Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 22 posts

Re: Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

#12

Post by dudeofjude »

psycho-geek wrote: post #10

Get rid of Windows 8 and the TPM2 crap. Your machine is no longer yours. It is spied upon and owned by Microsoft. They have FULL control over your machine. I have caught Windows 8.1 uploading my data to Microsoft. They encrypt the communications, but I was monitoring Windows and what files it was accessing and what communications it was performing over the Internet. When I blocked the ip addresses, it evaded my block…

How were you monitoring communications?

Is it possible for me to monitor any communication that is going at BIOS level?

Re: Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

#13

Post by dudeofjude »

doubt_me wrote: post #9
dudeofjude wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

avast antivirus. and http://www.malwarebytes.org/ usb device. win 8, i had a genuine iso file and keys. Model - 41113TU Product - C7D86PA#ACJ

If you already formatted your laptop those viruses should be gone but if you think you have a rootkit Scan with this tool called kaspersky anti rootkit TDSSKiller http://support.kaspersky.com/us/5350#block1 If you find something delete it. But just to be extra safe re flash your bios/ update it and then scan afterwards to see if anything pops up.

Do you have pointers on flashing the bios.

Had tried that TDSSKiller earlier.

Re: Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

#15

Post by SchizoDuckie »

Note: The title of this article is most likely misleading.

Please post some detailed analyiys of what's going on here. What data gets out? What type of suspicious activities?

- Have you tried package-capturing with wireshark on the internet connections your laptop makes?

- Are you sure that there's no other attack point in your network that could be more easily infected than a BIOS?

- Have you checked your phone for instance?

- Have you checked the Master Boot Record of your harddrive?

- Have you checked your router?

- Have you tried unhackme (rootkit scanner) ?

A BIOS is very device specific, which would mean that either somebody finds you very interesting on a level that's NSA-tech worthy, or China hackers just leveled up.

I have a hard time just believing this, and there's a ton of attack angles that would be much more efficient to bug someone.

Also. Since when was hacker news downgraded to a personal helpdesk?

Re: Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

#16

Post by dudeofjude »

SchizoDuckie wrote: post #15

Note: The title of this article is most likely misleading. Please post some detailed analyiys of what's going on here. What data gets out? What type of suspicious activities? - Have you tried package-capturing with wireshark on the internet connections your laptop makes? - Are you sure that there's no other attack point in your network that could be more easily infected than a BIOS? - Have you checked your phone for…

Please post some detailed analyiys of what's going on here. What data gets out? What type of suspicious activities?

    They know my gmail passwords.
- Have you tried package-capturing with wireshark on the internet connections your laptop makes?

    Yes.
- Are you sure that there's no other attack point in your network that could be more easily infected than a BIOS?

    Can be.
- Have you checked your phone for instance?

    Downgraded the phone.
- Have you checked the Master Boot Record of your harddrive?

    Yes.
- Have you checked your router?

    Don't have access.
- Have you tried unhackme (rootkit scanner) ?

    Yes.
A BIOS is very device specific, which would mean that either somebody finds you very interesting on a level that's NSA-tech worthy, or China hackers just leveled up.

I have a hard time just believing this, and there's a ton of attack angles that would be much more efficient to bug someone.

     I am facing it.
Also. Since when was hacker news downgraded to a personal helpdesk?

    Where else shall I go to resolve the crisis?

Re: Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

#18

Post by doubt_me »

dudeofjude wrote: post #13
doubt_me wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you already formatted your laptop those viruses should be gone but if you think you have a rootkit Scan with this tool called kaspersky anti rootkit TDSSKiller http://support.kaspersky.com/us/5350#block1 If you find something delete it. But just to be extra safe re flash your bios/ update it and then scan afterwards to see if anything pops up.

Do you have pointers on flashing the bios. Had tried that TDSSKiller earlier.

Yea you can download it from this link and then follow the instructions

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?sof...

Re: Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

#19

Post by dudeofjude »

doubt_me wrote: post #18
dudeofjude wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have pointers on flashing the bios. Had tried that TDSSKiller earlier.

Yea you can download it from this link and then follow the instructions http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?sof...

thanks, worked like a charm.

So having flashed the BIOS and upgrading it, should I be secure that there is no rootkit inside the machine?

Re: Ask HN: My laptop has a bios level keylogger my security is at threat help

#20

Post by vertr07 »

dudeofjude wrote: post #3
vertr07 wrote: post #2

Maybe reflash your bios? Have you considered that it might be your network?

Does reflashing it guarantees removal of keyloggers or laptop camera mismanagement?

No, but it's better than being paranoid and not doing anything about it.
Post reply on HN