What do you think?

I received a call from an individual, claiming to be from Microsoft, telling me that my printer had been hacked. I hung up.

The next time I used my printer, it would only send graphics, but no text. I restored to an earlier date and it would print both, but would not print black.

I used the HP online chat and they tried to update my software, but it failed.

They are sending me a replacement and furnishing prepaid return shipping.

Was the original call legit, or was it a coincidence?

What do you think?

Don S.

My good old squadron commander used to tell us that coincidences are exceedingly rare...

Just noticed my printer had printed 8 pages with only graphic characters over the past hour. I don't remember printing anything. Very strange. How's that for coincidence.

In the rat race, unfortunately the rats seem to be winning. I wonder who loves you enough to call you and let you know? *spoken with deep irony*

R.

Wireless printer?

They have a HOLE in 'em you can drive a truck through...

Change it to cable connect and shut its wireless down.


--Mac

I've determined to do just that. I've read that Microsoft claims that they don't make cold calls. Also, that there are scams that where the caller claims to be from Microsoft and offers you a fix in exchange for you credit card number.

I wonder if someone hacked the printer and then called to offer the fix. Although he did ask for me by my first name, which is listed in the phone book.

I guess it will always be a mystery.

Don S.

Right now my available network connections show an HP printer I don't own.
I know which neighbor does own it because it only appears when his other network connection becomes available (not sure why he shuts it down sometimes).

I have been so tempted to install the driver and start printing things ..
like 'secure your network',
or 'I am your printer and I am taking control now'.

Or just pages of color to burn through the ink.
They gotta learn somehow and it may as well be fun for somebody.

Hi Bob, wonder if you got any of that 80mph straight line wind recently.

My sister at Clio lost about 5 large trees.

Re. the printer thing. It is connected to a secured? wifi net. Isn't a strong password on the router about all one can do to secure it?

Don S.

The problem appears to be how the printer that commnicates via wifi does its thing.

The coding inside the printer allows for someone coming in *over the wire* from your ISP modem to access the printer when its wifi is activated.

From there, they can take over the printer, in some cases add on dirty trick software bits, get into your entire network, steal identities and passwords, the whole nine yards.

As with any of these kind of attacks, it is likely that some sort of defense for users is in the works, whether that can be done with addon softwares, or via antivirus proggies, or possibly even having to release (and come up with a way for users to self install) new firmware for the printer will some day be the cure. Let us pray.

Until then, it is a very good idea that if you have one of these printers that communicate via your wifi instead of on a physical cable, to defeat the wifi entirely if possible in that printer and connect the printer directly to your router with a network cable, which should put the printer behind the firewall for certain.


--Mac

Thanks Mac for the primer.

Don S.

As Mac mentioned, it shouldn't be visible outside of your physical network, or it is a risk.
Being able to connect to it would allow me to be 'inside the network' without any authentication.
What I could do from there is up to the imagination. But no, it does not appear to be secured at all. I would never attempt anything malicious, maybe just mischievous.

Being a good neighbor I have resisted temptation so far.

What Mac and the others above have offered is sound advice. Use the wire. Also be sure your network is protected.

I wouldn't respond to any pop up or phone call that I didn't initiate.

I've also read that sometimes hackers will disable functions in your computer and demand a ransom to restore it. I've also read that when you pay the ransom, they don't restore your computer anyway.

Personally, I backup my data every day, full disk image once a week, plus I keep a month and a two month old disk image. I used to keep only a one month old disk image, but I caught my first piece of malware ever a few months back, and the month old image also contained the virus. They keep getting smarter and smarter so I try not to be an easy target.

Insights and incites by Notes

Hi Notes, This was my thinking when i hung up on the initial caller. However, I'm still puzzled how he knew my first name?

My modem has always been password protected. I just wasn't aware that the printer could still be hacked.

Replacement printer will be here next week.

Don S.

Simply evidence that there's no privacy anymore. Electoral roles, phonebook, cookies from sites you've visited, malware, "surveys", other forms of data harvesting, large corporates selling your information...

What's really surprising is that there isn't more of it... I don't think I like the way our various societies are heading.

Not all that hard to do, the wireless printer created the gateway path to your modem and to your ISP. They have your records, and if you share ISP on phone line, it is even easier to get the number and then do the reverse phonebook lookup.

Don,

It could be as simple as being someone who knows you and is just being a prick. In pre-PC days I had someone call me on the phone by name and cite some facts from my family medical records. I still don't know who it was, but it's obvious that he knew me.

R.

I have a 240V, battery backed up, explosion-proof [*****] detector connected to all my phones. Calls like this set it off everytime.