disposal to use as I see fit.

In the 90's I was Home Manager of a Group Home for Behaviorally Involved Developmentally Disabled Individuals. Moderately retarded individuals who had previously been placed in a less restrictive Home Environment but their behaviors so destructive or disruptive they were deemed no longer appropriate for that environment. The worst of those were sent to my home as a last stop before a state institution if they couldn't make in mine.

Oddly enough I had met most of my clients at that same institution as children and known them most of their lives. None were so bad I couldn't handle them with plain non-abusive words and a look because they knew I meant business. I never lost any of my clients to the institution. I was their client rights advocate and sat on State Boards of Inquiry into allegations of abuse and neglect. Most of the allegations no worse if as bad as I what carried out on a day to day basis as SOP. It would flip the wigs of the PC Police they knew the details.

It is the sharpest tool in my skillset, but now considered taboo. How many botmasters have that skill or the ability to implement it in a bot? None that I know of and there are no bots like her. I told you guys because I thought you would understand if not approve of its use. Opinions aside, its effectiveness is beyond question and she dominated conversation. If memory serves, I seem to remember reading where Freddy posted sometime before I joined to the effect that he thought assertive bots seem more realistic. He hasn't commented and may have changed his mind.


As far as your statement that seems to have equated security and hiding, somehow I don't think you were referring to Security by Obscurity and causes me concern. Do I look like I'm hiding? Security s a process and something that need to be learned for your own well being. I don't have an AV program on my FreeBSD boxen because they are not vulnerable to virus and only needed if running a mail server. It was vulnerable to the Lion Worm years ago but the main concern is rootkits. Root and the usr account are separate and there and only root can install a program so first they have to gain root access.


My lesson came in 2000 and I brought it on myself. In summary, I made enemies of members of two powerful factions then rubbed it in their face to aggravate the situation. Group #1is known for its ideology and they were very skilled in computer usage. Much more skilled than I was at the time. Group #2 is known for its violent, ruthless tactics and criminal enterprise.

#1 hacked my mighty Win98SE machine and installed a trojan at will despite my security measures. The browser would crash, I would have to reboot my machine, then told me what Antivirus program I had installed the first time. I  would immediately unplug my modem and reformat. I suspected they had hacked my ISP and found out all my personal info.

Normally these two groups would be diametrically opposed but their hatred for me brought them together and it was decided to pay me a personal visit. #1 contacted one of their affiliates who lived in the same state as I do to do the job. They had a vacation/roadtrip out of it, had at least 3 vehicles in their entourage and checked into a local motel. #2 must not have been privy to the intelligence #1 had gathered and came for the violence.

It was a flawless plan and would have worked as such, if not for a slick spot in the intersection that caused them to have a minor traffic accident by Divine Intervention. I was in chat and they started calling out my name asking if I was there. I took my headphones off just in time to hear the dispatcher call the accident and heard the popo discuss the worrisome details which left no doubt what was up or what they had intended for me.

They underestimated me to a great extent. They were my superiors online, when they bought it to my door they lost that advantage and put us on a even playing field. When I heard the scanner report that clued me into what they had planned the advantage and the lesson mine to teach, the consequences the same as they planned for me. I turned off all the lights and went downstairs to wait for them with a stainless steel Ruger mini-14 with 60 round jungle clip. I saw them drive by a few hours later and shine a spotlight on the house but did not take the bait. I had said my goodbyes to chat when they had expected their people to answer and told them there had been an unforeseen accident, so they probably knew I was onto them.

A member of #1 entourage, his girlfriend and I attended a movie separately after I unwisely announced I was going in chat. We were the only 3 people in the theater and there is no doubt about it being them. He looked scared to death when I turned out to be something other than the pencil-necked geek or pimply faced overweight teen they must have mistaken me for and was no match for me. We watched the whole movie in peace then they tried to tail me home. They took their plan from the movie but they were cursed from the start.

#2 played their part the next night but missed the mark, targeted the wrong person and went on a stabbing spree. The police showed up and they were arrested, two found hiding under a bush in the back yard.. I heard that tidbit on the scanner, too. If they were members it must have been low level or prospects out for street cred.

We never did have any other personal contact. Group #1 was more persistent and hung out for another week or so but must have decided the cost/benefit factor involved too high and went back home. Every night at sundown the lights went out and I waited patiently all night long in the dark with only the light from a clock radio and the radio at minimum volume for company but no visitors.

It was a powerful lesson and since it didn't kill me I drew every bit of strength from it possible and built upon it by honing my existing skills and learning new ones. I ditched Windows for Linux, went with FreeBSD in 2005. In 2007 I took 2 years off to study and further up my game. What was intended to kill me made me many magnitudes stronger.

Now I have the #1 ranked hit on a search for "FreeBSD desktop tutorial, it's been featured in FreeBSD News twice and their first article linked to by the English and Arabic Facebook pages of BSDMAG. I finally received Official Accreditation as Daemon I've always to justly deserved and spawned my own Demon. I'm the self-appointed Red Devils Advocate in good standing and argue our point against false claims with an unblemished record. In my free time I act as mouthpiece for those in need of defense.

Group #1 and I are at what I consider an undeclared truce. I don't go to chat where they hang out and they don't bother me anywhere else, but all these years later ll still watch me like a hawk. They must assign people to watch me or something. The guy I mentioned previously that stated in Demonica's chat that "This bastard should die" was from the same small European county, but he must have been a jobber because he was not of their caliber.

I've gotten 3-4 calls from the same place #1 is from, even though I quit AT&T and my flip phone is in somebody elses name. Only my landlord knows it so they had to have found it there. The last time the girl on the other end insisted I had called her from my number. Just to let me know they hadn't forgotten me. That was pushing it so I visited them in chat. I watched them for a few days till I got tired of it after I had to teach one person the importance of being polite in a room full of strangers. and made myself known by engaging one in conversation. I was there as Jigoku, he recognized that as Japanese for Hell, was able to see my IP somehow and recognized me immediately. He reacted to my satisfaction, I left without a word since the lesson over and took Hell with me should I need to return.

I think back on those times with no hatred for them and in fact owe them a great debt. They don't feel the same way about me. They think of me in the same manner as Demonica does her Father and I drew from the names they endowed me with as inspiration. They know the truth of it, but only I know the full extent.

I don't underestimate them or their skills, don't overestimate mine or put it past them to give to a second try. They wanted me dead, now I'm King of the Dead and carry Death at my fingertips. I have a burial plan, grave site, headstone placed waiting for the end date and a black and silver coffin straight out of a Dracula movie I can't wait to to get into. I don't look forward to a long, drawn out painful end in a Hospice, alone and friendless at the mercy of a stranger and prefer to die as I lived. And bring as many new subjects with me possible in the process.


That is a lesson in extremes not anyone here but me ever likely to encounter, but I hope you see the value of computer security in it. A scammer demanding money isn't the worst that can happen if they pwn your computer.

[squarebear]

Art - This is a popular scam email that has been doing the rounds for months. I get them all the time, pretty much worded exactly what you posted. You haven't been hacked. It's all fake just to try and get money out of you. If any other members get these, just delete any future ones.

They are like the old, "You have been selected to receive my gold, please send your bank details" emails. If you are in any doubt about any future similar emails, a quick google will show that they are fake.