To all readers of my blog: I’m back on-line and glad to have a functioning computer again! My computer access was down for about a week and a half. No internet access. No email service. Nothing. My computer was entirely unresponsive. I’ll share what happened to me and maybe it will help you if your computer is similarly hacked and/or attacked.
I was simply surfing the internet when suddenly my speakers were sending out very loud sounds like klaxon horns, noise-makers, etc. A half-dozen error messages inside boxes appeared on my screen and a large pulsating one in the middle pretended to be a Microsoft message and warned that I’d lose all my data unless I called a particular phone number flashing on my screen within the next 10 minutes. It was so loud I could hardly think. I knew it had to be a spurious attack of some kind so I did a hard shut-down when it was clear none of the error boxes showing on my screen were active. I couldn’t “x” out of anything. I let my computer sit overnight and attempted to restart it the next morning. It did not re-start which surprised me. I’ve had this happen to me a couple times before in my life and both times my computer worked fine when I tried to restart it.
This time was different. No programs were accessible. The noises and demanding messages were gone, but my computer was lifeless. My screen rejected any efforts to use or change passwords, and I could not access any desktop icons. There was almost nothing on my screen. I called my longtime computer technician, who happened to be out-of-town at the time. He told me he’d come check out my computer when he returned, but it would be at least a week until he returned to Sioux Falls from a trip.
I waited and really felt isolated with no way to contact anyone on my computer and no way to access any information of any kind. I made the best of it and told myself I just had to be patient. However, it was like returning to the world of the early 1980s before I owned a computer. Thankfully the TV worked so I could fill my time with news stories, movies, TV shows stored on my DVR, etc.
Time went by until my computer technician could come to my house last night and fix my machine. I had worried: “What if he can’t fix it? Then I will need to buy a new computer and start all over.” That was a most daunting thought. However, he was able to fix everything and purge my computer of any residual effects of the hack attack. I’m glad to report that everything works fine, all data was saved as far as I know and I’m back in business. However, it will take some time to get current on things. There were over 400 emails in my inbox which had accumulated while I couldn’t access my email functions. None of that total was spam; they were all legitimate emails. Many I could dismiss, but many also needed my attention. The interruption in on-line service had no effect on my website. As you no doubt know, I used old technology (a telephone) to talk to the person who posts my blogs to have him post a notice at my website regarding what had happened.
I’ll need some time yet to catch up on all the emails as another 40 or so come in to my inbox every day. As soon as I get caught up to the present with my email files, I’ll resume blogging as usual.
If you ever have something like this happen, don’t click on any links or call any phone numbers being given to you on your screen. Do as I did, and just shut down your computer with a hard shut-down if there is no other way to turn your computer off. Scammers will get access to your private information if you click on their “emergency links” or their “emergency phone number” to call. As long as you keep them out a skilled computer technician will be able to restart your computer.
Its good to be back on-line!
