Panic Mode!

[Lisa Gerrie]

Press "Control and F4 key" at the same time

They are supposed to, but not all programs respond to that. Alt-F4 is more universal; on Windows systems it closes the current application. If your browser asks "close all tabs?" just press Enter.

[Tara D. Rose]

I fear this all the the time, we have several computers in the house, with WI-FI. I have captured web sites from one of my neighbors that I know that my wife and I would never go to. And maybe our neighbors may see this site. I really don't worry about it. If they see my few pics on here, I know they could not tell it's me. But if on the small percentage that I was recognized, and if they spoke to me and said we found out about you and you are freakish cross dresser, I would just say yes I am, so now do you not like me pushing your children on the swing?
I don't really worry about it anymore.
And MarinaKirax, I'm so glad for you that all is good or you now.

[Jenni Yumiko]

In reply to the pm's
Number one, use strong passwords and change them regularly! Never use the same password for more than one login!
Strong password generator here -> http://strongpasswordgenerator.com/

Basic wireless security - do all these things
Disable remote management on router
Enable MAC addresss filtering
Disable ssid broadcast
Wep security (very ineffective, but some older routers only support this, always WPA personal minimally when available)h
Use firewalls on internal computers
DMZ nothing, even though manufacturers state use DMZ, ESP for gaming devices.

better security
All the Above + WPA security
Disable DHCP and use static addresses only
Enable and view access logs regularly

best practices
All the above +
WPA enterprise with signed security certificate
Proxy all wireless traffic through VPN internally. (Prevents sniffing to procure WPA key - Karrens kids method)
Guest zone all non certificate securable devices, iPods, iPads, ps3 etc. only give them access to the Internet.
Any streaming media device, hardwire. Apple TV, Roku, smart TV's, etc. This prevents insecure packets and it reduces jitter and lag watching video.
Create Separate VLANs based on device. (Kids Macs are on one VLAN, my work computers are on another)
Create ACL's on your switches to route traffic appropriately.
Ay device that needs Internet access Inbound change the port to an obscure one. (Ie if you ssh into your home network, map port 3241 to 22)

Some of these, ESP in the best practices assume better than average consumer grade equipment.

[Beverley Sims]

All I can say everyone should read this thread and think what might be!
Jennilay and others have given comprehensive explanations and what is needed now is for you to read and understand what has been said.

Those that are into social networking be cautious as well without spoiling your enjoyment if the medium.

It is simple to upgrade your security. Even a little bit gives tenfold what you may have now.

I had lost 19 posts the other day I assume to bad posts being deleted.
I was skeptical because nineteen was a lot for one day.

[lingerieLiz]

giuseppina -- signals that aren't broadcast can't be intercepted. Sorry to disappoint you but they can. That is why top secret installations are inside of wire cages. It just isn't as easy.

[Lisa Gerrie]

I have captured web sites from one of my neighbors that I know that my wife and I would never go to.

Tara, can you elaborate on "captured"? Were you trying to use your neighbor's WiFi signal, or did those sites just appear in your browser, or...? Have you ever seen "normal" things pop up, like your neighbor's Facebook page?

All,

IMO it's like securing your home. If you live in a bad neighborhood, extra locks are a good idea. I live in a residential neighborhood and I can barely get a good WiFi signal from one end of my house to the other, so unless somebody is trying to break it, they won't even know I am here. My neighbors are mostly older people who can barely handle their own computers, much less break into mine.

I'm much more concerned about protecting myself from identify theft than Mrs. Grumby knowing that I wear panties. That's the reason I use MAC filtering, even though it is inconvenient when a visiting friend just wants to check their email.

[Tara D. Rose]

Hi Mich Salem, Maybe I should have used a different word than "captured". But just a short while back, my wife was on the computer and she hit history. She asked what I was doing looking a such different websites than as is normal for me? After both of us working to figure out why web sites kept popping up as if we were viewing them, while all the while knowing we were not viewing them. The sites would then appear in cookies as we sat there. It was only for that one day as well.
I would never try to spy on my neighbors.

[Jenni Yumiko]

You probably hit a site that had under pops and it spawned a ton of sites that you clicked off before they loaded. The cookie is usually dropped in before the page fully loads as it is a concurrent request and the cookie data size is much smaller than images.

[Lisa Gerrie]

I wasn't implying that Tara, I was thinking more along the lines of "borrowing" an unsecured WiFi signal and seeing something accidentally. IMO what you saw has nothing to do with your neighbors, and nothing to do with WiFi security. Sounds more like unwanted popups ending up in your browser history. But I'm no expert.

[Ceri Anne]

That would be freaky. I have my network setup so that can't happen. I have windows, not mac, so can't tell you how to do it there........btw........MAC is for makup

Glad everything worked out ok.

[Jennifer Marie P.]

You were in panic mode relax now.

[Lynn Marie]

A good friend from many years ago whose profession was smuggling once told me that sooner or later you're always going to get caught. Be prepared for it. That was good advice. Hiding has always made me very uncomfortable. I now avoid it like the plague.

[Jenni Yumiko]

This wouldn't be hiding, this would fall under security and loss prevention.

[gender_blender]

Remain calm. Put on more lipstick. Deep breath. Relax.

[Eryn]

giuseppina -- signals that aren't broadcast can't be intercepted. Sorry to disappoint you but they can. That is why top secret installations are inside of wire cages. It just isn't as easy.

Your ordinary hacker won't have the equipment to sniff and interpret the RF that needs Faraday cage protection! There would be no point with so many easier targets out there. That said, I don't think that there would be much interest in the web sites anyone is viewing. They're looking for things that they can steal.

[Stacey Summer]

MAC Address filtering is a good way to go about things but as far as I know they can be spoofed. However, for future reference, on a PC or laptop (And I'm guessing it's the same for Mac) you cannot control another persons computer without either Remote Desktop (Windows) or a third party program such as Teamviewer. In either case you have to give permission for them to control things.

Of course someone who knows what they're doing could still get in and look around your file system but most people who can do that really don't bother with general household computers unless they know it'll be worth their time. To be honest, WPA/WPA2 encryption is pretty damn good. As long as you've got a good password no one can get on and they won't be able to break it. For instance my wireless password, which is the same for a number of things is 25 characters long and contains letters, numbers and symbols. It would take VERY long time to break, if at all.

Stacey.

[Jenni Yumiko]

To eryns post, I have a faraday wallet from Think Geek. Last year at DefCon I still got doxed and cover blown. (Not FBI or anything glamorous, just keeping a step ahead of the H/P's!)

If you understood anything above, you either work with me, against me or compete versus me :-)

[Eryn]

There is likely a difference in effectiveness between a Honest To DoD TEMPEST enclosure and a Thinkgeek wallet.

An RFID tag in your wallet is designed to report data in a standard format when queried and therefore is an attractive target. The incidental emissions from a PC are not in a standard format and few non-governmental entities would be equipped to handle them, certainly not the script-kiddie next door. Even if you could analyze these emissions you wouldn't get much in the way of profitable information.

[Lacyfem]

Wow I posted a picture of me in my wife's new dress and got chastised by several about wearing her cloths without telling her. Like you I've had some close computer calls but they wouldn't be close if I was out to the family as some have said to do. Easier said than done and think some should be more understanding as we don't all have understanding wives and or are single. Again, like you I've almost been uncovered and afterwards having escaped a stiff drink would be in order.

[Christinedreamer]

This is one reason why I have decided NOT to buy into all the latest wireless craze and all the silly gadgets. I have a simple cell phone, NEVER text, I have a hard wired LL phone and DSL hardwired router with firewall, and never use automatic update programs. I also still have hundreds of cassettes with the best music ever recorded, a big VHS collection and a simple TV. No worries, no incessant upgrades, they always work and are simple to operate. No handshake issues or hourly format changes.

[linda allen]

So I'm browsing the site today, wife is out all day and the kids are elsewhere in the house. We have a wireless network and some teenagers that live next door, pretty tech savvy. All of a sudden my cursor starts not responding to my touchpad. In fact, it's going wherever it wants! I move it right, it moves back left. Oh CRAP! I thought - it's a mac, and it broadcasts its name on the network (so-andso's MacBook Pro) and someone is screen sharing! I cant figure out quite how, but maybe one of my kids has opened a connection from another computer in the house, they might well know the passwords (we have to change them all the time), or WORSE! It might be the teenagers next door who could have eother hacked the password or asked my kids, who are seeing that I am on Crossdresers.com! Oh Shit! No one else at home would be surfing that site, (certainly not my kids - cant blame it on them...) especially if they saw I was signed in!

I am DONE! The neighbours kids know my secret! I rapidly try to move the mouse up to sever the wireless connection, but the mouse is now moving REALLY fast and trying to stop me. They won't let me sever the wireless connection. They want me to stay on this page so they can take a screenshot or something. I am on the point of powering down in a frenzy, when I get my cursor to hover for just long enough over the icon to sever the wireless connection. I sit still, stunned. Someone knows. Someone thought it would be funny to screen share my computer and they caught me on a crossdressing forum. Will I have explaining to do to my school age kids, or will I face knowing looks from the neighbours kids? Resigned, I change the wireless password immediately, and I contemplate my fate, and possible explanations I might give (But the damned computer is "My"MacBook Pro" - explain THAT! I am well and truly screwed.

Just then my son comes around the corner holding up the wireless Razor mouse that is paired to this computer, and he says "Hey Dad, what IS this?" He has been playing with the mouse upstairs! My secret is safe. I need a drink, ladies.

Your computer doesn't have a power switch? A cord you can unplug?

Have a plan.