Hackers Gaining Access to a Home PC

Starguard

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Messages
332
Question: I have reason to believe that there may be some "questionable activity" taking place within in my PC when I am either asleep, or away from my terminal. I am aware that there are a wide variety of methods people can use to Remotely Telnet into ones computer and gain access to whatever is inside, as well as monitor all activity that takes place. My question is....

If I unplug my Router/Modem before going to sleep at night, "or unplug it and continue utilizing the computer itself", is there any other way snooping eyes can gain access?

My home setup is not setup as Wireless. everything is done through an Ethernet cable.

Any and all responses will be greatly appreciated!
 
If you're physically disconnected from the Internet then they can't do anything.
 
If you're physically disconnected from the Internet then they can't do anything.

Well, they could...

But they'd need several thousand dollars of government-restricted hardware or have to be in VERY close proximity to the device (to the point where they'd essentially have physical access).
 
Well, they could...

But they'd need several thousand dollars of government-restricted hardware or have to be in VERY close proximity to the device (to the point where they'd essentially have physical access).

How can they do this and how does this work?
 
How can they do this and how does this work?

TEMPEST is a NATO program dedicated to understanding and mitigating nonstandard and side channel exfiltration of data.

TEMPEST mostly deals with hardware that is operating properly, beyond that there are also ways of compromising machines so that data can be exfiltrated in the presence of a network air-gap. These exploits are known as Air gap malware. The most popular technique is using speakers to transmit data acoustically at a range undetectable to human hearing. There are other methods as well though such as causing the computer hardware to emit EM signals in a pattern that can be picked up externally.
 
TEMPEST is a NATO program dedicated to understanding and mitigating nonstandard and side channel exfiltration of data.

TEMPEST mostly deals with hardware that is operating properly, beyond that there are also ways of compromising machines so that data can be exfiltrated in the presence of a network air-gap. These exploits are known as Air gap malware. The most popular technique is using speakers to transmit data acoustically at a range undetectable to human hearing. There are other methods as well though such as causing the computer hardware to emit EM signals in a pattern that can be picked up externally.

So if one were to unplug their speakers as well as the Router, this would have a positive effect on keeping prying eyes out correct?
 
Seriously? This thread got really absurd really quickly. Lets ask this question first. What makes you believe that your computer has been "hacked"? What does your network set up look like? If you're really worried about some theoretical "air-gap malware" being used against you, a home computer user, then you may need to re-evaluate why you need a computer in the first place...

If you're physically disconnected from the Internet then they can't do anything.

If you only want a simple answer to your question this is it.
 
That part was understood..I've never heard of TEMPEST before. I was just somewhat interested in its basic fundamentals
 
That part was understood..I've never heard of TEMPEST before. I was just somewhat interested in its basic fundamentals

Makes sense. What makes you think your workstation is being hacked? Maybe we can help you troubleshoot.
 
stop it guys

I been mining mad bitcoinz on OPs box every night
 
Seriously? This thread got really absurd really quickly.

This.

Unless you have some seriously important secrets, I wouldn't worry about advanced hacking attacks against you. Fully wipe your computer and/or turn off your internet when you are not using it and you will thwart 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of attacks. And if you do have secrets that someone would movie-style hack you for, you should probably consider whether or not you should possess a computer.
 
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This.

Unless you have some seriously important secrets, I wouldn't worry about advanced hacking attacks against you. Fully wipe your computer and/or turn off your internet when you are not using it and you will thwart 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of attacks. And if you do have secrets that someone would movie-style hack you for, you should probably consider whether or not you should possess a computer.

Got it.. Thanks :cool:
 
So if one were to unplug their speakers as well as the Router, this would have a positive effect on keeping prying eyes out correct?

Nope.

Because part of TEMPEST is monitoring (if you're pardon the pun) EM emissions.

This was more egregious in the bad old days of CRT. But still a viable avenue even in modern panel-driven monitors.

And, as noted, air gap compromises of other sorts are available too.

About the only way around this sort of thing is to shut down.
 
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If you're physically disconnected from the Internet then they can't do anything.

Well technically, whilst they can't do anything while you're disconnected, there could be something (say a key-logger for example) running/capturing while you're offline which they can then retrieve if/when you plug back in.
 
TEMPEST is a NATO program dedicated to understanding and mitigating nonstandard and side channel exfiltration of data.

TEMPEST mostly deals with hardware that is operating properly, beyond that there are also ways of compromising machines so that data can be exfiltrated in the presence of a network air-gap. These exploits are known as Air gap malware. The most popular technique is using speakers to transmit data acoustically at a range undetectable to human hearing. There are other methods as well though such as causing the computer hardware to emit EM signals in a pattern that can be picked up externally.

Wouldn't this require that some kind of software be running on said PC though? I heard the same thing can also be done with LED light bulbs. The bulbs can in theory have a mic and then broadcast the audio through the light going on/off very fast. I think this was just a theory though, and not actually shown to be in use.

Of course there is also the chance that the NSA has mandated some kind of wireless tech built into motherboards, cpus etc... This already exists with hard drives. It's probably safe to say that there is some kind of transmitter in there too to talk with their satellites. A firmware hack alone would not do much if there is no way to talk with the hard drive.

I think the odds of any of this happening to a person is pretty slim though. Direct hacking of this nature probably only happens to targeted people. They have enough metadata on everyone (especially people that use cloud services) without even having to hack their computers.


As for the original question, I would run a packet sniffer overnight recording to a file, and check it out the next morning for any weird activity. Also if you have any doubts you are best to reformat every machine on your network and close down any ports that are forwarded till you can figure out the source.
 
Jason?..... Jason Bourne?

Come on in Jason, we can work this out.

The chair is against the wall, repeat, the chair is against the wall.
 
This.

Unless you have some seriously important secrets, I wouldn't worry about advanced hacking attacks against you. Fully wipe your computer and/or turn off your internet when you are not using it and you will thwart 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of attacks. And if you do have secrets that someone would movie-style hack you for, you should probably consider whether or not you should possess a computer.

0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001%.....

Sooooo what you're saying is, there's a chance! All kidding aside, have to agree that the caution and/or concern of anything close to this type of monitoring would have required an individual to be involved in things considered highly illegal or of an extremely sensitive nature to big brother. Either way, I doubt anyone posting on an open forum (doing so is kinda like firing off signal flares in total darkness and hoping no one can see you, they wouldn't have to go to insane measures with said person at that point. Besides, dod was in the delivery room when the first types of Internet were born.. Internet history 101) should worry about it too much. You're safe as kittens in a vegetarian Chinese restaurant. :)
 
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