Recovering from a Hacking Incident: A Personal Account and Best Practices
Recently, I found myself in a precarious situation that many online users dread: I fell victim to a classic “Test my game” scam. Here’s a rundown of what happened and the steps I took to regain control and enhance my online security.
The Incident
It all started innocently enough when I was contacted by two old Discord accounts that I had known for years. In a moment of poor judgment, I disregarded my usual caution and followed their instructions to download a supposed “game” for testing. Unsurprisingly, this led to a breach: shortly after executing the file, a third Discord account reached out to me with screenshots of their access to my Google account.
Immediate Actions Taken
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, I acted quickly. Here’s what I did to mitigate the damage:
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Isolated My Computer: I disconnected my main PC from the network to prevent any further unauthorized access.
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Logged Out Everywhere: I diligently logged out from all devices connected to my Google and Discord accounts.
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Password Reset: I initiated a password reset for all my accounts. Since my passwords were saved in Google, this was crucial.
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Enabled Two-Factor Authentication: Wherever possible, I turned on two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to my accounts.
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Fresh Operating System Installation: I performed a clean installation of Windows 11 on my PC, which only wiped the primary drive.
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Security Scans: After the installation, I ran Windows Defender to scan for any lingering threats and am planning to install Avast and Malwarebytes for additional scans.
Currently, my PC remains disconnected from the internet while I pursue these recovery measures.
Seeking Assistance
For those interested in examining the malware, it is accessible at oblivora.com.
Questions Still on My Mind
While I feel satisfied with the actions I’ve taken, I am contemplating whether a complete wipe of all my drives is necessary. If it turns out that I need to go that route, I’m eager to know which tools are recommended for a thorough wipe.
Additionally, I’m left wondering: did I take all the right steps to remove the malware and secure my accounts?
Conclusion
This experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of caution and vigilance in our digital lives
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