I think I may have been hacked
 

I had a text file on my desktop containing information like credit card numbers and passwords, email address and passwords, bank account details etc etc

IT HAS DISSAPPEARED! Gone.

Could someone have hacked my PC while I was online and taken the file? and why didnt I know about it!

try using search to find it. anybody else got access to the PC?

already did a search, no joy.

Only I use the PC as its passworded.

Wouldn't they more than likely have copied the file or accessed it and taken what info they needed (as opposed to removing it altogether)? Also, was the file called something like 'bankaccountdetails.txt' or similar? If not, then I'd say it's probably just misplaced...


R

If its something you need to recover you can always use some file recovery or undelete type software to get it back. If you/someone/something has deleted it, provided you haven't overwritten the disk space its likely that you can get it back.

If you're concerned, make sure you change your passwords and pin numbers.

Your computer would have have to be remotely targeted, files shared and then downloaded. It is a very remote chance, and I agree with the others, that its just mislaid or accidently highlighted and deleted :)

I'm not being funny or anything but how stupid do you want to be??

You might as well write them down on an A4 piece of paper and pin it to your front door.

Passwords, bank numbers etc are only safe in your head, not on a text file on your pc.

not strictly true, use of encrypted partitions means that you can safely store confidential data on your pc

Do a system restore from earlier date and it should come back.

Progs / accs/ sys tools/ restore

got it sorted.

Thanks Hanley for your helpful comment. I'll remember to store all my bank account numbers, chip and pin numbers, email addresses and passwords all in my head at the one time.....yeah right!:rolleyes:

Sorry I agree with Hanley , in this day and age you might as well print some flyers off and hand them out on Oxford street. With that attitue to PC security you will get rumbled one day.

I keep all my passwords in my head without any problems (email/work acounts/forums) I must total 20+ passwords no problem.
come to think of it I did just buy an XL snowboard helmet so I must have a huge head :p

You'd be amazed. We're currently running a phishing email exercise for a customer. We constructed a fake email (didn't even attempt to disguise the email address), asking users to goto a new IT help desk page and input their login details. You wouldn't believe how many usernames and passwords we've collected.

Putting it in perspective, the chances of being specifically targetted on line are much lower than the press would have you believe (it makes a good story though). However, that said, it's a really good idea to get out of the habit of storing information like passwords and bank account details in unencrypted form on your PC.

Just post your IP address, I'll restore the file for you ;)

I wasn't being funny mate, I was simply trying to stress a point.

With all the techniques being used now to steal identities, bank details etc just don't make it any easier for these people.

The use of encryption partitions may be useful, but any encryption can be reverse engineered.

Safest place is in your head

Good luck

:)

encryption partitions?

How do I do that?

Look here

:)

thanks.

I downloaded Steganos LockNote aswell.