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Help Needed, Hacker Problem

J

Jon G.

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi,

A woman has presented me with her problem, but I don't know what
to tell her. Do any of you know how Cable TV can be hacked
into? (names and places altered for confidentiality) Her
ex-husband Y* is an ex-computer programer on disability.

Here is her story:

"Tonight I was watching an old movie on Cable TV when the
incidents happened.

"I received a message at the bottom of my TV screen that Y* and
Z* ere planning a road trip "for you" to Montana, and that it
was best to travel long distances in clean cars so as to be more
comfortable. Y* is the name of my ex-husband, and Z* is the
name of his wife. That popped up from the bottom of my
television screen on a black background with an advertisement
for Duporh Inn, and it smushed up the picture of the show I was
watching in an annoying and noticeable way. I was recently
pricing Duporh Inn rooms in Kansas City for my oldest son,
A*'s graduation on Goplaces.com. Y*, ex-husband, has often
chided me about not keeping my car clean enough.

"I also received a seperate message that talc powder was good to
use while spinning wool and mohair, and that was on a Dodge
screen that smushed up the picture at the bottom.

"I do spin, and I raise sheep and angora goats - producers of
wool and mohair. Yesterday or the day before, I had a
conversation with H*, my husband, in our bathroom, of all
places, about the relationship between talc powder and ovarian
and breast cancer - and the conversation was a rather
....personal one. I ordered make-up a few days ago from a natural
ingredients company online - which is how the conversation of
talc and asbestos came up to begin with. I also own a Dodge
Caravan, and sometimes visit the Dodge website to look at van specs.

"Now, I don't know how these messages got onto the bottom of my
cable TV screen while only I happened to be watching TV. How
they relate to the computer is also vague, but I'm pretty sure
some of the information came from my computer activity. There
were more than two messages."

Any help appreciated,

Jon
 
T

tom

Jan 1, 1970
0
It's easy to generate a video/audio signal containing whatever you want and
inject into coax cable --- if you can physically access the cable near the
target TV.
============
"I also received a seperate message that talc powder was good to
use while spinning wool and mohair, and that was on a Dodge
screen that smushed up the picture at the bottom.
============
Isn't much of a description ("smushed"?). Was there audio? Was it like a
windows message box? Was it another image interlaced with the original?
How many other viewers received it? The first thing I would do is get a
cheap video camera or vcr and tape it because the first thing a lot of
people are going to think is that she's insane ---is she?
It will also be much easier to persuade others that there is something worth
investigating if there is video evidence of it.
If there's a cheap wfm audio bug in the bathroom, you'll hear it with an FM
radio (even a cheap one will work for part of the spectra). Slowly tune
around the dial while the bathroom door is closed, you're outside, and the
water in the bathroom is running so you can hear it. To scan for a signal
over more than the FM band (88 - 102 mhz) try a scanner. Of course, a
sophisticated device will easily escape this detection method, but you'd be
surprised at how unsophisticated so many of these stalker types are.
 
C

CWatters

Jan 1, 1970
0
The first thing I would do is get a
cheap video camera or vcr and tape it because the first thing a lot of
people are going to think is that she's insane ---is she?

Yes have her set up a VCR on record continiously. If she can produce a tape
with a suspect message you could ask the cable co to investigate. Don't give
them the only tape make a copy.

Check if her ex still has a key to the house or did she move. Consider
setting up a video camera on a motion detector - if her ex is getting in
while she is out you might catch him on tape.

Scan her computer for spyware and key loggers. Microsoft have a new program
for this. It's on beta release but it seems to work well and it's stable.
Check for a hardware key logger in the cable from her keyboard to the PC.
 
F

Fred Abse

Jan 1, 1970
0
When I fall asleep in front of the TV, I dream, too.
 
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