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Did I f'up computer.?.....


ArnieZ

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So I have been having an issue with trying to upgrade the WiFi extender

was on netgear's website and started a chat. The tech said he needed to have someone call me

I gave him a number and almost immediately received a call from India

gave the guy access to my computer, was able to watch what he was doing , nothing suspicious.

He then told me I needed a new firewall or I could let him fix it

I then. Disconnected because I have never purchased a fire wall 

and was certainly not going to let him “fix it 

so am I totally screwed what do kneed to do to protect myself?

Arnje 

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16 answers to this question

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These tips are for anyone who may not like dealing with computer stuff:

Both Mac and Windows by default make your account the Admin account.  Your daily use account should be a standard account.  When you set up your computer, create an admin account with a strong password, then create an account to use daily.  That way, if something is required, you'll have to enter completely different credentials.  Also, if you do a Google search for Help with netgear or whatever, the first few results are ads.  Others are places like this or even 3rd parties that may be ok to use.  Go to the manufacturer website and contact them directly.  Ask them to detail what they're going to do first.  If they're hesitant, hang up.  

The other big thing is if you're using the Internet provider's modem/router/wireless, it may have a default password that's easily found on the internet.  Or, it's simply printed on the bottom, again a default.  Go into the interface and change it.  Please don't make any passwords things like your kid's birthdays, your dog's name, your name, or other info that's easily found online.  

The other thing I hear people say a lot is that they're out in the country, no one's around.  Act like you live in a bad section of a big city and your passwords are your deadbolts for those doors.  Enable 2 factor on anything you can.  I know it's a pain, but unfortunately it's become necessary in today's world. 

 

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A lot of routers from various makers these days come with built in firewalls. Also, most anti virus suites and windows 10 itself actually have firewalls installed by default.

I would guess that there was something lost in translation, and honestly I wouldn't really be worried.

Now, what issues are you having with the extender? to be able to upgrade it, often that would require making connections from your computer that windows may consider "suspicious", so disabling the firewall may be necessary.

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So how do I find out if the person established himself as a root user? What is the BS about the Firewall. I have had some quirky things lately before this incident.

What id anything else can I do to block this gut from access to my Network. I do not save passwords in my computer to anything financially related, but for all I know he can record keystrokes?

Arnie

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1 minute ago, tbonesullivan said:

A lot of routers from various makers these days come with built in firewalls. Also, most anti virus suites and windows 10 itself actually have firewalls installed by default.

I would guess that there was something lost in translation, and honestly I wouldn't really be worried.

Now, what issues are you having with the extender? to be able to upgrade it, often that would require making connections from your computer that windows may consider "suspicious", so disabling the firewall may be necessary.

Well the process seemed legit to me initially. I was on what I thought was Netgear's website and opened a chat. The individual requested a tech call me and I supplied a # I generally use as a faxline. I gave him access to my laptop I almost never use. He went into the os using a cmnd prompt. I watched and didn't see anything terribly suspicious. He said that the same ip address was being used by two different devices and that was the problem. He said he could fix my firewall or I could buy a new one at Walmart. That is when I closed him out of my computer. he did not make a serious attempt to let me reconnect as I told him I was uncomfortable. He may have gotten whatever he wanted already, or maybe wanted more because he didn't get what he wanted. Possibly legit but I don't think so.

Arnie (the idiot)

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I would say, if he was doing something bad, after 5 seconds he wouldn't have needed to make any further dialog. Virtually every company has outsourced their tech support to India.

A command prompt is honestly the easiest way to see the structure of your network. I used to do computer tech work, and that "cmd" is always a life saver, and it's often just so much easier to go that way, than to try to navigate menu after menu of windoze 10.

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Sadly I spoke to Netgear support today and was told that their Techs are NOT allowed to take over someone's computer.

I was scammed by a very clever ruse, I should have known better.

Live and learn:mellow:

Arnie

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I'd say search for Windows Defender on your machine, have it do a scan.  If you have another antivirus and malware software, run a scan from it as well, just to double check.  And, as said before, change your passwords.  

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9 hours ago, scottcald said:

I'd say search for Windows Defender on your machine, have it do a scan.  If you have another antivirus and malware software, run a scan from it as well, just to double check.  And, as said before, change your passwords.  

Thanks

have windows defender and malware Bytes nothing detected. but the dude was in my OS. don't really know what is possible. I do not store passwords for any financially related material. He might show up on the HFC though:) BTW it seems that if you want to change your administrative password you have to reload windows and possibly lose your data and reinstall all your software

Arnie

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15 hours ago, ArnieZ said:

Thanks

have windows defender and malware Bytes nothing detected. but the dude was in my OS. don't really know what is possible. I do not store passwords for any financially related material. He might show up on the HFC though:) BTW it seems that if you want to change your administrative password you have to reload windows and possibly lose your data and reinstall all your software

Arnie

That's why you need backups of your data.  A colleague of mine once said that if data exists only in one place, consider it to not exist.  

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On 3/20/2019 at 7:48 AM, ArnieZ said:

I have my data backed up on a usb hard drive it is just reinstalling the programs that is a PITA

arnie

 

Most everything is pretty easily downloaded from the company that makes the software.  You may still have an email from each with a download link.  If not, call them.  If you have some proof of purchase (email or CC statement showing the charge), they can probably send you a link to download it.  

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