Win 2000 -remote hacking

[Sawtooth]

I recently experienced what I think is some bugger playing around with my PC remotely. Symptoms were problems selecting applications, opening closing windows and heavy cpu usage. Quake 3 ran like 30-40 fps, usually >120.
I have Norton installed and uptodate and virus scan was negative...my first thought.

Now its a relatively new install of 2000 pro and I updated it with service pack 1 or 2 so I assumed most of the vulnerabilities had been sorted. I have a software firewall (but hadnt installed it in this instance) McAffre. I was wondering if this was sufficient given I dont leave my pc running?

Is there an easy way to prevent it happening again.

I've unplugged from the net, reformatted and reinstalled Win2000. If I install the firewall before I reconnect will this get around this?

Im a bit miffed at having to do this but at least I'm not sad enough to want to mess up other peoples lives

Saw

 

[old.blackcow]

mmm

:uhoh:
This to me just looks like some strange CPU usage, perhaps you were experiancing a d.o.s. but i seriously doubt that from the information you gave that it was anything more than that.

You know yourself that you should be running a decent firewall of some sort. I suggest @guard for win2k, it's no longer supported ( which doesnt exactly sound good ) but i say it's one of the most configurable software firewalls i've seen. If you know better, tell me

dont touch zonealarm

I also tend to disable most of the services I do not intend on using in the services applet located in administrative tools.

and yea, it would be a good idea to have a firewall running before you connect to the net

im glad to know im not the only one who would re-install at the possible sign of abuse

 

[Will]

Zonealarm...works fine, and is free. That'll do me.

 

[FuZor]

I upgraded to the full version, seeing as I get at least 3 direct port scans a day some people are soooooooooo sad ffs

I have Mcafeee running, ZoneAlrm Pro, and pest control! ALL related to on-line problems, what a world we live in....

btw Embattle whats wrong with Zone Alarm? works fine for meh!

 

[Sawtooth]

I have a hardware firewall now (Winguard) should keep the buggers at bay for the time being. Suddenly my Q3 frame rates are back to >150...

Pity I had to reformat reinstall but you dont know what they may have left behind..some bugger of a dll or similar to start it all over again.

I think it may have been as a result of putting Win2000 Pro on as its a business OS really and maybe thats like shit to a fly.

Anyway things seem okay at the mo so thx for the advice.

Saw

 

[xane]

An alternative free firewall to ZA is Tiny Personal Firewall, designed along the same lines giving you control of outgoing connections.

Unfortunately, a dedicated hacker can easily bypass a firewall once the "backdoor client" is installed, there are various way to spoof and reconfigure popular firewalls, the real solution is to use an AV scanner which will pick up the infected or suspect file(s).

 

[FuZor]

2000 is a business OS, however its just as good for gaming if not better than XP if you forget the older games.

 

[Sawtooth]

Unfortunately, a dedicated hacker can easily bypass a firewall once the "backdoor client" is installed, there are various way to spoof and reconfigure popular firewalls, the real solution is to use an AV scanner which will pick up the infected or suspect file(s). [/B][/QUOTE]


Even though I've reformatted??

Saw

 

[Furr]

Im lazy, so i just use the inbuilt windows XP firewall.

 

[xane]

Originally posted by sawtooth
Even though I've reformatted??

Reformat or FDISK ? Some viruses will remain after a reformat !

This is besides the point, if someone is determined to hack your machine they'd have already figured a way of putting the client on it and bypassing a firewall. Only an AV scanner will detect a file likely to be a backdoor client and only then if the signature is a recognised one.

Do you have a static IP address, if not then it is unlikely someone has targetted your machine and the problem is something else, otherwise ask your ISP if you can change the IP address.

 

[sabrex]

Well Macfee firewall blocks alot out - it almost makes it impossible to do anything on the net and Norton AV ok but are you running system works? that would be your problem.

Everybody suspects a hacking but i reckon its s/w on your machine thats doing it.

 

[Sawtooth]

I had Norton Virus installed, I wouldnt touch the so called Norton addons with a barge pole as Ive heard too many bad things.

I would have thought Norton would pick up trojans or whatever else was installed.

Also I reformatted from a FAT32 to a ntfs file structure which I think (possibly) may get rid of anything , except if its in the masterboot or possibly in Bios (virus protection was on though for that)

Im on cable modem BTW so I guess its a static ip (ntl).

My system is okay at thwe moment and not misbehaving itself.

Secondary question is about Win 2000 updates. I noticed after installing one of the latest Win 2000 security updates that my DHCP setting for my firewall had to be reset to automatic rather than the manual values i set at the start. Is this normal?

Saw

Dunno, Im no expert on this.

Saw

 

[]SK[]

I had my ftp grim pinged once. I didnt mind one bit

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Surely, if you weren't running any servers, and you hadn't been infected by a Trojan, there's no chance you could be cracked? The firewall should be irrelevant...