Question Stuck for the best option after hack?

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Jul 25, 2019
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I'd really appreciate some help please. I will try to keep it short...

Basically, somehow someone managed to access my email. I have no idea how, particularly as I have 2FA setup - I get a 'key' prompt on my phone to ask if it is me logging in on a new device.

Whoever did it then setup a recovery email address (a disposable email address I believe) and an auto forward to another email address.

Whilst they had access they locked me out of services I use and then sent phishing emails to get back into my account - which I ignored.

Normally on those accounts you get alerts to tell you you've been locked out but I am guessing they permanently deleted those.

I removed the recovery and forward emails and changed my password. But now I don't know what to do to stop this again?

I have a suspicion that this is related to a refurb pc I bought recently but am not sure. I have run malwarebytes scans on it but nothing came up. When I bought it the vendor (who seemed reputable and was recommended) sent me to download windows and MS office. At the time, I didnt think much of it but now I wonder. I may be wrong and it could be something else.

What do I do, having read up there seems to be differing views from...

  • So long as mwb scan is clean I am ok
  • Do a rollback
  • Format the hard drive
  • Bin it and never use it again

What do people think please as I am a bit paranoid now. I am scared to use any of my devices at the moment in case I am being spied on or get hacked even worse.

Much appreciated.
 
Jul 25, 2019
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It is this one:
https://www.bitdefender.com/support/how-to-create-a-bitdefender-rescue-cd-627.html

it's basically the same AV but boots before Windows, so any virus can't activate, so Bitdefender can find it and remove it if there is one.

Thank you so much.

I sucessfully created the boot drive, and following the instructions it booted up into the bitdefender tool. Then following - https://www.bitdefender.com/support/-1263.html I selected....

2. Select Start the Bitdefender Rescue CD in English from the option menu and press ENTER. The Bitdefender Rescue CD will load and it will display the welcome screen

However, I get this odd message come on screen after that, it is blank apart from....

!! /dev/loop0 is an invalid root device...
!! Could not find the root block device in .
!! Please specify another value or:
!! - press Enter for the same
!! - type "shell" for a shell
!! - type "q" to skip
root block device () ::

Thoughts please?
 
Jul 25, 2019
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Thanks, I still get this message in the bitdefender software after starting it...


!! /dev/loop0 is an invalid root device...
!! Could not find the root block device in .
!! Please specify another value or:
!! - press Enter for the same
!! - type "shell" for a shell
!! - type "q" to skip
root block device () ::

It should give you a shell command line option. Please try the following from the shell:
cd /dev
sudo mv loop0 loop-control

Then try a reboot.
 
Jul 25, 2019
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It should give you a shell command line option. Please try the following from the shell:


Then try a reboot.

Thank you for helping.

When I type shell it says...

** To leave and try again just press <Ctrl>+D
/bin/ash: cant access tty; job control turned off
/ # _


That '_' on the last line is a flashing cursor

If I try to type cd/dev it says...

/bin/ash: cd/dev: not found
/ # _
 
Looks like it's EOL
"Bitdefender Rescue CD is a free tool that has reached the End of Life back in 2014, we recommend using the Bitdefender Rescue Environment instead. This feature is available in the Bitdefender consumer products under Protection > Antivirus. Rescue CD has remained on the site to serve the people to which it still works as it is, but no further development or maintenance will be allocate for this product."

Other than that I would get BitDefender to walk you through it. They have a good forum as well as reddit sub thread.


 
D

Deleted member 14196

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i would back up my data and do a clean install of windows. then enable 2-step verification on your email accounts. they can't change anything and the Clean install will have gotten rid of any keyloggers or whatnot on your system
 
Jul 25, 2019
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Looks like it's EOL


Other than that I would get BitDefender to walk you through it. They have a good forum as well as reddit sub thread.



EOL, I see thank you.

Sorry to ask another question (but I trust people on here more than random googling) - is there an alternative that people know has worked?

Thank you again.